England's Forgotten Past

by Richard L. Tames

Richard Tames, the well-known popularizer of English history, offers an entertaining exploration of the bits of English history that have been sidelined, lost or somehow overlooked. Written in an engaging, easy-to-read and often humorous style, Tames brings to life the various colourful characters, famous in their day, who have now sunk into obscurity, from St Cuthbert and Nicholas Breakspear (the only English pope) to Octavia Hill and the Marquis of Granby. Tames also covers such diverse areas as sports, lost villages, forgotten war heroes and inventors. Did you know, for example, that Barking was once home to the largest fishing fleet in the world? Or that coffee houses were once known as ‘penny universities’? Peppered with quotes and anecdotes, and arranged into concise sections, this book is ideal for dipping into or reading from cover to cover.

Table of Contents

1. Making England English • 2. Lost Landscapes • 3. Royalty Remembered • 4. The Blast
of War • 5. Fading Fame • 6. Inner Man and Woman • 7. Believe It or Not • 8. England
Abroad

Genres: History, Nonfiction, British Literature

192 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2018

About the author

Richard Lawrence Tames, born 30 January 1946, lectures on history at Syracuse University London and is a Blue Badge guide.

Tames is also a Lecturer on London’s history for the Institute of Tourist Guiding. He has written over twenty books on different aspects of English history, including Shakespeare’s London on 5 Groats a Day.

Reviews

[Jennifer (JC-S) · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘England is a small country with a big history.’

This slender volume is full of wonderful facts about some aspects of English history which are not so well known these days. Which is a pity, really, because the forgotten past contains some colourful characters and some interesting events – far more colourful and interesting (some might think) than the present.

‘If the English can’t remember who they were they run the risk of not knowing who they are.’

It’s nice to be reminded (or, perhaps to read for the first time) that for three hundred years no king of England spoke English as his first language. Seems almost unbelievable – until history is (re)visited. It’s sobering to read that Charles II spent two million pounds trying to build an English settlement in Tangiers. It’s probably a good thing that Samuel Pepys was on hand to write an account of the evacuation of the Tangier garrison in August 1683. And, no, I didn’t know that England’s bloodiest battle took place at Towton in 1461. Perhaps I should have: the Wars of the Roses are something I’ve read quite a bit about.

It’s fascinating to learn about Alexis Soyer’s (1810-1858) role as a celebrated cook in Victorian England. Anyone who tried to improve the food provided to British soldiers in the Crimean War, and tried to alleviate the suffering during the Great Irish Famine (1845-1849) is certainly worth remembering.

Did you know that Pope Adrian IV was the only English pope? Yes, Nicholas Breakspear (c1100 – 1159) was Pope from 1154 to 1159.

Whether you read this book from cover to cover, or browse, it’s a lot of fun. I found it fascinating.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

[Melisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book is full of interesting facts and information. I could get somewhat boring at times, but for the most part it was an enjoyable read.

[Jo · Rating 3 out of 5]

A mix of tales about people and places and their impact on British history. Good little book to dive into during my lunch break at work.

[Maria · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was fine, lots of interesting nuggets of information, but it felt like either the author didn't know how to make a book flow particularly well, or it was too heavily edited.

[Geraldine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quirky, entertaining, and in a way highly informative. It's definitely not THE history book to read but rather a collection of very interesting anecdotes (or more significant facts) that indeed deserve a book. The title says it all. If it's what you want to read then you'll get it in a very nicely written way, if 'trivia' bores you, don't even start the book.

[Christa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was quite fun. I expected the formatting to be somewhat different, but I guess that's my fault for not looking inside before. Interesting bits about England/the UK. Would recommend as a read for when on the toilet (and if anyone's got a toilet read to recommend, let me know, I'm looking for new ones).

[Rhys · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting content, slightly disjointed layout and choice of sub headings. I feel that this author must be a true eccentric, and as such, one can't expect his style to be too well thought out and cohesive. Good for a casual dip into some of the quirks of British history. Even better if you're a social history fan with a hefty liking for wartime history.

[Daniel Kukwa · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's quite a potpourri of historical items, that starts of chronologically, then starts skipping thematically. It's opening pages on early England are the strongest part of this book. Enjoyable, with a few interesting gems, but nothing groundbreaking.

[Cora · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book lacked a lot of form, and I really had no idea what the purpose of it was for the whole time. It was just kinda like a fact sheet that didn’t flow well together at all. I understand why it was on clearance now.

[Kay · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5 stars