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Greater London: The Story Of The SuburbsStock informationGeneral Fields
Special Fields
DescriptionLondon's suburbs may stretch for well over 600 square miles, but in historical accounts of the capital they tend to take something of a back seat. In "Greater London", historian Nick Barratt places them firmly centre stage, tracing their journey from hamlets and villages far out in the open countryside to fully fledged urban enclaves and simultaneously demonstrating the crucial role they have played in the creation of today's metropolis. Starting in the first century AD, he shows how the tiny settlements that grew up in the Thames Valley gradually developed, and how they were shaped by their proximity to the city. He describes the spread of the first suburbs beyond the city walls, and traces the ebb and flow of population as people moved in to find jobs or away to escape London's noise and bustle. He charts the transformation wrought by the coming of the railways, the fight to preserve Hampstead Heath, Epping Forest and other green spaces and the struggle to create a London-wide form of government. Promotion infoA major new history of London's suburbs Author descriptionDR NICK BARRATT obtained a PhD in history from King's College London in 1996 and then went on to become a specialist archive researcher at the BBC. He is now a presenter, reviewer and commentator on all aspects of history, with a particular interest in family and in medieval history. He is currently CEO of SRA (Sticks Research Agency), which he founded in 2000. |