John Van der Kiste's Books

William and Mary

Heroes of the Glorious Revolution

By: John Kiste

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William and Mary

Heroes of the Glorious Revolution

By: John Kiste

Mary (1662-94), daughter of James, Duke of York, heir to the English Throne, then 15, is said to have wept for a day and a half when she was told she was to marry her cousin, William (1650-1702), son of William II of Orange (1626-50), Stadtholder of the Dutch republic, and Mary, eldest daughter of Charles I of England, who was eleven years older than her. In November 1677, on William's 27th birthday, they married in a private ceremony at St James's Palace. William was solemn, James gloomy, Mary in tears, and only King Charles appeared cheerful. This dual biography deals with both the "life and times" of the monarchs, and with England's place in Europe. Interests of the subjects, outside the constitutional, are dealth with, as well as their personal relationships: William's rumoured homosexuality and Mary's hinted-at lesbianism; Mary's troubled personal relations with her father, James II; and the relationship between Mary and her sister and her husband's successor Anne. The book also examines the personal and political relations between William and his uncle Charles II, and between William and Mary and Charles' illegitimate son the Duke of Monmouth.

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Page Count

348

Publisher

The History Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

0752470973

ISBN 13

9780752470979

Edward VII's Children

By: John Van der Kiste

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Edward VII's Children

By: John Van der Kiste

King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra had six children. Of the five who reached maturity, only one, the future King George V, has received much attention from biographers. The eldest son, Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence, a backward youth and a subject of scandal, died before he was thirty. The three princesses, Louise, Princess Royal and Duchess of Fife, the lifelong spinster Victoria, and Maud, Queen of Norway, were never well-known to the British public during their lifetime. In this detailed and fascinating account, John Van der Kiste has drawn upon previously unpublished correspondence from the Royal Archives, Windsor, to reveal for the first time the part this hitherto neglected group of characters played in supporting the royal family and crown during a period of transition from the Victorian age to the uncertain twentieth century.

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Page Count

314

Publisher

The History Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

0752495178

ISBN 13

9780752495170

Queen Victoria's Children

By: John Van der Kiste

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Queen Victoria's Children

By: John Van der Kiste

Queen Victoria and Albert, Prince Consort had nine children who despite their very different characters, remained a close-knit family. Inevitably, as they married into European royal families their loyalties were divided and their lives dominated by political controversy. This is not only the story of their lives in terms of world impact, but also of their own personal achievements, their individual contributions to public life in Britain and overseas and in their roles as the children of Queen Victoria and the Prince Consort.

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178

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The History Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

0752473247

ISBN 13

9780752473246

Berkshire Murders

By: John Van der Kiste

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Berkshire Murders

By: John Van der Kiste

Berkshire Murders is an examination of some of the county's most notorious and shocking cases. They include Hannah Carey, beaten to death by her husband at Warfield in 1851; young Hannah Gould, whose throat was cut by her father in a frenzied attack at Windsor in 1861; Nell Woodridge, murdered by her husband in 1896 and later immortalised in Oscar Wilde's The Ballad of Reading Gaol; Annie Davis, killed by her lover in 1912; and Minnie Freeman Lee, whose body was discovered in a trunk in 1940. John Van der Kiste's carefully researched, well-illustrated and enthralling text will appeal to all those interested in the darker side of Berkshire.

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252

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The History Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

075248401X

ISBN 13

9780752484013

Sons, Servants and Statesmen

The Men in Queen Victoria's Life

By: John Van der Kiste

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Sons, Servants and Statesmen

The Men in Queen Victoria's Life

By: John Van der Kiste

How was Queen Victoria influenced by her closest male ministers, relatives, advisers and servants? John Van der Kiste is the first to explore this aspect of Victoria's life; focusing on four roles - mentors, family, ministers and servants. A soldier's daughter, Victoria lost her father at the age of eight months. Although her uncle Leopold did his best to be a substitute father, the absence of her real father probably influenced her throughout her life, not least in choosing her husband. Her close and faithful relationship with Albert is one of the great royal love stories but her relationships with her sons were much more stormy. However, with most of her heads of government she enjoyed relatively cordial relations - in widowhood she shoed a decided partiality for Disraeli, who acquired for her the title Empress of India, but disliked Gladstone, complaining that he "speaks to me as if I were a public meeting". Queen Victoria's relationships with her servants are also explored, from the liberal influence exerted over the increasingly conservative queen by her private secretary, Ponsonby, to the outspoken John Brown and the Indian Munshi, who both antagonised those around her.

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219

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The History Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

0752471988

ISBN 13

9780752471983

The Plymouth Book of Days

By: John Van der Kiste

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The Plymouth Book of Days

By: John Van der Kiste

Taking you through the year day by day, The Plymouth Book of Days contains a quirky, eccentric, amusing or important event or fact from different periods of history. Find out when Plymothians elected the first woman to take her seat at Westminster, when Sir Francis Chichester sailed back into the city at the end of his global voyage in Gipsy Moth IV, when Laurel and Hardy made their last ever appearance onstage, and what became of Casper the famous commuting cat who regularly travelled on the same bus day after day. Ideal for dipping into, this addictive little book will keep you entertained and informed. Featuring hundreds of snippets of information, it will delight residents and visitors alike.

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409

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The History Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

0752485970

ISBN 13

9780752485973

The Georgian Princesses

By: John Van der Kiste

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The Georgian Princesses

By: John Van der Kiste

A chronological account of the princesses and consort Queens of the Georgian era. From Sophia who died shortly before she would have become Queen as heir to Queen Anne, to Adelaide, consort to William IV whose failure to provide an heir ensured the succession passed to his niece Queen Victoria. During this period, an array of colourful personalities came and went - George I's ill-fated wife Sophia Dorothea of Celle who was imprisoned for adultery for over 30 years until her death; the equally tragic Caroline Matilda, Queen of Denmark and sister of George III who married an incipient schizophrenic, saw her lover put to death, was divorced and imprisoned, released after pressure from her brother, only to die of typhoid or scarlet fever aged just 23; George IV's notorious consort , his cousin Caroline of Brunswick, who danced naked on tables and was refused access to his coronation; and their daughter Charlotte, whose death in childbirth in 1817 necessitated the hasty marriages of several of her middle-aged uncles in a desperate race to provide a legal heir to the throne.

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202

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The History Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

0752494910

ISBN 13

9780752494913

Emperor Francis Joseph

Life, Death and the Fall of the Habsburg Empire

By: John Van der Kiste

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Emperor Francis Joseph

Life, Death and the Fall of the Habsburg Empire

By: John Van der Kiste

In 1848, 28-year-old Francis Joseph became King of Hungary and Emperor of Austria. He would reign for almost 68 years, the longest of any modern European monarch. Focusing on the life of Emperor Francis Joseph and his family, this book examines their personal relationships against the turbulent background of the 19th century.

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347

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The History Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

075249547X

ISBN 13

9780752495477

Devon Murders

By: John Van der Kiste

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Devon Murders

By: John Van der Kiste

It recounts several notable cases, from the killing of Sarah and Edward Glass at Wadland Down in 1827 and the poisonings of Samuel Wescombe in Exeter in 1829 and William Ashford at Honiton Clyst in 1866, both by wives whose affections had gone elsewhere, to the horrific murder of Emma Doidge and her boyfriend William Rowe by the former's jilted suitor at Peter Tavey in 1892, as well as the strangling of schoolgirl Alice Gregory in 1916, and the triple murder of Emily Maye and her daughters at West Charleton, Kingsbridge, in 1936, which remains unsolved to this day. Above all, there is an account of Devon's most famous case, the murder of Emma Keyse at Babbacombe and the convicted servant John Lee - the man they couldn't hang. John Van der Kiste's carefully researched, well-illustrated and enthralling text will appeal to anyone interested in the shady side of Devon's history.

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296

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The History Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

0752484192

ISBN 13

9780752484198

Crowns in a Changing World

The British and European Monarchies, 1901-36

By: John Van der Kiste

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Crowns in a Changing World

The British and European Monarchies, 1901-36

By: John Van der Kiste

At the death of Queen Victoria in 1901, almost every European nation was a monarchy, most linked by close family ties to her and Edward VII, the "uncle of Europe". Prior to the outbreak of World War I, the personal relationships of Edward, and of his successor and son, George V, flourished with the other royal families of Europe. The closeness of the European families was violently interrupted by the outbreak of war in 1914, and the armistice of 1918 brought three empires, namely Germany, Austria-Hungary and Russia, crashing down. Some monarchies were strengthened, and others weakened beyond repair. In this well-researched study, John Van der Kiste has drawn upon previously unpublished material for the Royal Archives, Windsor, to show the realtionships between the crowned heads of Europe in the first part of the 20th century. His account sheds new light on foreign policy leading up to World War I.

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320

Publisher

The History Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

0752499270

ISBN 13

9780752499277

Eagles on track

Every album, every song

By: John Van der Kiste

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Eagles on track

Every album, every song

By: John Van der Kiste

Eagles began as a backing group for vocalist Linda Ronstadt before striking out on their own. All being accomplished vocalists, musicians and songwriters, they jointly set themselves the goal of ‘number one singles and albums, great music, and a lot of money’. With guitarist Glenn Frey and drummer Don Henley as the combined driving force, by 1975 they had topped the singles and album charts at home and found major success in Britain and across the world, while establishing themselves as America’s foremost band. The global success of Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975 and Hotel California, to this day the first and third best-selling albums in America of all time, proved impossible to surpass, and after several line-up changes, they disbanded in 1980. A resumption in 1994 was cemented with the live/studio album Hell Freezes Over, followed in 2007 by Long Road out of Eden, their first studio album for 28 years. After Frey’s death in 2016, they recruited new members maintaining a live schedule that continues to this day. This book recounts the band’s rise, fall and rise again, with a detailed look at every track on each studio and live album, plus an overview of original songs and cover versions recorded but never officially released. John Van der Kiste has published over ninety books, mostly historical biography and music, including 1970: A Year in Rock, and titles on Mott the Hoople and Ian Hunter, Free and Bad Company, and Manfred Mann’s Earth Band in the 1970s for Sonicbond’s Decades series. He has reviewed books and records for the local and national press and fanzines co-founded and edited the 70s fanzine Keep on Rockin, and written booklet notes for CD reissues from EMI and other labels. A former DJ and performer with various groups, he also co-wrote one track on Riff Regan’s Milestones (2015), and played harmonica on London’s The Hell for Leather Mob (2020). He lives in Devon, U.K.

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189

Publisher

Sonicbond Publishing Ltd

Published Date

ISBN 10

1789522951

ISBN 13

9781789522952

Ivybridge and South Brent Through Time

By: John Van der Kiste,Kim Van der Kiste

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Ivybridge and South Brent Through Time

By: John Van der Kiste,Kim Van der Kiste

This fascinating selection of more than 180 photographs traces some of the many ways in which Ivybridge & South Brent have changed and developed over the last century.

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191

Publisher

Amberley Publishing Limited

Published Date

ISBN 10

1445630966

ISBN 13

9781445630960

Queen Victoria’s Daughters-in-Law

By: John Van Der Kiste

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Queen Victoria’s Daughters-in-Law

By: John Van Der Kiste

Of Queen Victoria’s four sons, the eldest married a Danish princess, one a Russian Grand Duchess, and the other two princesses of German royal houses. The first to join the family of the ‘Grandmama of Europe’ was Alexandra, eldest daughter of the prince about to become King Christian IX of Denmark. Charming, ever sympathetic and widely considered one of the most attractive royal women of her time, she was prematurely deaf and suffered from a limp which was made fashionable by court ladies due to her popularity. Alexandra proved an ideal wife for the Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII. Grand Duchess Marie, daughter of Tsar Alexander II of Russia and wife of Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh and later Saxe-Coburg Gotha, was cultured and intelligent, but dowdy, haughty and, convinced of the Romanovs’ superiority, resented having to give precedence at court to her in-laws. Louise of Prussia, a niece of William I, German Emperor, had the good fortune to escape from a miserable family life in Berlin and marry Arthur, Duke of Connaught, a dedicated army officer who was always the Queen’s favorite among her children. Finally, Helen of Waldeck-Pyrmont, sister of Emma, Queen Consort of the Netherlands, became the wife of the cultured Leopold, Duke of Albany, but he was hemophiliac and their marriage was destined to be the briefest of all, cut short by his sudden death less than three years later. All four were very different personalities, proved themselves to be supportive wives, mothers and daughters-in-law in their own way, and dedicated workers for charity at home and abroad. Based partly on previously unpublished material from the Royal Archives at Windsor and Madrid, and the Leonie Leslie Papers, University of Chicago, this is the first book to study all four as a family group.

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284

Publisher

Pen and Sword History

Published Date

ISBN 10

1399001469

ISBN 13

9781399001465

Kaiser Wilhelm II

Germany's Last Emperor

By: John Van der Kiste

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Kaiser Wilhelm II

Germany's Last Emperor

By: John Van der Kiste

Drawing on a wide range of contemporary sources, this biography examines the complex personality of Germany's last emperor. Born in 1859, the eldest grandchild of Queen Victoria, Prince Wilhelm was torn between two cultures - that of the Prussian Junker and that of the English liberal gentleman.

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395

Publisher

The History Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

0752499289

ISBN 13

9780752499284

West Country Murders

By: Nicola Sly,John Van der Kiste

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West Country Murders

By: Nicola Sly,John Van der Kiste

Hidden behind the picturesque facade of country lanes and rugged coastlines, quaint villages and busy market towns, the South West counties of Cornwall, Devon and Somerset have witnessed some of the most shocking murder cases in British history. West Country Murders brings together over 30 cases from the authors' previous collections here in one volume. They include stories of those who killed for greed, jealousy and lust, as well as those who committed murder in what a well-known judge once described as 'a gust of passion'. Some of the killers were undoubtedly insane at the time of their crimes; others were almost certainly innocent, yet paid the ultimate price for a murder they did not commit. Some remain unsolved to this day, despite the best efforts of the local constabularies. This book is sure to appeal to all those interested in the shady side of the West Country's history.

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409

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The History Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

0752484079

ISBN 13

9780752484075

King George II and Queen Caroline

By: John Van der Kiste

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King George II and Queen Caroline

By: John Van der Kiste

This biography of the last king to lead British troops into battle and his able wife provides intriguing insight into 18th century war and politics. Often derided as the buffoon who "hated all poets and painters", George II was fortunate to be served by Prime Ministers Sir Robert Walpole and William Pitt, and was wise enough to leave the business of government to them. His wife, generally regarded as the ablest of British queens between Elizabeth I and Queen Victoria, used her influence in politics and patronage so that she and Walpole effectively ruled the kingdom between them. Her death in 1737 was seen as a national calamity. Illustrated throughout, this new biography provides a much-needed reevaluation of these monarchs and the times in which they ruled.

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353

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The History Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

0750954485

ISBN 13

9780750954488

A Divided Kingdom

The Spanish Monarchy from Isabel to Juan Carlos

By: John Van der Kiste

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A Divided Kingdom

The Spanish Monarchy from Isabel to Juan Carlos

By: John Van der Kiste

There is little available on the dramatic and colourful history of the Spanish monarchy. Experienced author and historian John Van der Kiste provides a readable and anecdotal look at one of the key European dynasties from the nineteenth century to the present. He begins with the wayward, ill-educated Isabella II, who was forced to marry her nephew. During much of her reign power was in the hands of her generals and her exile and abdication saw the crown of Spain hawked round Europe for two years. It was briefly accepted then refused by Prince Leopold of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen - thus starting the Franco-Prussian War - and, after a short, unsuccessful stint as a republic, the monarchy was restored when Isabella's son Alfonso XIII was chosen as King. John Van der Kiste leads us through his popular reign, the reign of his son - who married one of Queen Victoria's granddaughters - and the socialist movement in Spain after the Great War which led to the dictatorship of Primo de Rovera. Finishing with the Spanish Civil War, the 'reign' of General Franco and the return of the monarchy with the present King, Juan Carlos, this is a fascinating look at the Spanish Bourbons.

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Page Count

205

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The History Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

0752470833

ISBN 13

9780752470832

Plymouth: A City at War

1914-45

By: John Van der Kiste

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Plymouth: A City at War

1914-45

By: John Van der Kiste

Home to all three armed services, Plymouth was greatly affected by both major conflicts of the twentieth century. Between 1914 and 1918, Devonport Dockyard was responsible for much routine repair and maintenance work as well as building new ships and submarines, while the Royal Marines and army battalions were active in various theatres of war overseas, and Mount Batten became one of the major stations of the newly formed Royal Air Force. During the Second World War, few cities in England suffered more devastating damage, with the heart of the old city destroyed and a death toll of 1,172. Richly illustrated and filled with true tales of local heroism and the unbreakable spirit of the people of Plymouth during these tumultuous years, this book looks at how the city fared during the wars and played her part in victory.

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182

Publisher

The History Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

0750955287

ISBN 13

9780750955287

William IV

The Last Hanoverian King of Britain

By: John Van Der Kiste

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William IV

The Last Hanoverian King of Britain

By: John Van Der Kiste

Born in 1765, third son of King George III and Queen Charlotte, Prince William, Duke of Clarence, initially had little expectation of succeeding to the British throne. A brief career in the navy, followed by several years of semi-obscurity and a liaison with the actress Dorothea Jordan that gave them a family of ten children, came to an end with the ‘royal race for the crown’, requiring him and several of his other similarly unmarried brothers to find wives and ensure the royal succession after the unexpected death of their only legitimate niece Charlotte, daughter of the Prince Regent. William’s wife, Princess Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen, failed to produce any children who survived infancy, but despite their great difference in ages she succeeded in taming his previously uncouth manners. By the time he ascended the throne in 1830, the formerly outspoken prince had proved himself fitted to be a conscientious and astute if occasionally eccentric sovereign who successfully weathered the storms engendered by the passage of the Great Reform Bill. Between them, King William and Queen Adelaide helped to restore the popularity of a somewhat tarnished crown and lay the foundations for a modern monarchy under the auspices of their niece who succeeded them as Queen Victoria. This book portrays the life and character of ‘Good King Billy’, one of Britain’s most endearing sovereigns. An affable character of straightforward honesty and common sense, an occasionally tactless, blundering character with an instinctive dislike of pomp and ceremony but with the common touch, he was arguably the most human, down-to-earth of the Hanoverians.

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Page Count

242

Publisher

Pen and Sword History

Published Date

ISBN 10

1399098586

ISBN 13

9781399098588

William and Mary

Heroes of the Glorious Revolution

By: John Van der Kiste

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William and Mary

Heroes of the Glorious Revolution

By: John Van der Kiste

Mary (1662-94), daughter of James, Duke of York, heir to the English throne, then 15, is said to have wept for a day and a half when she was told she was to marry her cousin, William (1650-1702), son of William II of Orange (1626-50), Stadtholder of the Dutch republic, and Mary, eldest daughter of Charles I of England, who was eleven years older than her. In November 1677, on William's 27th birthday, they married in a private ceremony at St James's Palace. William was solemn, James gloomy, Mary in tears, and only King Charles appeared cheerful. This dual biography deals with both the 'life and times' of the monarchs, and with England's place in Europe. Interests of the subjects, outside the constitutional, are dealt with, as well as their personal relationships: William's rumoured homosexuality and Mary's hinted-at lesbianism; Mary's troubled personal relations with her father, James II; and the relationship between Mary and her sister and husband's successor Anne. The book also examines the personal and political relations between William and his uncle Charles II, and between William and Mary and Charles' illegitimate son the Duke of Monmouth.

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282

Publisher

The History Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

0752470973

ISBN 13

9780752470979

Durham Murders & Misdemeanours

By: John Van der Kiste

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Durham Murders & Misdemeanours

By: John Van der Kiste

Nineteenth century crime and punishment in Durham.

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222

Publisher

Amberley Publishing Limited

Published Date

ISBN 10

1445627973

ISBN 13

9781445627977

Childhood at Court 1819-1914

By: John Van der Kiste

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Childhood at Court 1819-1914

By: John Van der Kiste

What was childhood like for the princes and princesses in the Victorian and Edwardian period? Here their education, recreation and general upbringing is discussed, from Queen Victoria's isolated and lonely childhood, to the children of King George V and Queen Mary. We see glimpses of Prince Waldemar of Prussia, who enjoyed collecting fossils on the Isle of Wight and terrifying his grandmother with a pet crocodile; Prince Christian Victor of Schleswig-Holstein, who was the first prince to attend public school despite enjoying cricket much more than education; and Prince Louis of Battenberg, who introduced the 'Katuf' into his family, and recorded his voice on a wax cylinder. Contrasts are drawn between childhood at the English court and that of the Queen's decendants at European capitals, as well as the differing attitudes of royal parents. For example, Queen Victoria found babies to be "very froglike", whereas Queen Alexandra still gave children's parties to her children when they were adults.

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247

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The History Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

0752473085

ISBN 13

9780752473086

Dearest Vicky, Darling Fritz

Queen Victoria's Eldest Daughter and the German Emperor

By: John Van der Kiste

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Dearest Vicky, Darling Fritz

Queen Victoria's Eldest Daughter and the German Emperor

By: John Van der Kiste

This work tells the love story of the royal couple against the changing background of 19th-century Germany. It looks at the differing political sympathies of the couple, revealed through letters, and re-examines the prevailing view that the domineering Vicky never bothered to conceal her distaste for everything Prussian and flaunting her sense of British superiority. In many ways ahead of her time, she was something of a pioneer feminist, refusing to accept the oft-accepted maxim that women were second-class citizens. Insufficient consideration has been given to her health and the possibility that her judgement and reason may sometimes have been affected, albeit mildly, by the family's inheritance of porphyria that led to the 'madness' of her great-grandfather George III.

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Page Count

341

Publisher

The History Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

0752499262

ISBN 13

9780752499260

The Little Book of Cornwall

By: John Van der Kiste

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The Little Book of Cornwall

By: John Van der Kiste

A compendium of fascinating information about Cornwall past and present, this book contains a plethora of entertaining facts about the county's famous and occasionally infamous men and women, its towns and countryside, history, natural history, literary, artistic and sporting achievements, agriculture, transport, industry and royal visits. A reference book and a quirky guide, this can be dipped in to time and time again to reveal something new about the people, the heritage, the secrets and the enduring fascination of the county. A remarkably engaging little book, this is essential reading for visitors and locals alike. Did You Know? In British law no officer or agent of the Crown, which includes both Westminster and the Anglican Church, can legally set foot upon Cornish soil without the express and joint permissions of the Duke of Cornwall and Cornwall's Stannary Parliament. Dolly Pentreath (c. 1680–1777), is popularly regarded as the last true speaker of the Cornish language and her last words were reputedly 'Me ne vidn cewsel Sawznek!' ('I don't want to speak English!'). Penzance boasts the county's only officially designated promenade, which extends for just over a mile from the town harbour to Newlyn. Founded in 1860 Warrens Bakery, a family-owned chain based in St Just in Penwith, supplies pasties to Fortnum & Mason. Cornwall's flag is that of St Piran and shows a white cross which represents molten tin oozing out of a black rock which Piran used when building his fireplace.

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177

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The History Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

0752492691

ISBN 13

9780752492698

James II and the First Modern Revolution

The End of Absolute Monarchy

By: John Van Der Kiste

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James II and the First Modern Revolution

The End of Absolute Monarchy

By: John Van Der Kiste

This in-depth biography explores the brief and turbulent reign of King James II and the growing opposition that led to the Glorious Revolution. James II succeeded his brother Charles II on the English throne in 1685, at a time when nothing could be taken for granted. A span of less that forty years had brought the execution of their father, Charles I, the proclamation of a republic, and the swift restoration of the monarchy. Though James inherited the makings of a stable reign, he was a deeply flawed character. Alternately pious and debauched, he was little liked by those who knew him. Within three years, James’s efforts to promote Catholicism in a nation that had predominantly embraced the Protestant faith had exhausted the patience of both the aristocracy and the church, who jointly appealed to his son-in-law, William, Prince of Orange, to intervene. Once James fled the kingdom, the ‘Glorious Revolution’ was quickly achieved. This book examines how the forces of Anglicanism and Jacobitism collided, how a monarch came to forfeit so much goodwill so quickly, and through his own folly aided the effortless victory of William and Mary (James’s own daughter), who at last brought a period of calm to a country that had endured so much.

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Page Count

262

Publisher

Pen and Sword History

Published Date

ISBN 10

1399001418

ISBN 13

9781399001410

Devonshire's Own

By: John Van der Kiste

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Devonshire's Own

By: John Van der Kiste

Eighth-century martyr St Boniface, tennis player and TV presenter Sue Barker, painter Sir Joshua Reynolds, scholar Sir Thomas Bodley, actor Sir Donald Sinden, Boer War commander Sir Redvers Buller, radio and TV presenter Ed Stewart and round-the-world yachtsman Sir Francis Chichester are among personalities through the ages who have been born in Devon. The county can claim many more who were either born or lived here for a major part of their lives, including Scott of the Antarctica, Agatha Christie, Parson Jack Russell (of terrier fame) and Wayne Sleep. The Elizabethan explorers Sir Francis Drake, Sir Humphrey Gilbert and Sir Walter Raleigh were all Devonians, as were party leaders Michael Foot and David Owen. This book, by renowned local author John Van der Kiste, features mini-biographies of all these and many more.

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Page Count

357

Publisher

The History Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

0752493663

ISBN 13

9780752493664

Surrey Murders

By: John Kiste

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Surrey Murders

By: John Kiste

Surrey Murders is an examination of some of the county's most notorious and shocking cases. They include the 'Wigwam Girl', Joan Wolfe, who lived in a tent built by a Cree Indian Soldier before being brutally slaughtered; the infamous stabbing of Frederick Gold by 'the Serpent', Percy Lefroy Mapleton; the poisoning of the entire Beck family with a bottle of oatmeal stout, laced with cyanide; and the sailor butchered at the Devil's Punch Bowl, later immortalised in Charles Dickens' Nicholas Nickleby. John Van der Kiste's carefully researched, well-illustrated and enthralling text will appeal to all those interested in the darker side of Surrey's history.

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251

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The History Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

0752483935

ISBN 13

9780752483931

William John Wills

Pioneer of the Australian Outback

By: John Kiste

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William John Wills

Pioneer of the Australian Outback

By: John Kiste

In 1860 the Australian interior was unmapped and unknown to European settlers. When the Victorian Exploring Expedition tasked Robert O’Hara Burke, William John Wills and a party of nineteen men with crossing the country from South to North, this was soon to change. Following their slow and arduous journey from Melbourne to the Gulf of Carpentaria, John Van der Kiste gets to the heart of the expedition and the men involved. This book explores the way in which poor leadership skills, explosive characters and limited rations pushed the explorers to the limits of human capability. By 1861 the crossing had been declared a success, but only one man returned from the Gulf of Carpentaria. For the first time, William John Wills’ short life is examined in its entirety. In doing so, Van der Kiste details the character and motivations behind the man whose meticulous diaries secured the Wills name for posterity. Now 150 years on, Wills’ biography is a gripping tale of human endeavour.

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192

Publisher

The History Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

075247250X

ISBN 13

9780752472508

Somerset Murders

By: Nicola Sly,John Kiste

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Somerset Murders

By: Nicola Sly,John Kiste

Somerset Murders brings together numerous murderous tales that shocked not only the county but also made headlines throughout the country. They include the cases of Elizabeth and Betty Branch, a mother and daughter who beat a young servant girl to death in Hemington in 1740; 13-year-old Betty Trump, whose throat was cut while walking home at Buckland St Mary in 1823; factory worker Joan Turner, battered to death in Chard in 1829; George Watkins, killed in a bare knuckle fight outside the Running Horse pub in Yeovil in 1843; Constance Kent, who confessed in 1865 to killing her half-brother at Rode in 1860, nearly five years earlier; and elderly landlay, Mrs Emily Bowers, strangled in her bed in Middlezoy in 1947. Nicola Sly and John van der Kiste, co-authors of Cornish Murders in this series, have an encyclopedic knowledge of their subject. Their carefully researched, well-illustrated and enthralling text will appeal to anyone interested in the shady side of Somerset's history.

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289

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The History Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

0752484311

ISBN 13

9780752484310

George III's Children

By: John Kiste

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George III's Children

By: John Kiste

On 12 August 1762, Queen Charlotte gave birth to her first child. Twenty-one years later, to the week, the 15th and youngest was born. All but two children survived to maturity. The eldest of King George III's children, who became Prince Regent and King George IV, is less remembered for his patronage of the arts than for his extravagance, and maltreatment of his wife Caroline. As Commander-in-Chief to the British army, the administrative qualities of Frederick, Duke of York are largely forgotten, while King William IV, usually dismissed as a figure of fun, brought a new affability to the monarchy which helped him through the storms engendered during the passage of the Great Reform Bill in 1832. The princesses, for many years victims of their parents' possessiveness, married late in life, if at all, and are passed off as non-entities. This objective portrayal of the royal family draws upon contemporary sources to lay to rest the gossip and exaggeration.

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243

Publisher

The History Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

0750953829

ISBN 13

9780750953825

Little Book of Devon

By: John Kiste

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Little Book of Devon

By: John Kiste

Do you know?Which MP was the first woman to take her seat in parliament?Who was the man they could not hang?Which member of the Beatles lost his temper at a famous Devon landmark?A compendium of fascinating information about Devon past and present, this book contains a plethora of entertaining facts about the county’s famous and occasionally infamous men and women, its towns and countryside, history, natural history, literary, artistic and sporting achievements, agriculture, transport, industry, and royal visits.A reference book and a quirky guide, this can be dipped in to time and time again to reveal something new about the people, the heritage, the secrets and the enduring fascination of the county. A remarkably engaging little book, this is essential reading for visitors and locals alike.

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217

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The History Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

0750953942

ISBN 13

9780750953948

Once a Grand Duchess

Xenia, Sister of Nicolas II

By: John Van der Kiste

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Once a Grand Duchess

Xenia, Sister of Nicolas II

By: John Van der Kiste

This biography of Xenia, sister of Nicholas II gives a new angle on the Romanov story and provides new information on relationships within the family after the Revolution. Important new letters and photographs are also included.

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351

Publisher

The History Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

0752499297

ISBN 13

9780752499291

Princess Victoria Melita

By: John Van der Kiste

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Princess Victoria Melita

By: John Van der Kiste

Princess Victoria Melita played a colourful role from her birth in 1876. The second daughter of Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh, she made a brief and unhappy marriage at the age of 17 to her cousin, Ernest, Grand Duke of Hesse. In the face of strong opposition from her family she divorced him seven years later and married another cousin, Grand Duke Cyril of Russia, resulting in three years of exile. When revolution toppled the empire in 1917, the Grand Duke and Duchess and their children escaped to Finland, living in danger for three long years. Following the atrocities of the Bolsheviks at the time, including the murder of most of the Romanov family, the Grand Duke believed he was the senior surviving member of the imperial house, and proclaimed himself Tsar. However, they were never able to return to their homeland, and the Grand Duchess died in exile in 1936. Using previously unpublished correspondence from the Royal Archives and Astor papers, this is a portrait of the Princess, set against the imperial courst of the turn of the 20th century and inter-war Europe.

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Page Count

245

Publisher

The History Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

0752471945

ISBN 13

9780752471945

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