{"title":"History \u0026 Biography","description":"","products":[{"product_id":"9781849951401_the-lighthouse-on-skerryvore","title":"The Lighthouse on Skerryvore","description":"Perched on an isolated rock in the Scottish Hebrides, this is a fascinating account of Skerryvore, 'the most graceful lighthouse in the world', and the great Victorian engineer who designed and built it. At a height of 48m (156 feet), it is the tallest lighthouse in Scotland.  The story of the Skerryvore lighthouse and its creator, Alan Stevenson, is remarkable by any standards. Here was a man of exceptional intelligence and wide-ranging ability who overcame Herculean challenges over a six-year period to place a lighthouse on an isolated rock in the wild North Atlantic, 12 miles off the Hebridean island of Tiree. He was a brilliant and complex character, much loved by his family and those who knew him, but beset with self-doubt. His is a moving and truly amazing story just waiting to be told. Reading Alan Stevenson's 1848 Account of the Skerryvore Lighthouse, the author immersed himself in Skerryvore through the mind of its creator, using his background as a professional engineer to assess the state of knowledge at the time, and to learn all he could about its background, technical design, and the many trials and tribulations surrounding the lighthouse's construction.This highly readable book, illustrated in full colour with beautiful old maps, engravings and photographs, also contains introductory material about Eddystone and Bell Rock Lighthouses that greatly influenced Alan Stevenson in his design and construction of Skerryvore. Snippets of personal reminiscences and fascinating historical perspectives on the West Highlands give readers a wider view, encouraging them to visit Tiree.","brand":"Paul A. Lynn","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56733657694582,"sku":"9781849951401","price":16.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0943\/9120\/6262\/files\/9781849951401.jpg?v=1764233827"},{"product_id":"9781849950008_luftwaffe-over-scotland","title":"Luftwaffe Over Scotland","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis book provides the first complete history of the air attacks mounted against Scotland by Nazi Germany during World War Two.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eIt is a detailed examination of the strategy, tactics and politics involved on both sides, together with a technical critique of the weaponry employed by both attackers and defenders.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eFrom the relentless hit-and-run attacks up the east coast to the calamities of Clydebank and Greenock, Luftwaffe over Scotland not only offers a detailed analysis of exactly what happened, but also provides fresh new evidence and claims regarding many aspects of the war in Scotland - some of them specifically at odds with the more traditional portrayals of World War Two.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Les Taylor","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56733657825654,"sku":"9781849950008","price":17.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0943\/9120\/6262\/files\/9781849950008.jpg?v=1764233827"},{"product_id":"9781849950398_the-caithness-influence","title":"The Caithness Influence","description":"With a small population, it is remarkable that so many people from the county of Caithness have had such a huge impact, not only in Scotland but worldwide. The sheer hard work and determination of people from the county, both past and present, has guaranteed their place in history. From scientists, explorers, ministers and politicians to engineers, artists and writers, this area in the far north of Scotland has a rich tapestry of folk who have made their lasting mark on the world and each chapter deals with their lives, loves and labours. These include Arthur St Clair, 9th President of the Continental Congress in the United States; Robert Dick, geologist and botanist; Andrew Geddes Bain, road builder and engineer in South Africa; the British Empire's first-ever Lady Mayor, Elizabeth Oman Yates; James Bremner, famed for his wreck  - raising skills and harbour design; Donald Sutherland Swanson, a high profile detective with the Metropolitan Police during the Whitechapel Murders in 1888; Robert Brown, explorer and Alexander Henry Rhind, one of the world's greatest Egyptologists.\u003cbr\u003e\n\nThe life of Sir John Sinclair, father of the Statistical Accounts for Scotland, is recounted, as is the life of the man best known simply as Ross of Cowcaddens. The modern era is not forgotten with Ian Charles Scott, the New York-based artist and David Graham Scott, a documentary film maker.","brand":"Valerie Campbell","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56733657858422,"sku":"9781849950398","price":16.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0943\/9120\/6262\/files\/9781849950398.jpg?v=1764233827"},{"product_id":"9781849951029_scotlands-global-empire","title":"Scotland's Global Empire","description":"Scotland's Global Empire is one journalist's tribute to some of the lesser-known great Scots and their contribution to the world.  Jock Gallagher was encouraged in his epic enterprise by a quote from Voltaire: We look to Scotland for all our ideas of civilisation. 'Voltaire may have over-egged the pudding but in many areas, I believe, our small nation has punched well above its weight and has earned this generous compliment,' says Gallagher. Is that a fine conceit, an extravagant claim or perhaps a journalist talking in headlines? You will have to read the book to find out! Written over five years, this engrossing and enlightening book stretches to over a quarter of a million words and is a fast, pacy read as it races through the exploits and achievements of an astonishing gallery of the Scots who make up his Scottish Empire. Gallagher is quick to disassociate himself from other empire models. 'It's not an empire of colonisation that diminishes or enslaves those whom it embraces. It involves neither the greed nor ruthlessness so often inherent in empire-building. It's an empire that breaks down barriers rather than creates ownership and, it can be claimed, enhances civilisation.'\u003cbr\u003e\n\nAlthough household names such as Andrew Carnegie, Alexander Graham Bell, John Logie Baird and Charles Rennie Mackintosh are mentioned to underpin the strength and breadth of the Empire, only abbreviated reminders of their well-known achievements are shown.  It's not a recital of the adventures of conquering heroes, although some are included. It's more an outreach of ideas, the story of human endeavour in its many forms - pushing at the boundaries of the imagination and stretching the accepted order. It encompasses everything from the spirit of pioneering to the mystical qualities of leadership. 'It's luckily not dependent on a seat of power and nor is it affected by the bruising arguments about Scotland's place within the UK or as an independent state.' Gallagher brings together an astonishing array of characters who may not have made headlines but are essential elements in his illusory empire with a heady mix of extraordinary vision, creativity, energy, leadership, diplomacy, skill, artistry, sometimes pure genius and, more often, downright doggedness.","brand":"Jock Gallagher","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56733658022262,"sku":"9781849951029","price":20.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0943\/9120\/6262\/files\/9781849951029.jpg?v=1764233828"},{"product_id":"9781849950336_that-curious-fellow","title":"That Curious Fellow","description":"Son of a scientifically-minded Scottish aristocrat, Basil Hall joined the Royal Navy at the age of 13 in 1802. His first naval engagements in America and Spain during the Peninsular War are described, as are his travels in India and the Far East. His renowned interview with Napoleon, while still a prisoner on St. Helena is featured. He was a confidante of Sir Walter Scott, Dickens and many other distinguished authors of his day. Renowned for his curiosity and energy, he became a popular writer himself based on his world-wide travels and adventures, including his involvement in the liberation of Peru and friendship with General San Martin. He embarked on an epic, 10,000-mile journey with his family in North America and twice journeyed across the sub-continent of India under the patronage of the Admiral Sir Samuel Hood, providing delightful vignettes of Indian life of the time. Subsequent travels in Europe introduce personalities such as Lord Byron and the eccentric Countess Purgstall.\u003cbr\u003e\n\nAlthough the narrative of his journey in the United States earned him great opprobrium from Americans for his conservative attitudes, his support in Edinburgh to the great American bird painter, John James Audubon, was greatly appreciated by the artist. As an amateur scientist, Hall made important contributions to nautical astronomy, geology and naval technology, being a Fellow of both the Royal Society and the Royal Society of Edinburgh. Among his scientific friends were Sir John Herschel, Mary Somerville, and Sir Humphrey Davy, among many others.  He was in the unusually privileged position of moving among the upper echelons of British society's distinguished writers, scientists and politicians thus providing a fascinating insight into the mores and manners of high society in Edinburgh and London. The inclusion of previously unpublished and often revealing correspondence has contributed to the first full biography of a very colourful individual and his times.","brand":"James McCarthy","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56733657989494,"sku":"9781849950336","price":18.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0943\/9120\/6262\/files\/9781849950336.jpg?v=1764233827"},{"product_id":"9781849951739_caithness-to-patagonia","title":"Caithness to Patagonia","description":"This is an extraordinary and little-known story of emigration from Scotland. Caithness and Patagonia are literally a world apart, yet in the late 19th and early 20th centuries a number of Caithness men and women took on the challenge of this wild, open and windswept land. The book provides the origins and backgrounds of these Caithness Patagonian pioneers and sets their experiences alongside the growth and development of Patagonia as one of the world's great sheep farming areas. The story begins with John Hamilton, the son of a tailor from Wick, who arrived in the Falkland Islands in 1880. Over the following 60 years he and other Caithness men and women became a significant force in the development of sheep farming in Patagonia. As one of Patagonia's most enterprising sheep farmers, he was the catalyst for a number of other Caithness men making what must have been a huge decision to uproot from their native home. It was not just Caithness men who embarked on the journey - sisters and wives followed as new lives were ground out of the unforgiving landscape.There are stories of endurance and determination against the odds; accounts of death and disaster, but most of all there are tales of how these Caithnessians conquered Patagonia and built successful businesses to the extent that today their descendants are integral to many aspects of Patagonian and Argentine society.\u003cbr\u003e\n\nThe roll call of names - Bain, Barnetson, Begg, Bremner, Budge, Cormack, Harper, Mowat, Nicolson, Plowman, etc. - is like a Caithness directory. Their stories and legacies continue to be proudly held dear by descendants and relatives both in Caithness, the UK and in Argentina. The Caithness Patagonian story was originally brought to light by Margie Sinclair for the BBC Odyssey series. Caithness to Patagonia charts the backgrounds, the successes and failures of these intrepid pioneers who created a new life, far away from their homes and families.","brand":"Ian Leith","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56733658612086,"sku":"9781849951739","price":16.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0943\/9120\/6262\/files\/9781849951739.jpg?v=1764233829"},{"product_id":"9781849952651_scottish-lighthouse-pioneers","title":"Scottish Lighthouse Pioneers","description":"\u003cp\u003eIn the 19th century, the Stevenson engineers pioneered marvellous lighthouses around the coasts of Scotland - lighthouses which inspire with their architectural elegance, and speak of compassion for sailors and fishermen risking their lives in these notoriously dangerous waters. But what was it actually like to be a Scottish lighthouse engineer, and how did the professional activities interact with social and economic conditions in Scotland at the time? How did the Northern Lighthouse Board's Engineer (almost invariably a Stevenson) cope with weeks aboard a small lighthouse vessel, travelling around the rugged Scottish coastline on dangerous tours of inspection and interacting with local people in some of the remotest regions of Europe?The author reveals the fascinating story of the Stevensons as family members as well as engineers - brilliant yet fallible, tough yet vulnerable, with private lives that are little known, even to lighthouse enthusiasts.It sets their work in a historical and social context, drawing heavily on eye-witness accounts by two of Scotland's most celebrated literary sons: Walter Scott, internationally famous poet and member of the Edinburgh establishment; and Robert Louis Stevenson, young family member and disenchanted engineering apprentice desperate to become an author. The reader is taken to the Orkney and Shetland Islands with descriptions of the chain of Stevenson lighthouses that illuminate a vital shipping route between the North Sea, Baltic, and North Atlantic. Finally we travel to Muckle Flugga, the northernmost outpost of the British Isles and last link in the chain, a vicious rock on which David and Thomas Stevenson dared to build their 'impossible lighthouse'.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Paul A. Lynn","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56733658841462,"sku":"9781849952651","price":16.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0943\/9120\/6262\/files\/9781849952651.jpg?v=1764918005"},{"product_id":"9781849954815_leith-shipyards-1918-1939","title":"Leith Shipyards 1918-1939","description":"\u003cp\u003eLeith Built Ships Volume 2: Leith Shipyards 1918–1939 by R.O. Neish is a richly illustrated maritime history book exploring the interwar development of Leith’s shipbuilding industry in Scotland. Continuing the acclaimed Leith Built Ships series, this volume charts the evolution of Leith shipyards from the end of the First World War through the economic challenges of the Great Depression and into the outbreak of the Second World War.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eFocusing on Scottish shipbuilding heritage, the book examines the fortunes of major Leith shipyards, including their consolidation under Henry Robb Ltd, one of the most influential names in British maritime engineering. It highlights technical advances in ship design and propulsion, particularly the rise of diesel-powered coasters and innovative shipbuilding methods that helped modernise the industry.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eThe book also documents notable vessels built during this period, including ships associated with global trade routes, maritime adventure and tragedy. Most famously the five-masted auxiliary sailing barque København, the largest sailing ship ever built in a British shipyard.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eRich in ship plans, historical photography and detailed archival research, the book pays tribute to the skilled craftsmen and engineers who sustained Leith’s shipbuilding legacy during a period of economic uncertainty and industrial change. It also traces the expansion of Henry Robb Ltd as it absorbed key yards such as Victoria, Cran \u0026amp; Somerville and Ramage \u0026amp; Ferguson - transforming Leith into a centre of innovative ship construction.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eIdeal for readers interested in Scottish maritime history, industrial heritage, and shipbuilding innovation, this volume offers a compelling record of one of Britain’s most important coastal industries.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"R. O. Neish","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56733659464054,"sku":"9781849954815","price":16.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0943\/9120\/6262\/files\/9781849954815.jpg?v=1764233832"},{"product_id":"9781849954907_the-king-of-lokoja","title":"The King of Lokoja","description":"\u003cp\u003eWilliam Balfour Baikie was a surgeon, naturalist, linguist, writer, explorer, and government consul who played a key role in opening Africa to the Europeans. As an explorer he mapped and charted large sections of the Niger River system as well as the overland routes from Lagos and Lokoja to the major trading centres of Kano, Timbuctu and Sokoto. As a naturalist, major beneficiaries of his work included Kew Gardens and the British Museum for the rare and undiscovered plant and animal species and yet today he remains largely unknown. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eOn 10th December, 1864 Baikie was on his way back to London and was living in his temporary quarters in Sierra Leone. There he worked to regain his health and to complete the various reports and publications expected by the Colonial and Foreign Offices. He had been away from England for seven years and living conditions in West Africa had caused his health to suffer. While his wife and children waited for his return 600 miles away in Lokoja, the city in Nigeria he had founded, his father waited for his return to Kirkwall, Orkney. Baikie would never return to his wife, nor ever see his father again. In two days, he would be dead and buried at Sierra Leone before his fortieth birthday. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eIn his short life Baikie became such a hero among the Nigerian people 150 years ago that white visitors to the region today are still greeted warmly as ‘Baikie’. After studying at University of Edinburgh he was assigned to the Royal Hospital Haslar where he worked with the noted explorers Sir John Richardson and Sir Edward Perry. Baikie’s reputation as a naturalist, and the sphere of influence provided by Richardson and Perry, allowed him to enter the elite British scientific community where he also worked alongside the most famous naturalist of the time, Charles Darwin. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eDuring his time at Haslar, Baikie made two voyages exploring the Niger and Benue Rivers to establish trading centres for the Liverpool merchant Macgregor Laird. The first was a resounding success. He conducted the first clinical trial using quinine as a preventative for malaria. For the first time in history, his initial exploration of these rivers was conducted without the loss of a single life to fever. Returning to London to a hero’s welcome, he was nominated for one of the Royal Geographic Society’s prestigious awards. His second voyage was a pure disaster. His ship was wrecked; members of the expedition died and he was stranded for over a year in the vast remote territory known as the Sokoto Caliphate. Following his rescue, he elected to remain alone in Africa for what would be his final years in order to complete his personal mission.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eAlthough he was born 4,000 miles away in Orkney, Baikie was designated the King of Lokoja by the ruler of the Sokoto Caliphate. This book defines the man and his accomplishments and reveals how he is so fondly remembered by the Nigerians and yet apparently so totally forgotten by the rest of the world.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Wendell R. McConnaha","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56733659758966,"sku":"9781849954907","price":16.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0943\/9120\/6262\/files\/9781849954907.jpg?v=1764233832"},{"product_id":"9781904445296_light-over-lundy","title":"Light Over Lundy","description":"Set atop the rocky plateau of Lundy Island in the Bristol Channel, the Old Light stands proudly - a monument to the skill of its builder, Joseph Nelson. It is of a pleasing construction, both solid and graceful, and when built in 1820 it had two lights - an upper and a lower, and was the highest lighthouse in the country. In this fascinating history of the old lighthouse and the fog signal station, the author has combined her wide knowledge of the island's history with information gleaned from extensive research into Trinity House's archives. Some tantalising insights into the life of the keepers and their families have emerged - the keeper who was too tall for the lantern room; the keeper's wife who tragically died of water contamination, and the gunners who poached their dinners and hid their numerous children when the Elder Brethren came to inspect the cottages! Interwoven throughout the story are details of the numerous wrecks from the 15th century until 1897. Accounts from newspapers are often included, and the wrecks are linked to the lighthouse keepers of the time and the heroic rescues performed by the lighthouse staff.\u003cbr\u003e\n\nThere are also some wonderful snippets of island history - one owner regarded Lundy as independent of mainland authorities and issued his own 'puffin' coins and stamps - the latter are still in use to cover postage to the mainland although the coins are now collectors' items. The height of the Old Light soon proved to be its downfall and eventually the reason why it was extinguished. Due to Lundy's plateau-top fogs which completely obscured the lantern, although there was clear visibility at ground level, a programme of alterations and intensifications took place under the advice of Professor Faraday. In 1862, a fog signal station was built on the west coast, providing shipping with another warning. This was not wholly successful either and it was not until 1897 that the Old Light was replaced by new lights on lower levels at the north and south ends of the island. Since the light was extinguished, the Old Light and the fog signal station reverted to the owners.\u003cbr\u003e\n\nThe Landmark Trust restored the lighthouse and holiday-makers can now stay in the keepers' quarters, climb the 147 steps to the lantern room, and enjoy the breathtaking views across the whole island to the coasts of Wales and Cornwall. Owned by the National Trust, Lundy Island is an outstanding area of great natural beauty which attracts many visitors, who frequently return year after year to enjoy this special place.","brand":"Myrtle Ternstrom","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56733657760118,"sku":"9781904445296","price":16.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0943\/9120\/6262\/files\/9781904445296.jpg?v=1764233827"},{"product_id":"9781849953993_archies-lights","title":"Archie's Lights","description":"\u003cp\u003eBorn at a clifftop lighthouse in 1910, Archie’s life was spent in the world of Scottish lighthouses – he was one of the third generation of his family in the service of the Northern Lighthouse Board.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eArchie’s stories have gripped listeners of all ages and have now been compiled by Anne MacEachern. Written in Archie’s words, this account portrays the man and reveals a past way of life. From peacetime through war, dealing with goats, shipwrecked sailors or German spies, the story brings vividly to life the challenges of living and working at a lighthouse, including raising a young family at such an isolated and potentially dangerous place.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eMany characters appear at various lights, each with their own personality and often annoying habits. Short-term transfers took place in and just after World War 2 when communications and transport were particularly difficult. There were hardships and rewards, and a mystery to solve: the well-known disappearance of three keepers at the Flannan Isles in 1900.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eThe men had to be – and were – remarkably resourceful and courageous, although not all could stand the isolation and dangers at offshore pillar rock lights, especially in wartime. The sea ruled their lives – creating idyllic periods on sunny, calm days but being uncontrollably destructive for much of the time.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eLike his colleagues, Archie upheld to the best of his ability the ideal of their Service, ‘For the Safety of All’, but in his younger days he was not afraid to speak up and press, with others, for better conditions. His service as a full-time keeper continued in part-time capacities, extended over a period of 67 years.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eThrough this man’s keen eye, the reader will meet people, birds, animals and situations from a lifetime of service; a revealing glimpse into this close-knit world. There is also humour, often that dry Highland humour, which adds spice to the telling; in Archie’s case a fondness for wild places and dried figs helped.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Archie MacEachern","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56733659300214,"sku":"9781849953993","price":18.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0943\/9120\/6262\/files\/9781849953993.jpg?v=1764233829"},{"product_id":"9781849954921_the-immeasurable-wilds","title":"The Immeasurable Wilds","description":"\u003cp\u003eTowards the end of the 18th century the attention of mapmakers, explorers and travellers turned to the north of Scotland. The mountains that rise north of Stirling formed a formidable barrier for anyone wanting to visit the Highlands, and travellers to the Far North were even rarer: there were no roads at all into most of Sutherland, and Ross and Cromarty until the early years of the 19th century. Who did go there, and why?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eThis book follows the early mapmakers who gradually revealed the area, including Timothy Pont and Alexander Bryce who published the first accurate map of the north coast. General Roy covered the whole of Scotland for his remarkable ’Great Map’, and later, the indomitable and energetic General Colby dragged his reluctant Ordnance Survey team across much of the north, as documented by Robert Kearsley Dawson. Meanwhile, Culloden led to increased interest in the area, as is evident not only from the visit of Dr. Johnson, but also those from Thomas Pennant, Bishop Pococke and the Rev. Charles Cordiner, all of whom managed to reach the far north-west and leave fascinating accounts of what they found. The poverty that was apparent to these visitors from the south led to action from the British government, not least an important road-making scheme under Thomas Telford which is documented in this book using not only the official reports, but also an enthusiastic account left by the Poet Laureate of the time, Robert Southey.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eWith the new roads came the tourists, flocking to sites like Loch Katrine, in search of signs of Sir Walter Scott’s heroes and heroines. But it was only the bolder few who made it to the far north-west, men like the Rev. James Hall, ‘making love’ under the table at Caithness, or James Hogg, ever the ladies’ man at Lochs Duich and Maree. The book follows this story, which has barely been mentioned in popular literature, and delights in choice anecdotes from all these accounts, touching on a number of disciplines: cartography, early geology and botany. But above all, it gives a picture of this unknown region, as it seemed to those exploring it, an area of astonishing beauty, with inhabitants that showed notable warmth and generosity in spite of their poverty.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eThe book ends with an account of the Highlands Controversy, a debate that divided the geological community for much of the 19th century, culminating in discoveries that revealed that the area contained some of the most remarkable geology not just in Britain, but in the whole world.  Thus recognition was at last achieved for a region that contains some of the most striking scenery in the United Kingdom.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Alastair Mitchell","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56733659791734,"sku":"9781849954921","price":18.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0943\/9120\/6262\/files\/9781849954921.jpg?v=1764233831"},{"product_id":"9781849954891_the-dunbars-of-ackergill-and-hempriggs","title":"The Dunbars of Ackergill and Hempriggs","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe Dunbars of Ackergill and Hempriggs emerged in the late 1600s as one of the largest landowners in Caithness. As such they played a major part in the history of the county, a role revealed in the family papers with their wide variety of documents, including personal letters and legal missives.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e Readers will learn about the Dunbars selling Caithness grain in the Lowlands, coping with the effects of the last Jacobite rising, handling disputes with their neighbours, arranging elections, dealing with debt – and that is just in the 18th century. During the Napoleonic wars the Dunbars recruited a fencible regiment called the Caithness Legion that saw action in Ireland. At the same time the British Fisheries Society acquired land from the family and began to develop Pulteneytown as a major herring fishing port. An agricultural revolution swept over the estates, leading to the enclosing of fields, disputes over common land, evictions and refurbishment of farms.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e In the mid-19th century, when the family home at Ackergill Tower was refashioned by the architect David Bryce, the Dunbars adopted the lifestyle of the Victorian country gentry as well as finding careers in the Empire. With family trees, photographs, maps and documents, the book presents an absorbing, intriguing and, at times, amusing account of the social and economic life of the Dunbars over more than three hundred years, using unique messages from the past, never before made public.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"James Miller","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56733660316022,"sku":"9781849954891","price":18.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0943\/9120\/6262\/files\/9781849954891.jpg?v=1764233832"},{"product_id":"9781849954150_caithness-archaeology","title":"Caithness Archaeology","description":"\u003cp\u003eCaithness, the most northerly county in mainland Britain, is one of the richest cultural landscapes in Europe. The relative geographical isolation of the area, traditional landholding and the survival of large estates, combined with the use of flagstone as the main building material since earliest times, has ensured the survival of a wide range of monuments in a profusion unequalled elsewhere in Scotland.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eIn the 19th century, Caithness was at the forefront of archaeological endeavours with many sites central to our understanding of Scottish prehistory. Since then, despite intermittent activity, the archaeology of Caithness has become somewhat marginalised and there is a perception that there are only a handful of archaeological sites for visitors to enjoy and the archaeologist to uncover and interpret. However, the county is full of hidden riches and traces of the past are visible everywhere. Caithness is dominated by landscapes rich in archaeological remains of all periods; chambered cairns, stone settings, brochs, Pictish settlements, wags, castles, harbours and post-medieval settlement, amongst many others.  The authors have presented a cross section of these monument types in an attempt to re-centre the county in archaeological and early historical narratives.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eFor the last decade, the authors have been involved in a range of heritage projects in the county, thus allowing them time to discover, observe and consider its archaeology. Their peregrinations provided opportunities for deeper contemplation of the county’s archaeology, the result of which is presented in some new interpretations and perspectives which convey the excitement of working on heritage in Caithness.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"A. 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Covering the years 1945 to 1965, this volume of the acclaimed Leith Built Ships series documents Henry Robb Ltd’s shipbuilding output in the aftermath of the Second World War, when demand for merchant and naval vessels drove innovation across the British shipbuilding industry.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eFocusing on Scottish shipbuilding heritage, the book highlights how Leith’s shipyards adapted to a rapidly changing industry. It examines the transition from traditional riveted construction to modern electric welding techniques, a shift that transformed ship design and production while signalling the end of older skilled trades such as the rivet squads.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eHenry Robb Ltd 1945–1965 showcases a wide range of vessels built during this period, including ships commissioned by major shipping lines such as Ellerman Lines and the Union Steamship Company of New Zealand, as well as orders from the Admiralty for naval supply vessels. These ships reflect both the global reach and technical capability of Leith’s shipbuilding industry in the mid-20th century.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eAlongside technical detail and historical photography, the book preserves the voices of the workers, engineers and seafarers who built and served on these vessels, offering a human perspective on a changing industry.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eEssential reading for those interested in Scottish maritime history, industrial heritage, and shipbuilding innovation, this volume captures both the strength and the slow decline of a once world-leading industry.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"R. O. 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However, the author shows him differently, as a man of the Scottish Enlightenment, a rounded character with a love of poetry and the natural world, a good companion and a generous friend. \u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eA Scotsman Returns\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e reveals him as a person who, in spite of the humblest start in life, displayed great social skills in his dealings with Scots both haughty and humble during his 20-year commitment to the Highlands and Islands.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eThe author retraces an extensive Highland Tour made by Telford and the Poet Laureate, Robert Southey, in 1819. The two men were drawn together by Telford’s love of poetry and Southey’s admiration of the engineer’s remarkable work in the Highlands. Southey kept a journal of the tour, which remained unpublished for a century and is still not widely known. Comments on the places they visited, the sights they saw, their social interactions, and Southey’s intelligent interest in Telford’s roadmaking, bridgebuilding and, above all, the Caledonian Canal are featured.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eTelford’s work in other areas of the Highlands and Islands is also covered, principally in Caithness, Sutherland, and the Hebridean Islands. There are further discussions of the social and political environment in which Telford operated, including the Highland Clearances. 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The author was at the island on the day of the murder, and was a witness in the High Court trial that followed.  \u003c\/p\u003e\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eOver the subsequent 57 years, he has repeatedly been asked to tell his story but the 117 years of diligent tending of the light by numerous lighthouse keepers and their families has been largely forgotten. In \u003cem\u003eLife and Death on Little Ross\u003c\/em\u003e, the author has redressed the balance by telling the story of the island, its lighthouse and its people who lived and worked there including extracts from a detailed diary that has survived from WWI. Also featured are the island's earliest inhabitants, the ships and their crews that came to grief, the case made by concerned local people for a lighthouse to be erected, the political wrangling that frustrated its approval for many years, the lighthouse design, and the eventual construction of the buildings.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eThe story did not end with the murder. 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Lying in the heart of rural Perthshire in Scotland, the camp's history is a fascinating one. Built two miles south of the village of Comrie as a camp for detainees, its first prisoner was a British soldier but in the following years it housed thousands of prisoners of war captured in North Africa and Europe. Conditions at the camp were primitive but there was a re-education programme which is explored in depth. Lectures were followed by occasional hot debates and the book takes a fresh look at the infamous murder of Feldwebel Wolfgang Rosterg, who may not have been the only man subjected to a fanatical show trial within the bounds of the camp. In addition, life stories of some of the prisoners are included, from submariners to ordinary soldiers as well as reminiscences from the British.The history of Camp 21 would be incomplete without mentioning Rudolf Hess, Adolf Hitler's deputy. He was allegedly held at the camp but was he really there or was this just a myth? And do the ghosts of the past still haunt the site as reported by some who've witnessed strange goings on? The book also features the camp's history during the Cold War, its ROC post and Cold War bunker and as late as the 1960s and '70s it was used by the Combined Cadet Forces for training purposes, as well as regiments that served in areas of conflict overseas. Following its closure it is now owned by the Comrie Development Trust.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Valerie Campbell","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56733662019958,"sku":"9781849952279","price":16.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0943\/9120\/6262\/files\/9781849952279.jpg?v=1764233836"},{"product_id":"9781849956017_daughters-of-the-north","title":"Daughters of the North","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe first biography of Jean Gordon, best known as the first wife of the notorious Earl of Bothwell. 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She started a coal mine and salt pan in Brora in the 16th century, an astonishing example of early industrialisation and female agency at a time when the north of Scotland was considered to be wild and lawless; the preserve of violent clansmen.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eJean’s daughter married the Chief of Mackay, and Jean became involved in the complicated life of the clans of the north of Scotland, particularly the Mackays, but also the Clan Gunn. Her Sutherland Gordon family had an ongoing feud with the Sinclair Earls of Caithness, while her wider Huntly Gordon family was involved in the famous Gordon-Moray feud – all events remembered in the songs, stories and sayings of the north and north-east. Meanwhile, Jean followed her heart and was reunited in old age with the love of her life. 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Once as famous as the Stone of Scone, the Black Rood was a gold and jewel-studded reliquary for a piece of the True Cross. This profound and holy treasure was smuggled into Scotland after the Norman invasion by the sister of the last Anglo-Saxon king of England. On her marriage to King Malcolm III, the Black Rood passed into the Scottish royal family, and so became a symbol of the authority and legitimacy of Scotland’s kingship. Giving its name to the abbey and then the palace and now the parliament of Holyrood, the Black Rood was to help define Scotland as a kingdom which was at least the equal of England in the eyes of God, and in some ways superior to it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eDavid Willem tells the story of the Black Rood though the lives of the kings and queens of Scotland and England who honoured it, treasured it, enacted themselves through it, fought over it, and who sometimes died clutching it, so creating a history in vivid human detail that ranges over a thousand years of Scottish and English history.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eAt the same time, the author tells the story of two other similar reliquaries of the True Cross – the Croes Gneth of Wales and Ireland’s Cross of Cong. Like the Black Rood, these Irish and Welsh crown jewels helped define the autonomy and independence of their nations, and both were to follow similar trajectories through time. The book ends with the mystery of what happened to the Black Rood, and explores the possibility that, like the Cross of Cong, it might still exist and be waiting to be found.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eTogether these stories create a new and compelling perspective on the relationships between Scotland, England, Wales and Ireland, just when those relationships are changing again for the first time in hundreds of years.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"David Willem","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56733660873078,"sku":"9781849955317","price":16.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0943\/9120\/6262\/files\/9781849955317.jpg?v=1765521367"},{"product_id":"9781849950381_scotts-forgotten-surgeon","title":"Scott's Forgotten Surgeon","description":"'...In this year celebrating the centenary of the conquering of the South Pole - it is more than fitting to have one of the unregarded figures of Antarctic history brought into the limelight of remembrance'. Extract from Introduction by Dr. Ross D.E. MacPhee, American Museum of Natural History  As senior surgeon on board Discovery, Dr. Reginald Koettlitz played a vital role in the heroic period of polar exploration when Nansen, Amundsen, Shackleton and Scott dominated the headlines. He was awarded a medal by the Royal Geographical Society for his role in the Discovery Expedition, 1901-04. \tDuring the earlier successful three-year Jackson-Harmsworth Expedition to Franz Josef Land, Koettlitz fine-tuned his measures to prevent scurvy, became an experienced ski runner, dog and pony handler and expert in polar survival. These skills were available when Koettlitz was appointed senior surgeon on the Discovery Expedition led by Scott, but due to personal reasons and the inability to acknowledge Koettlitz's polar experience, both Scott's expeditions were beset by major life-threatening issues that Koettlitz had faced and resolved on Franz Josef Land.\u003cbr\u003e\n\nOn the ill-fated Terra Nova Expedition Scott and his four companions died on their failed attempt to be the first to reach the South Pole. In addition, Koettlitz travelled across north-east Africa from Berbera to Cairo on foot, mule and camel, crossing the Blue Nile to Khartoum shortly after the Battle of Omdurman. Before leaving for South Africa he assisted Shackleton in planning the Nimrod Expedition which almost resulted in the South Pole being reached. \tThis well-researched account is enriched with previously unseen archive material such as correspondence with Nansen and photographs relating to polar history during the period 1890-1916.","brand":"Aubrey A. Jones","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56733661561206,"sku":"9781849950381","price":18.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0943\/9120\/6262\/files\/9781849950381.jpg?v=1764233833"},{"product_id":"9781849955423_crucible-of-conflict","title":"Crucible of Conflict","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe borderers – people forged and hardened by endemic warfare over generations, whether by raids and skirmishes or set piece battles – are marked even today as a distinct group. For three savage centuries England and Scotland, both dynamic races, slogged it out upon this arena of nations. Scott might have reinvented the border as a sweep of chivalric romance, but the reality was very different.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eJohn Sadler knows this ground and its people; he is one of them. For half a century he has traversed the borderland, and has taught, enacted and written about them. In this book he offers a uniquely personal but highly informed view. He neither praises nor condemns them, but seeks to understand and, perverse as it may seem, admires them.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eHistory leaves its imprint and like the proverbial stone cast into still waters, it sends out ripples through time that never quite abate. The feuds were pursued with increasing savagery and even when not in outright conflict, the names on both sides continued their ‘feids’ or vendettas in crazy bloodletting for decades, with cycles of escalating violence creating a dizzying maze of interlocking enmities that was beyond all reason.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eThe late, great George Macdonald Fraser once remarked that the borderers were free in a way we can never imagine. And they were.     \u003c\/p\u003e\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eHere is a book that weighs the evidence from a plethora of sources to provide a compelling history of this border conflict. In the modern political scene, with the issue of a second referendum pending, the theme of a cultural identity, forged in the fury of those Border wars, forms a pivotal theme in the debate.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"John Sadler","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56733661036918,"sku":"9781849955423","price":18.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0943\/9120\/6262\/files\/9781849955423.jpg?v=1764233831"},{"product_id":"9781849954914_the-life-and-works-of-glasgow-architects","title":"The Life and Works of Glasgow Architects","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThis is the first full biography of two of Scotland’s most eminent Architects, James Miller and John James Burnet.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eBorn just three years apart into very different circumstances, their careers and lives became intertwined as they competed for work and eventually the role of Scotland’s leading architect. Born in 1857 and 1860 respectively, one inherited and the other established successful practices in Glasgow at the zenith of that city’s wealth in the late 19th century.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eJohn James Burnet produced many of the city’s finest buildings. These include The Athenaeum on Buchanan Street; Charing Cross Mansions; numerous city-centre commercial buildings such as Waterloo Chambers and Atlantic Chambers and the Townhouses on University Avenue. After moving to London, his work included the extension of the British Museum, The Daily Telegraph Building on Fleet Street and Adelaide House by London Bridge.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eJames Miller is Scotland’s most prolific architect. His most high-profile designs include: The Empire Exhibition of 1901, Glasgow Central Station, Wemyss Bay Station, Turnberry Hotel, Gleneagles Hotel, the interiors of the SS \u003cem\u003eLusitania\u003c\/em\u003e and SS \u003cem\u003eAquitania\u003c\/em\u003e, Hampden Park, Forteviot Model Village, and the Institution of Civil Engineers in Westminster. Despite his extraordinary output and his considerable architectural contribution to Scotland’s heritage, he has received relatively little acclaim, until now.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eThis is a fascinating double biography, the story of Burnet and Miller’s parallel lives and work, set against the background of the booming Empire’s ‘Second City’. \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"John Stewart","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56733662052726,"sku":"9781849954914","price":17.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0943\/9120\/6262\/files\/9781849954914.jpg?v=1764233834"},{"product_id":"9781849954822_a-scottish-blockade-runner-in-the-american-civil-war","title":"A Scottish Blockade Runner in the American Civil War","description":"\u003cp align=\"left\"\u003eBorn in 1828 near Kelso in the Scottish Borders, Wyllie went to sea as an apprentice seaman in 1852 and quickly rose through the ranks.  By 1862 he had gained his masters certificate in Liverpool, and there he took command of his first vessel, the \u003cem\u003eBonita\u003c\/em\u003e. He sailed for Nassau, then a booming port involved in running contraband through the Union blockade of the Confederate States, at that time fighting in the American Civil War. Sailors from Britain rushed to man these vessels as great fortunes could be made if a successful run was made into a Confederate port.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\r\n\u003cp align=\"left\"\u003eOn the return journey, two agents of the State of North Carolina, Thomas Crossan and John White, were travelling to Britain on the orders of Governor Zebulon Vance to purchase ships to run the blockade. This set Wyllie’s career as a blockade runner on course.  White and Crossan arranged the purchase of the Clyde-built paddle steamer \u003cem\u003eLord Clyde\u003c\/em\u003e and, just five months after docking in Liverpool as commander of the \u003cem\u003eBonita\u003c\/em\u003e, Wyllie took command of the \u003cem\u003eLord Clyde\u003c\/em\u003e, renamed the \u003cem\u003eAd-Vance\u003c\/em\u003e. He was aboard from the start of the vessel’s new career until her capture in September 1864. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\r\n\u003cp align=\"left\"\u003eTwo more commands of blockade runners followed; he was captured again and then evaded the American authorities through an ingenious, and at sometimes unbelievable, escape to Scotland.  After the war Wyllie continued at sea for another two years before returning to Scotland to settle as a farmer. The role that Wyllie played during the Civil War is explored in depth and reveals that he was a constant face, and force, in the crew of the steamer with his actions and abilities being greatly appreciated by both crew and owners alike.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\r\n\u003cp align=\"left\"\u003eThe most comprehensive history of the \u003cem\u003eAd-Vance\u003c\/em\u003e is provided, from the day she left Glasgow until her capture off the Carolina coast. Many fascinating contemporary passenger diaries, personal recollections from crew, letters and telegrams between Wyllie and Governor Vance, official records of the war and newspaper reports are included.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"John F. Messner","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56733661987190,"sku":"9781849954822","price":18.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0943\/9120\/6262\/files\/9781849954822.jpg?v=1764233833"},{"product_id":"9781849955782_robb-caledon-19651984","title":"Robb Caledon 1965–1984","description":"\u003cp\u003eLeith Built Ships Volume 4: Robb Caledon 1965–1984 by R.O. Neish is a detailed maritime history book documenting the final era of large-scale shipbuilding on Leith’s waterfront in Scotland. This volume of the acclaimed Leith Built Ships series focuses on the Robb Caledon shipyard during a period of major industrial change, global competition and the eventual decline of British shipbuilding.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eCovering ship numbers 495 to 535, built between 1965 and the yard’s closure in 1984, the book explores the evolution of modern ship design, specialist vessel construction and the economic pressures that led to the end of shipbuilding in Leith. It highlights how technological adaptation and skilled craftsmanship helped the yard remain competitive in an increasingly challenging global market.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eThis richly illustrated study features notable vessels such as the powerful ocean-going salvage tugs Lloydsman and SA Wolraad Woltemade. Also noted are ferries, hospital ships and specialist working vessels that served worldwide. Many Leith-built ships played significant roles in events such as the Icelandic 'Cod Wars' and the Falklands War, demonstrating their importance in both commercial and military maritime history.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eThe book also captures the human story behind the shipyard, drawing on first-hand accounts from workers, engineers and seafarers who built and served on these vessels. It celebrates the skill, innovation, and dedication of Leith’s shipbuilding community during its final chapter.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eEssential reading for those interested in Scottish maritime history, industrial heritage, and naval engineering, this volume preserves the legacy of Leith’s world-class shipbuilding tradition.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"R. O. 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In this compelling new biography, the author reveals that Archibald Menzies was a remarkable product of the Scottish Enlightenment: a boy raised in the shadows of ancient Neolithic standing stones who was sponsored by his clan chief to study in Edinburgh and through talent, curiosity, perseverance, and circumstance became one of the top medical doctors and social raconteurs of Victorian London.  \u003c\/p\u003e\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eAlong the way readers learn of Archibald’s experience as a Royal Navy surgeon in the epic Caribbean Battle of The Saintes, his encounters with the Indigenous people of Pacific Northwest Coast and the islands of Hawaii, his near court-martial by Captain Vancouver, his life-threatening and little-known experiments in the nascent field of virology, and his post-navy life in London. The result of this work is not just a full accounting of the subject’s career but a work which also provides insights into his character and personality. His attitude toward issues such as slavery, human rights, religion, and the opportunities and dangers of European contact with Indigenous peoples are explored and show a man of intelligence, compassion, and wisdom.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eHis personal relationships are also explored revealing new insights into the background of his wife Janet and their friendships with Linnean Society founder James Edward Smith and his wife Pleasance. His relationships with ‘the father of naval medical science’ Sir Gilbert Blaine, the renowned and influential Sir Joseph Banks, encounters with the ‘half-mad Lord’ Thomas Pitt, friendships with Hawaiian King Kamehameha and Nuu-cha-nulth Chief Maquinna, the influences of his early mentor, the King’s botanist in Scotland John Hope, and his professors are also revealed including many other characters whose work, ideas, and fates shaped much of the nineteenth century.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Graeme Menzies","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56733661659510,"sku":"9781849955911","price":17.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0943\/9120\/6262\/files\/9781849955911.jpg?v=1764233832"},{"product_id":"9781849954433_they-once-were-shipbuilders","title":"They Once Were Shipbuilders","description":"\u003cp\u003eLeith Built Ships Volume 1: They Once Were Shipbuilders by R.O. Neish is the first volume in a comprehensive maritime history series exploring Scotland’s rich shipbuilding heritage. This detailed account traces the development of Leith shipyards from the mid-19th century to the end of the First World War, highlighting the port’s vital role in British and global maritime history.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eFocusing on Scottish maritime history and industrial heritage, the book documents the evolution of shipbuilding technology in Leith—from traditional wooden hulls and iron construction to advanced steel ship design. It examines the vessels built in Leith shipyards, their worldwide voyages, and their involvement in trade, exploration, and wartime service, revealing the global reach of Leith-built ships.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eThe book also brings to life the people behind the industry, including skilled shipyard workers, engineers, and craftsmen whose expertise helped establish Leith as one of Scotland’s most important shipbuilding centres. Their contributions are placed within the broader social and economic history of the port, once Scotland’s principal maritime gateway.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eWith a shipbuilding tradition spanning over 660 years, Leith played a pioneering role in Britain’s maritime development — building vessels centuries before the rise of the Clyde shipyards. These ships served in major conflicts, supported global trade routes and shaped countless lives at sea.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eIdeal for readers interested in Scottish shipbuilding history, maritime archaeology, and industrial heritage, this volume begins an authoritative series celebrating Leith’s enduring legacy as a world-class shipbuilding port.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"R. O. Neish","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56733662806390,"sku":"9781849954433","price":16.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0943\/9120\/6262\/files\/9781849954433.jpg?v=1764233834"},{"product_id":"9781849955041_bustler-class-rescue-tugs","title":"Bustler Class Rescue Tugs","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis book reveals the part played by the eight Bustler Class Rescue Tugs built at the Henry Robb Shipyard during the Second World War and will shed more light on the almost-forgotten part played by this country’s mariners. The men and women who were rescued under the most trying of times and dreadful weather conditions would no doubt have felt immense gratitude to the brave souls who formed part of the huge maritime effort, both in war and peacetime.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eThis is the story of the small force of much-needed rescue tugs that were built during the dark forbidding days of the Second World War, when Great Britain had only the ships and men to bring in the raw materials that were required to fight against the might of Nazi Germany and its Allies.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eThis compelling story shines a spotlight on the small, but very significant work done over many years by His and Her Majesty’s Rescue Tugs in defence of the realm, and which benefited seafarers all over the world.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eThe author’s very detailed account of the contribution made by HMRT in general, and the Bustler Class in particular, is an excellent read, and has brought to life the immense impact that these rescue tugs have had over many years, usually in dire circumstances, and especially during the Second World War. Many of these ships also served with the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) and this story recognises the part played by these heroic rescue tugs in accounts of many convoys that crossed the seas and were attacked by hostile forces.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eThis fine volume will help to raise the profile of these magnificent small and immensely powerful vessels, and of course their highly-skilled crews without whom these heroic achievements would not have been possible.      \u003c\/p\u003e\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"R. O. 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Planners added standard building designs in the right places. Construction workers created runways that a plane could not land on. Artists and craftsmen made planes that couldn’t fly. Men and women from all over the country came to work at a place that was not a working airfield, although their very presence was an essential part of the deception.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eThis book tells the story of how RAF Wick became a part of the lives of the people who built it, worked there or lived nearby.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Rob More","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56733662937462,"sku":"9781849956000","price":12.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0943\/9120\/6262\/files\/9781849956000.jpg?v=1764233834"},{"product_id":"9781849956123_steam-yachts-1875-1928","title":"Steam Yachts [1875 - 1928]","description":"\u003cp\u003eLeith Built Ships Volume 5: Steam Yachts 1875–1928 by R.O. Neish is a richly detailed maritime history book exploring the golden age of steam yacht construction on the River Leith. Focusing on one of Scotland’s most remarkable yet lesser-known shipbuilding traditions, this volume documents the elegant private steam yachts built for wealthy owners during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eBlending maritime history, naval architecture and industrial heritage, the book reveals how Leith became an unexpected global centre for luxury steam yacht design, producing nearly one hundred of the most sophisticated and beautifully crafted vessels of their era. These steam yachts combined advanced engineering with opulent interiors, reflecting the wealth, ambition, and leisure culture of Britain’s industrial elite.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eThis book also highlights the skilled shipbuilders, engineers and craftsmen who transformed Leith’s shipyards into hubs of innovation and artistry. 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