Phyllis Hembry, author of The English Spa 1560 to 1815, wrote about the origins and development of the spas and their flowering in the eighteenth century. Her book deals not only with their healing and recreational aspects, but also with their status as political, religious, social, and economic gathering places. Hembry had intended to produce a second volume, taking the story further, but died before being able to do so. She had gathered a considerable amount of material and written several draft chapters for this volume. Dr. and Mrs. Cowie have made use of this, revising and supplementing Hembry's text to create a study that continues to the present time and is extended to include Welsh, Scottish, and Irish spas as well.

Since it was first published in 1982 British Archives has established itself as the premier reference work to holdings of archives and manuscript collections throughout the UK. The 3rd edition has been extensively revised and enlarged with more than 150 new entries, further widening the range of the book. Entries are structured to show the archives of the organisation as distinct from deposited collections and significant non-manuscript material, and additional details of fax number and conservation provision are included for the first time. All the existing entries have been significantly updated, together with the select bibliography and list of useful addresses of various organisations involved in the care and custody of archives. The introduction provides an invaluable guide to researchers using archives, including a summary of the relevant legislation and a detailed description of the usual holdings of county and other local authority record offices.

An A-to-Z genealogy reference for those who want to research their family trees. Part encyclopedia, part dictionary, part almanac, this is a practical, easy-to-use reference, filled with thousands of fact-filled A-to-Z entries. You’ll find: *definitions of genealogy terms *timelines *details of available archives and websites *advice on research methods *explanations of genealogical peculiarities and puzzles that would test the knowledge of even veteran researchers With an emphasis on families with ancestors from Great Britain, this book includes many intriguing historical tidbits, such as the mechanics of the first census. For those interested in family, local, and social history, it’s both a useful tool and an enjoyable compendium.