1. An Appreciation of the Southern Peaks
A whistlestop tour of the Southern Peaks and Staffordshire Moorlands exploring the contrasts and varieties of the area.
2. "Back to the Land", the Cult of the Countryside
Exploring the alternative movement in late Victorian England, with examples from the local area.
3. "Civilising the East End"
The architecture of social reform in the East End of London in late Victorian England.
4. "The City of Dreadful Night"
Poverty and social reform. The East End in Dickensian London.
5. The English and Gardening
A social historical look at an English obsession.
6. "Every Picture Tells a Story"
Insights into nineteenth centuary life as seen through Victorian narrative art.
7. The Fascination of Churches
Observations on some of the wonderful churches in the Derbyshire Dales and Staffordshire Moorlands.
8. "Gods's Acre" and the "Cities of the Silent"
Ramblings in churchyards and cemeteries.
9. The Gothic Revival in Staffordshire
Appreciating the work of major architects such as Pugin, Street, Bodley, Scott and Shaw in the county where they left a rich legacy of Gothic Revival church building between 1840 and 1890.
10. "In the Workhouse: Christmas Day"
The Victorians and the Christmas Season.
11. "Rational Recreation"
Leisure in the late Victorian period.
12. The "Romance of the Derbyshire Dales"
Unmitigated horror or Fairyland? Looking at how the area has been perceived over time, with romance in the air.
13. Victorian Cities
The dramatic impact of te Industrial Revolution on British Cities - incredible growth, great wonders, new opportunities, massive problems
14. The Victorian Way of Death
Death was ever present in nineteenth centuary life. Not as morbid as it may sound, we take a fascinating glimpse into Victorian attitudes to death..
15. The "Welcomed War"
The romanticised image of war on the run up to 1914 and the shattered illusions thereafter.
16. Catherine Booth
"The Mother of the Salvation Army" - Born in Ashbourne, Catherine was a major inspiration behind the Salvation Army, and left a lasting legacy to the world.
17. "Cook's Tours"
The achievements of Thomas Cook & Sons in opening up popular travel .
18. Lord Curzon of Kedleston, The Viceroy of India.
A talented, colourful and controversial statesman who presided over the Indian Empire at its apogee.
19. Florence Nightingale
"The Lady with the lamp"
21. "Blessed by Pugin"
A.W.N. Pugin - "The Father of the Gothic Revival".
20. Joseph Paxton
"The busiest man in England" - Gardens, conservatories, parks, architecture and lots more.
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