Neil R Storey

On the night of 31 January 1953 the east coast of England was hit by howling winds, torrential rain and the most violent surge of the North Sea since records began. The resultant loss of life, extent of destruction, damage and flooding was the worst peacetime disaster to hit Britain in living memory. The magnitude of the events on that night and in its aftermath, the spirit of the people involved and the selflessness of those, military and civilian, concerned with the rescue and relief effort is comparable to the spirit of Dunkirk and the London Blitz. This is the story of that fateful night, compiled from newly discovered reports of the rescues - written at the time by those who were there. These have been blended with a variety of contemporary accounts, many previously unpublished photographs and personal recollections to create a moving account of Norfolk's experiences during the unforgettable East Coast Floods in 1953.

In this latest volume by Neil R. Storey we encounter some of the personalities, folklore, events, disasters, heroes and villains that have become interwoven into the rich tapestry of Norfolk's coastal past.

Contained within the pages of this book are the stories behind some of the most notorious murders in Norfolk's history. The cases covered here record the county's most fascinating but least known crimes as well as famous murders that gripped not just Norfolk but the whole nation. From the Burnham Poisoners of 1835 to the Yarmouth Beach Murders, from the Costessey Horror to the 'last judicial beheading in England', this is a collection of the county's most dramatic and interesting criminal cases.

Did you know? - On 15 November 1892 as Dr Neill Cream dropped through the gallows trap at Newgate he declared 'I'm Jack the ...'. (Cream was in prison in America at the time the Ripper murders were committed) - In November 1887 there was a pitch battle in Trafalgar Square between those so poor they took to camping there and 2,000 policemen and soldiers. The event became known as 'Bloody Sunday'. - In December 1884 after bombs had been successfully detonated near Trafalgar Square and Scotland Yard a terrorist dropped another over one of the parapets of London Bridge and only succeeded in killing himself. - By the mid-nineteenth century the graveyards of London became so full a vast cemetery was established at Woking in Surrey. Opened in 1854 and known as Brookwood Cemetery or The London Necropolis it was even served by its own railway - the Necropolis Light Railway where the deceased's last one-way ticket could even be bought in first, second or third class. Neil Storey macabre calendar chronicles the darker side of life in the London between 1870 and 1900. Murderers and footpads, pimps and prostitutes, riots, rebels, bizarre funerals, disaster and peculiar medicine all feature. The book will be illustrated with engravings, newspaper reports, photographs and original documents.

This day-by-day look at the darker side of Sussex's past includes diverse tales of highwaymen, smugglers, murderers, footpads, poachers, rioters and rebels. This sordid cast of characters is deservedly accompanied by accounts of old gaols, bridewells and punishments, as well a liberal smattering of death omens, disasters and peculiar medicine.

Did you know that in the 17th century Matthew Hopkins, the Witchfinder General, found witches in King's Lynn, Norwich and Great Yarmouth. In 1885 at Norwich Castle gaol an event occurred that was so horrible it blighted the Public Executioner's entire career. In 1813 the executed corpse of Mary Turrell was buried under the road at Harleston with a stake through her heart. In 1805 a runaway wife was traced to Norwich and sold for #5 in the market-place. Neil Storey has collected together a macabre series of stories from over 300 years of Norfolk's gruesome past - including all the above, as well as tales of murder, smuggling, strange deaths, bodysnatching, plague, medical curiosities, public punishments, conspiracies, duels, bizarre disasters - and much more. Presented as an almanac, with one story for every day of the year, the book is illustrated with well-chosen engravings, paintings, photographs and rare documents. Violent, bloodthirsty and horrific, "A Grim Almanac of Norfolk" should appeal to anyone interested in the seamier side of social history.

The Norwich Society was founded in 1923 to prevent the demolition of the city's ancient Bishop's Bridge. Since then the Society has actively campaigned to preserve Norwich's heritage - saving historic buildings and preventing over-development in historically sensitive areas. Together with the City Council, the Society founded the Norwich Preservation Trust in the 1960s: since then many properties have been restored, and modern developments are closely monitored. Neil Storey has compiled a selection of images from the Norwich Society collections to mark the Society's eighth anniversary. The city's changing character is revealed through historic photographs of individual buildings, features and streets; battles that were won (and lost) are considered; and notable Society personalities are featured as well.