Sue Bates

'Many of you will already be familiar with Sue’s excellent books ... Solihull Past is no exception.' - Solihull NewsSolihull was founded as a new town in the 12th century, in the Forest of Arden. It flourished in the early Middle Ages, but eventually declined into a quiet village in north-west Warwickshire. Turnpike roads brought some custom to its coaching inns in the 18th century, but it was not until the railway came in 1850 that its suburbanisation began…Easy commuter transport from Birmingham induced wealthy professionals and businessmen to move their families to Solihull’s ‘salubrious’ surroundings. Growth was slow but steady as more houses were built to attract new residents, and by 1894 Solihull was created a Rural District Council, at a time when schools and churches were extending their premises to accommodate continued growth in population. The second half of the 20th century saw the village disappear under the developing town as offices, hotels and shops were built, including Mell Square, and by 1974 Solihull had progressed to Metropolitan Borough status, the highest tier of local government at the time.This well-researched and quite fascinating account records the town’s growth from medieval market town to modern commercial centre, with its roots proudly remembered in its motto, Urbs in Rure (‘The Town in the Country’). The text is illuminated by a splendid selection of photographs, providing a welcome companion volume to the author’s earlier and very popular book, Solihull: A Pictorial History.

A personal voyage in poems, written over almost fifty years, from the perspective of a working mother. Ranging far and wide in subject and place: from world issues, to children's rooms; from the death of friends, to the plight of a whale stranded on a beach.

One Monday morning, Lily, a successful thirty year old career woman, sees a leopard hiding in the long grass in her suburban back garden. "What to do next?" she asks herself. Lily's surprising answer takes her and her dog, Archie, on a journey of unusual and often comical incidents. Sleeping under hedges; raiding supermarket bins; selling a stolen Gauguin, to a dodgy character from the criminal underworld - all in the cause of fulfilling Lily's dream. Lily finds love but the fulfilment of her dream is always in the balance - and along the way an old woman predicts, 'it'll all end badly'. As for Archie - if there's a friend nearby and a biscuit to be eaten, he's happy. And the leopard?

A cliche it may be but we are living in ever more turbulent times. Business decision-making has become more challenging and unpredictable than ever: we see unforeseen and often cataclysmic changes in consumer demand, both at home and in export markets; customers continue to demand more, more quickly and for less; new laws and regulations abound; competitors steal loyal customers; and, increasingly, the advice that once could be found from a 'Small Business Adviser' has been replaced by a call centre. Hand in hand with these challenges, the risks associated with expansion, or a new strategy, have grown significantly. In the context of a small business, where a manager has not necessarily had the breadth of experience of someone in a larger organization or formal management learning, they can seem extremely daunting. This book addresses the issues confronting managers/owners of SMEs by providing practical, jargon-free advice on which a SME can create a sound platform from which to prosper. * Uncomplicated and jargon free to appeal to the SME director or manager who has little time to read * Can be used as a continuous read or a source of ides for dealing with the day-to-day problems of running and growing a small business * Based on the practical experience of the authors with examples taken from consulting practice

A history of Greater Solihull

Sutton Coldfield became a prosperous market town in the early Middle Ages but had fallen into decay by the 15th century. Its fortunes were changed by John Vesey, who became Bishop of Exeter and obtained a charter of incorporation in 1528, placing the Chase and Manor in the hands of the ‘Warden and Society of the Royal Town of Sutton Coldfield’. “Many of the photographs have not been published before and there is an excellent variety.” Midland Ancestor

Shirley developed as an isolated farming community along an ancient road, known by 1332 as Shirley Street. In the 18th century traffic had increased along Shirley Street and inns sprang up to cater for the needs of travellers. This led to ‘sportsmen’ coming in large numbers to indulge in banned pursuits such as bull-baiting, prize fighting and cock-fighting and the inevitable drinking and gambling. By 1831 this changed when the Rev. Archer Clive built a chapel-of-ease. It was created a separate parish and the independent history of Shirley had begun.