Martyn R Beardsley's Books

Britains Most Prolific Burglar

Flannelfoot and the Scotland Yard Men Who Hunted Him

By: Martyn R Beardsley

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Britains Most Prolific Burglar

Flannelfoot and the Scotland Yard Men Who Hunted Him

By: Martyn R Beardsley

Harry Edward Vickers, aka Flannelfoot, was possibly Britains most successful ever burglar. Not financially - he stole cash and low-value items (even, bizarrely, false teeth!). The success was in his hundreds of burglaries spread over many years without being caught. The lives of career criminals are invariably dotted with prison sentences, but thanks to his caution and cunning, Flannelfoot operated night after night, year after year with an impunity which embarrassed the police. In the twenties and thirties, Londers were deserting the overcrowded capital for the burgeoning suburbs of Metroland. Flannelfoot was equally attracted to these areas, and one of his hallmarks was to steal a bicycle at the scene of his last break-in of the night and cycle to the nearest tube station. Burglars and burglaries are never glamorous, but one reason why the Flannelfoot saga engendered fascination more than fear is that he was never confrontational, never violent, and in fact so stealthy that few ever saw him. His one-man crime epidemic led to Scotland Yard assembling a team more used to solving murders than the plundering of gas meters. After a lengthy and painstaking investigation, a carefully planned night-time surveillance operation involving several teams of officers led to the sensational capture of Flannelfoot. Flannelfoot routinely features in crime anthologies and was the subject of a feature film, but this is the first full biography of the man who became a legend in his own lifetime.

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Page Count

276

Publisher

Pen and Sword History

Published Date

ISBN 10

1399054856

ISBN 13

9781399054850

Charles II and his Escape into Exile

Capture the King

By: Martyn R. Beardsley

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Charles II and his Escape into Exile

Capture the King

By: Martyn R. Beardsley

The English king’s epic escape from his own country is thrillingly recounted in this authoritative history. Though the Parliament of Scotland proclaimed him king in 1649, Charles II faced a formidable enemy in England. His attempt to reclaim the throne ended in defeat at the Battle of Worcester—and thus began the battle to save his own life. Pursued wherever he went by soldiers from the conflict as well as local militia, Charles donned peasant clothing, crudely cut his hair, and tried to adopt a rustic accent. With the secret help of a succession of loyal citizens, he walked till his feet were shredded, waded rivers, coolly mixed with anti-royalists and enemy troopers—and, famously, hid in an oak tree. Never sure of who could be trusted, his peregrinations eventually led to a port in West Sussex where he could secure passage to safety across the Channel. “Unreservedly recommended for personal reading lists, as well as community, college, and university library Historical Royal British Biographies collections.” —Midwest Book Review

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Page Count

234

Publisher

Pen and Sword History

Published Date

ISBN 10

1526725738

ISBN 13

9781526725738

The Gunpowder Plot Deceit

By: Martyn R. Beardsley

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The Gunpowder Plot Deceit

By: Martyn R. Beardsley

Most people think they know the story of the Gunpowder Plot, and of how a bloody catastrophe was averted at the eleventh hour when Guy Fawkes was caught lurking in the shadows beneath the Houses of Parliament.But what if it wasnt like that at all? How was it that a group of prominent, disaffected Catholics were able to plot for months with apparent impunity? How could they openly rent a house next door to the House of Lords and use it as their base right under the nose of the leading spymaster of the age, Robert Cecil? How could they have hacked a tunnel towards their target and dispose of tonnes of spoil without alerting anyone and why is there no record of anyone ever having seen such a tunnel?This book explores the idea that the government was not only aware of what the plotters were up to long before Fawkes arrest, but that agent-provocateurs may have given them a helping hand or have even instigated the plot themselves.

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Page Count

255

Publisher

Casemate Publishers

Published Date

ISBN 10

152672569X

ISBN 13

9781526725691

Heroes of the RNLI

The Storm Warriors

By: Martyn R. Beardsley

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Heroes of the RNLI

The Storm Warriors

By: Martyn R. Beardsley

This maritime history recounts dramatic tales of rescue at sea by the brave members of the 200-year-old Royal National Lifeboat Institution. Whenever vessels have foundered off the coasts of Britain, there have been brave individuals willing to give their all to save those in peril. But in 1823, Sir William Hillary decided that this impromptu approach was not enough. He believed that many more lives could be saved by the establishment of a national, organized rescue service. His idea was realized the following year with the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. From the days of oar-powered open boats to modern, hi-tech vessels, rescuers have battled storms and unimaginable conditions, risking – and sometimes forfeiting – their own lives in efforts to save others. The most outstanding of these operations led to the awarding of gold medals for gallantry, the RNLI version of the Victoria Cross. Drawn from archives, contemporary newspaper accounts and genealogical records, this book looks not just at the details of the rescues, but into the people behind them.

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Page Count

282

Publisher

Pen and Sword History

Published Date

ISBN 10

1526725770

ISBN 13

9781526725776

The Gunpowder Plot Deceit

By: Martyn R. Beardsley

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The Gunpowder Plot Deceit

By: Martyn R. Beardsley

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Page Count

255

Publisher

Casemate Publishers

Published Date

ISBN 10

152672569X

ISBN 13

9781526725691

Heroes of the RNLI

The Storm Warriors

By: Martyn R. Beardsley

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Heroes of the RNLI

The Storm Warriors

By: Martyn R. Beardsley

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Page Count

282

Publisher

Pen and Sword History

Published Date

ISBN 10

1526725770

ISBN 13

9781526725776

Charles II and his Escape into Exile

Capture the King

By: Martyn R. Beardsley

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Charles II and his Escape into Exile

Capture the King

By: Martyn R. Beardsley

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Solve jigsaw puzzle

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Page Count

234

Publisher

Pen and Sword History

Published Date

ISBN 10

1526725738

ISBN 13

9781526725738

Book's by Martyn R Beardsley

Britains Most Prolific Burglar

Britains Most Prolific Burglar

Charles II and his Escape into Exile

Charles II and his Escape into Exile

The Gunpowder Plot Deceit

The Gunpowder Plot Deceit

Heroes of the RNLI

Heroes of the RNLI

The Gunpowder Plot Deceit

The Gunpowder Plot Deceit

Heroes of the RNLI

Heroes of the RNLI

Charles II and his Escape into Exile

Charles II and his Escape into Exile

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