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Paul A. Rabbitts

Born

Teesdale, County Durham, The United Kingdom

Website

http://www.paulrabbitts.co.uk/

Genre

History

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Born and brought up in rural County Durham in 1965, Teesdale to be exact, I went to Barnard Castle School, which I loved. After pretty poor A' Level results, I ended up taking a BA Honours degree in Geography at Sheffield City Polytechnic and spent 3 brilliant years there. Two years at Edinburgh University followed swiftly and a Masters degree in Landscape Architecture. I was then gainfully employed for just over 2 years in a small landscape architectural practice on the island of Jersey.
Returning to the mainland, I took up a post at Carlisle City Council for 8 years working in Parks and Countryside where my obsession with parks began, and where I was ultimately responsible for one of the first HLF Lottery funded park restorations at Hammon Born and brought up in rural County Durham in 1965, Teesdale to be exact, I went to Barnard Castle School, which I loved. After pretty poor A' Level results, I ended up taking a BA Honours degree in Geography at Sheffield City Polytechnic and spent 3 brilliant years there. Two years at Edinburgh University followed swiftly and a Masters degree in Landscape Architecture. I was then gainfully employed for just over 2 years in a small landscape architectural practice on the island of Jersey.
Returning to the mainland, I took up a post at Carlisle City Council for 8 years working in Parks and Countryside where my obsession with parks began, and where I was ultimately responsible for one of the first HLF Lottery funded park restorations at Hammond's Pond in Carlisle itself.
A return to the North-East saw me take over a Landscape and Countryside Development team at Middlesbrough Council and managing a vast range of projects including the £4.4 million HLF funded restoration of Albert Park and where I also built the biggest skatepark in the country. Eight years at Middlesbrough saw me move back into private practice with Halcrow Group Ltd, a global environmental and engineering consultancy where I was their "parks" expert, and over the 4 years saw me working from the Scottish Borders to the Isle of Wight with all my clients in the public sector.
However, a return to the public sector beckoned with a daring move south to take up a role as Head of Parks with Watford Borough Council - (no one moves south do they?) and they all thought I was mad. The role is now somewhat different, and but I am still seen as their 'parks chief' and flying the flag for parks locally and hopefully nationally.

Throughout though has been a growing passion for parks, and their history and evolution. An early morning shower (where often the best ideas are born) whilst still living in the North-East led to the idea of a book which had long been a desire - on a "history of the bandstand", generated by my involvement in the Albert Park restoration and the replacement of the bandstand there. Bandstands was ultimately published in 2011 by Shire Publishing and the move south generated further opportunities to write, and in particular on the Royal Parks of Regent's Park, Richmond Park for Amberley Publishing, and a new general history of them all for Shire. More books have followed. The bandstands obsession continues and has seen me appear in a BBC4 Documentary called 'Britain's Parks Story' with Dan Cruickshank, on the Simon Mayo drivetime show on BBC Radio 2 as well as recently published in the BBC Music Magazine (May 2014) and more recently on BBC Radio Wales, BBC London, BBC Three Counties, BBC Coventry and the heights of the Leighton Buzzard Observer.

Now living in Leighton Buzzard, I continue to write, and am still counting bandstands... oh as well as hold down a full time job...oh as well as keep my wife, Julie, and children, Ashley, Holly and Ellie entertained by my intermittent ramblings on all things geeky.

The writing and passion has also allowed me to do many public speaking engagements, in particular for local groups including the Association of Public Service Excellence, University of Leicester, Garden Trusts, Women's Institutes, Luton Museums, Watford Museum, U3A, Civic Societies, Local History Societies, Church groups etc... in fact anyone who wants to listen. ...more

Combine Editions
Paul A. Rabbitts’s books

Average rating: 3.96 · 55 ratings · 6 reviews · 34 distinct works

	Sir Christopher Wren (Shire Library Book 858) 3.83 avg rating — 12 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Richmond Park: From Medieval Pasture to Royal Park 3.75 avg rating — 8 ratings — published 2014 — 6 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Leighton Buzzard in 50 Buildings it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 4 ratings — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Cassiobury: The Ancient Seat of the Earls of Essex by Paul A. Rabbitts, Sarah Priestley really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 3 ratings — published 2014 — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Grinling Gibbons: Master Carver liked it 3.00 avg rating — 4 ratings — published 2020 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Regent's Park: From Tudor Hunting Ground to the Present 3.67 avg rating — 3 ratings — published 2013 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	London's Royal Parks 4.50 avg rating — 2 ratings — published 2014 — 7 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Bandstands of Britain really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 2 ratings — published 2014 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Luton in 50 Buildings really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 2 ratings — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Bournemouth in 50 Buildings by Paul A. Rabbitts, Liz Gordon really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 2 ratings — published 2020 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars