Allan Frost

The Wrekin Brewery of Wellington, Shropshire, was in business for 100 years from 1870 until 1969. Of all the breweries in east Shropshire, it was the most successful. From 1929, the brewery actively pursued a programme of public-house acquisition which resulted in an unprecedented area being provided with its award-winning ales, stretching to include towns throughout Shropshire, Herefordshire and Powys. Most of the photographs included in the book have never been published. and are supplemented by chapters revealing a brief history of the brewery and the nature of its public houses.

Mention breweries and pop works in Wellington and almost everyone will remember the Murphy family who owned The Wrekin Brewery and O. D. Murphy's Wrekin Minteral Water Works for some fifty years. That, however, is only half the story. With a full account from medieval times until brewing and bottling ceased in 1969, this book explores the business successes and failures of The Shropshire, The Mill Field, The Red Lion, The Union, The Botanical and The Wrekin Brewery. The origins and subsequent fortunes of small bottling firms are covered as well as the various mineral-water manufacturers, who struggled to survive until, as with the breweries, the Murphy family quashed all competition. Lavishly illustrated with plans, memorabilia and many previously unpublished photographs, this is the definitive history of brewing and bottling in the historic medieval market town of Wellington in Shropshire.

The Wrekin Hill in Shropshire is not just any hill. As well as being the county's most famous landmark offering stunning views from its summit, it is a hill steeped in legend. Over the millennia the hill has formed the shoreline to an Ice Age lake and offered refuge to settlers from the Bronze Age onwards. The Roman Invasion led to the abandonment of its Iron Age fortress. The Wrekin gave its name to an extensive royal forest where kings enjoyed the thrill of the chase. Its woodland also provided farming oppurtunities for hundreds of years. During and after the Second World War the flashing red aircraft warning beacon gave comfort to everyone in the surrounding area. But, perhaps above all other aspects, it was, and still is, a playground for people, many of whom still visit its famous Halfway House for refreshment after squeezing through the Needle's Eye and remember the luncheons, dinners, dances and hospitality at the Forest Glen Pavilions...and the age-old toast to 'All friends round The Wrekin'. This book not only gives a fascinating insight into the unique history of a hill whose name has spread throughout the world but also includes an abundance of illustrations and photographs which will nurture feelings of nostalgia.

Containing a collection of archive photographs, this work documents life in the historic Shropshire market town of Wellington during and after the Second World War. It reveals how the people of Wellington coped with severe rationing and how they found enjoyment in a wide range of activities.

A history of Donnington and Muxton

This book is part of the Images of England series, which uses old photographs and archived images to show the history of various local areas in England, through their streets, shops, pubs, and people.

Wellington Through Time is a unique insight into the illustrious history of one of England’s finest towns. Reproduced in full colour, this is an exciting examination of Wellington, its famous streets and heritage buildings, and what they meant to the people of this town throughout the eighteenth, nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Looking beyond the exquisite exterior of these well-kept photographs, readers can see the historical context in which they are set, and through the author’s factual captions for every picture and carefully selected choice of images, the reader can achieve a reliable view of Wellington’s history. Readers are invited to follow a timeline of events and observe the changing face of the town, as Allan Frost guides us through the local streets. There is something for everyone here, be they long-time residents or just visiting this beautiful Shropshire town. This revised edition of Wellington Through Time contains updated images and captions that capture the essence of Wellington as it is today.

If folk were able to travel back in time to visit towns and villages in and around the modern Telford conurbation, these are the scenes they'd see a hundred years ago. Although photographs were then taken in black and white, age has made many adopt a sepia tint. However, most of the images in this intriguing collection were made all the more attractive by studio artists hand painting them to produce colourful miniature works of art to delight postcard buyers of that period...and today's readers. The places featured on the old postcards in this book are revealed in alphabetical order and cover an extensive area of east Shropshire, not just the Telford townships and villages but also High Ercall, Much Wenlock, Newport, Shifnal and numerous small others, together with the county's most prominent and beloved landmark, The Wrekin Hill. Many of the photographs have never previously been published in a book.

This fascinating selection of more than 180 photographs traces some of the many ways in which Telford has changed and developed over the last century.

Wellington Through Time is a unique insight into the illustrious history of one of this part of Shropshire. Reproduced in full colour, this is an exciting examination of Wellington, the famous streets and the famous faces, and what they meant to the people of this town throughout the 19th and into the 20th Century. Looking beyond the exquisite exterior of these well-kept photos, readers can see the historical context in which they are set, and through the author's factual captions for every picture and carefully-selected choice of images, the reader can achieve a reliable view of Wellington's history. Readers are invited to follow a timeline of events and watch the changing face of the town, as Allan Frost guides us through the local streets. There is something for everyone here, whether they have lived in Wellington all their lives, or whether they are just visiting this beautiful town. It also shows how photography has continually evolved to keep up with an ever changing society.

Death in Victorian times was something to be feared whilst at the same time it was treated with an unprecedented degree of observance and ceremony. Respect for the dead was a concept taken to heart by all who came into contact with its mysteries. This compelling book covers a variety of gruesome themes and events; from suicide and murder to mining deaths and the Dark lane Pit disaster. Death and Disaster in Victorian Telford makes compulsive reading; it adds a new dimension to the way death is viewed as well as a novel approach to the history of this part of Shropshire.