The Great Tales from English History, Captain Cook, Samuel Johnson, Queen Victoria, Charles Darwin, Edward the Abdicator and More

With insight, humor and fascinating detail, Lacey brings brilliantly to life the stories that made England--from Ethelred the Unready to Richard the Lionheart, the Venerable Bede to Piers the Ploughman. Title Page......Page 4 Copyright Page......Page 5 Contents......Page 8 Tale of A Whale......Page 16 John Locke and Toleration......Page 23 ‘Remember the Boyne!’ – the Birth of the Orangemen......Page 28 Britannia Rules the Waves – the Triangular Trade......Page 32 Jethro Tull’s ‘Drill’ and the Miner’s Friend......Page 37 Marlborough Catches the French Sleeping at the Village of the Blind......Page 40 Union Jack......Page 45 Made in Germany......Page 48 South Sea Bubble......Page 51 Britain’s First Prime Minister......Page 54 Born Again......Page 58 Dick Turpin – ‘Stand and Deliver!’......Page 61 God Save the King!......Page 65 Dr Johnson’s Dictionary......Page 70 General Wolfe and the Capture of Quebec......Page 74 James Hargreaves and the Spinning Jenny......Page 78 Captain Cook – Master of the Pilotage......Page 82 The Boston Tea Party......Page 86 Thomas Clarkson – the Giant with One Idea......Page 90 The Madness of King George III......Page 94 ‘Breadfruit Bligh’ and the Mutiny on the Bounty......Page 98 Thomas Paine and the Rights of Man......Page 103 Mary Wollstonecraft and the Rights of Woman......Page 108 England Expects . . .......Page 113 Fanny Burney’s Breast......Page 118 Who Was Ned Ludd?......Page 122 Wellington and Waterloo......Page 127 Stone Treasures – Mary Anning and the Terror Lizards......Page 132 Blood on the Tracks......Page 135 The Lung Power of Orator Hunt......Page 139 The Tolpuddle Martyrs......Page 144 ‘I Will Be Good’ – Victoria Becomes Queen......Page 148 ‘God’s Wonderful Railway’ – Isambard Kingdom Brunel......Page 152 Rain, Steam & Speed – the Shimmering Vision of J.M.W. Turner......Page 157 Prince Albert’s Crystal Palace......Page 160 ‘Women and Children First!’ – the Birkenhead Drill......Page 164 Into the Valley of Death......Page 168 The Lady of the Lamp and the Lady with the Teacup (Plus the Odd Sip of Brandy)......Page 174 Charles Darwin and the Survival of the Fittest......Page 182 The Great Stink – and the Tragedy of the Princess Alice......Page 187 Lord Rosebery’s Historical Howler......Page 192 Annie Besant and ‘Phossy Jaw’ – the Strike of the Match Girls......Page 194 Diamond Jubilee – the Empire Marches By......Page 198 Slaughter on Spion Kop......Page 202 Edward VII and the Entente Cordiale......Page 207 Cellar Murderer Caught by Wireless – Dr Crippen......Page 211 ‘I May Be Some Time . . .’ – the Sacrifice of Captain Oates......Page 215 The King’s Horse and Emily Davison......Page 220 When Christmas Stopped a War......Page 225 Patriotism Is Not Enough – Edith Cavell......Page 229 Your Country Needs You! – the Sheffield Pals......Page 233 A Country Fit for Heroes?......Page 238 The Greatest History Book Ever......Page 243 Not Cricket – ‘Bodyline’ Bowling Wins the Ashes......Page 246 Edward the Abdicator......Page 251 Peace for Our Time! – Mr Chamberlain Takes a Plane......Page 255 Dunkirk – Britain’s Army Saved by the Little Boats......Page 260 Battle of Britain – the Few and the Many......Page 264 Code-making, Code-breaking – ‘The Life That I Have’......Page 269 Voice of the People......Page 273 Decoding the Secret of Life......Page 277 Bibliography and Source Notes......Page 282 Acknowledgements......Page 304 Index......Page 307