A wonderful source of information for those looking for answers to London genealogy brick walls
586132
For those with family who came from London, this book is a terrific source of genealogy information. It includes the history of London and how that would have affected your ancestors daily life. It offers lots of new ideas and thoughts for family research and is the perfect place to begin researching answers to those pesky Brick Walls.
1960423
I loved this book. It paints a vivid picture of London throughout the centuries, using a series of loosely connected families. Lots of historical information, while remaining an entertaining read.
675693
I stumbled onto this recently published resource while researching my geneology. Its well written for factual mining, as well as entertaining. I was particularly grateful for the bibliography, which led me to a private journal our family never knew existed and is archived in Bancroft Library at UC Berkeley!! SO I heartily endorse this publication, but not just for its usefulness to me, but also for its superior retelling and detailed metamorphosis of a historically significant place AND its current preserved state. Well done!
4158652
A wonderful resource.
Anyone from Cincinnati interested in finding your homes past should check it out.
3438353
A very handy reference for any genealogist interested in including genetics in their research.
3496075
I am planning a family trip to London this fall and was glad to snag this little pocket guide.  The layout is clear and helpful, dividing the city into different neighborhoods and listing "top sites" and "nice to sees" as well as places to eat and shop for each of the neighborhoods.  Under each site discussed, they list the hours of operation, ticket costs (if applicable), and the closest "tube" to the site ("getting there.")  And if you're not sure what neighborhood a particular attraction is in, the index is very helpful.  The type is clear and easy to read, and the photographs are colorful and plentiful.

There are plenty of maps - each neighborhood has a map showing sites are located within that neighborhood.  There is a large pull-out map of London as well; again, colorful and easy to read.  I especially appreciated the suggested walking tours; wish there had been more than three!

I believe they are a bit ambitious in their "if you only have one day" itineraries.  For example, "Day Three" reads like this - MORNING: Explore the Victoria and Albert Museum or the Natural History Museum.  Roam over to Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens.  Hop on over to Apsley House, Wellington Arch, Royal Albert Hall, and Kensington Palace.  Explore Notting Hill or head over to Harrods.  AFTERNOON:  Greenwich maritime sites are renowned.  EVENING: Head to Shoreditch for quirky bars.  -  Okay, on second thought, perhaps it's just the morning that seems a bit crowded; and perhaps those are alternatives offered, not a suggestion to do everything!

While they are not in the city of London, information is provided on "side trips" to Kew Gardens and Hampton Court, which I really appreciated since I plan to visit those places.  I wish they would have provided information on Windsor Castle as well - I know that's even farther out of the city, but it just seems like a "must see" that's a short "daytrip" away as well.  A minor thing, though.

We've been in the planning stages of our for about two months now, so I was fairly familiar with most of the sites listed here, but I do like the idea of being able to shove this in my coat pocket so I can discretely refer to it while waiting for a train, etc - especially the information on where to eat, since I haven't read up on those at all.  This will definitely come in handy on our trip!
229863
This volume does not pretend to represent original research in primary resources, but is a convenient compilation incorporating information from many alternative sources. Most published lineages on the British monarchy are interested primarily in the line of succession, which usually has been male. Descendants of female royals generally get short shrift, but Weir provides at least basic information on all children and grandchildren of each sovereign, together with their spouses. This makes connections to other highly placed English and Continental families and to the royalty of other countries much easier to follow. Coverage is from Egbert in the late eighth century to the present day -- including Scotland -- and the index is very well done (and necessary). An eleven-page bibliography leads the reader to a large number of other secondary works. The only thing missing here is footnotes citing sources -- but the reader should rely on the _Complete Peerage_ for that and use Weir as a ready reference tool only. A very useful addition to one's bookshelf.
3238296
Several years ago I had the pleasure of meeting Steve and Jim Dayton. They had driven from their home in Indiana to Long Island to research their Dayton ancestors, who were among the first Anglo settlers in America via Connecticut and Long Island. Brookhaven Town historian Barbara Russell had suggested that they to visit us, the Fire Place History Club, a group of amateur historians doing local history research. Known as Fire Place until 1871, our community, Brookhaven hamlet is located on the south shore of Brookhaven Town on the Great South Bay. It was here that a direct line ancestor of the Dayton brothers  Samuel Dayton (b. 1623)  was the first verifiable Anglo settler (circa 1676).

What I thought would be a a straightforward, typical genealogy turned out to be one of the finest histories of early Long Island Ive read. For those who enjoy reading a well-written book, this book is a very good read. The story of the Daytons' ancestors is fascinating in and of itself, but what Steve and Jim did was more than that. They managed to weave a clear, understandable and coherent story out of the complex early-American experience of immigration (from Kent, England), religion, warring European nations, Indians, land acquisition and distribution, whaling, self government, and all the difficulties of 17th and 18th century survival in what was a virtual wilderness

The Dayton brothers do not pull any punches with their research. If there is any reasonable doubt about any aspect of history they say so right up front. Their research started with the churches and records in Kent. They reviewed the Town Records of New Haven, CT; Southampton, East Hampton, Brookhaven and Oyster Bay on Long Island; and Cape May, NJ. They visited institutions where historical records are preserved such as the East Hampton Library, the Suffolk County Historical Society and others. They interviewed numerous historians and read the works of many respected LI historians, some dating back almost two centuries. In short, they did their homework, and its evident in the result: a well-written, engrossing chronicle of Long Islands early history.

Martin Van Lith
Bookhaven hamlet, NY
2236603
I hope that we can get a reprint of this book.  I am assisting someone with research and found this in my local library, but it's under lock and key.  If I couldn't view the book at my local library, I think I'd have difficulty getting a copy through inter-library loan.  I'd love to add a copy to my personal library.

It's an excellent resource on Jewish populations in the major cities.  The author includes maps and histories of different families, which provides a good balance of historical narrative and graphics for contextual visualization.  While there is a focus on Jewish individuals and their families with Dutch background, it's very useful to understand the history of early Jewish communities in the United States, as a whole.  Not only does it have a lot of information, the back is loaded with other resources by chapter, so if you are looking for additional information, the book points you to a many other equally useful resources.
3671185
I haven't read every word of this book, but I went through every chapter looking for specific information. Primarily I was looking for the spiritual and emotional ties between the plants in certain British districts, and this was more about the practical and social role they played. But it is still a very useful supplement to anyone trying to piece together the relationship between plants and people in Britain over time. Another very useful book is  'The History of the Countryside', by Oliver Rackham. Add that to anything on the subject by Martin/Rix , a good selection Wiccan herbology,  and you've got a pretty good picture.  The people selling the book were top drawer - reliable sellers.
2721306
Once more, Claire Ridgway presents the reader with a wonderful source of information, and this time in a concise form on the lives of ALL the kings and queens in English history. It gives the reader a taster of their lives and reigns, providing you with a wonderful overview of all the highlights of every British monarch from King Alfred the Great to Queen Elizabeth II. Each of the 59 monarchs in the book covers two pages, one with a summary of important dates, interesting facts and a short biography, and the other with a beautifully restored vintage etching. Bright colours were professionally added to antique engravings from John Cassells Illustrated History of England by Claires husband Tim and daughter Verity Ridgway.
This book will be a great addition to any history collection, its the perfect coffee-table book and I highly recommend this beautiful book to every history buff.
2128002
If you are looking for an informative survey and overview of homes in the National Trust, this book provides it. The National Trust cares for over 200 homes covering 1000 years of history from William the Conqueror to the present day this book tells us. It appears that most, if not all, of the homes in the National Trust are included here. Other smaller buildings are included at the end of the book.

Many of the homes have historic or cultural connections. George Washington's ancestor's home is featured here. So is Carlyle's home, the writer. Some of the grand homes are owned by the National Trust such as Petworth and Kedleston Hall and are included. This is like a colorful and expanded encyclopedia of great and historic English properties.  Many architectural styles are featured including a few more modern buildings.

You can use it as an introduction to homes which you are interested in learning more about, and then look for more books and articles on the properties of interest. It is full of fascinating information on each home. The kind of information which is included is historical background and significance of the building, architectural and decorative details, interesting contents in the homes, quirky historical anecdotes, and famous owners-visitors-events associated with the house.

The author has written several books on related topics, and obviously knows a lot on the subject of historic homes of the National Trust. This is a worthwhile reference book. It will whet your appetite to want to learn more about these historic United Kingdom properties.
1470033
I am not a genealogist. I am an  amateur researcher into marriage law in the 18th and early 19th century in England. Ms. Probert presents her material in a way that even a non academic  and non professional genealogist can understand it. Her examples are clear . This small book is  worth three or four others I have on my shelf. So much information in one place makes this book an essential  addition to any library  of those interested in the marriage laws of England. I do think it a definitive guide on the subject.
4525527
A good source of family history. Though I've never been in New London, I want to visit.  Great to see the photo of my grandfather Arthur Roberts.
4611865
An exhaustive compendium of who was born, where and when, for genealogy researchers of British royalty. Not reading matter, strictly for data contained.
2287803
If you have ancestor's that lived in this area-this book is for you. I found my Rambo's, Bankston's and many related families. from this book.  It has been a great new source to fill in family information from this area. A great find !
3540529
Aimed at children but - despite it's title ;-) - most adults would enjoy browsing it too. With lots of information, trivia and ideas of where to visit that are more of social interest than money spinning ones! Hopefully they'll inspire its young readers to find out more with pages featuring:
Graffiti Art; Sherlock Holmes and Baker Street; Big Ben; the royal family; dinosaurs; places that have featured in the Harry Potter films and fashion from Carnaby Street and Mary Quant to the punk scene of the seventies. In addition there's lots of history about the Thames, the Great Plague, The Blitz, Empire Windrush; the Notting Hill Carnival...all similar in style to the 'Horrible Histories' books but with lots of photographs. For those who are are inspired to delve deeper there's a website for each 'attraction' at the bottom of every page.
Great value for money and interesting whether you're visiting the capital or not! - bet you want to after reading it though ;-)