The textile industry in the South West has deep roots – the mills of the region, in contrast to many parts of the country, can often trace their beginnings beyond the Industrial Revolution to former more ancient buildings and uses. This meticulous study focuses on these historic buildings and their workings to tell the story of woollen, serge, hemp, flax, silk, lace, hosiery and cotton production in the area and to shed light on the early origins of these industries.

In an age before steam had ousted the clippers and Liverpool’s quays were still a forest of masts, the city’s 18,000 dock workers – many of them of Irish descent – began to organize themselves into trades unions. Extensively illustrated with historic prints and photographs, this groundbreaking study charts the struggles of these workers to improve their conditions and build self-reliance in the face of increasing mechanization, and vividly recreates the hustle and bustle of the Victorian waterfront.

For over two centuries from its first development in 1710, steam technology was behind a revolution which swept the world. Exploring the contribution of such figures as Stephenson and Brunel, this book traces the development of steam locomotion from the first Mississippi steamboats to the Titanic, and from the first London terminus at Euston to the Trans-Siberian Railway.

This is a visual celebration of the architectural and engineering legacy of Thomas Telford (1757–1834), from the towering Menai Bridge to the harbours, manses and chapels of the Scottish Highlands. Hundreds of photographs reveal his supreme confidence in creating structures with an elegance and artistry that matched their engineering vigour. Extended captions put the structures in context, revealing Telford's great sensitivity to setting and place. (Some material first published in Thomas Telford's Scotland, 2009.)