The Definitive Oral History

Lost Voices from the Titanic

Running up to the centenary of her sinking in April 2012 this is the story of the world's most infamous ship, told for the first time in the words of those who designed her, built her, sailed her and survived her.

A splendid collection of eye-witness accounts by those who built, sailed and survived the Titanic. Fascinating and heart-rending

Dr Nick Barratt obtained a PhD in history from King's College London in 1996. He started work in television whilst working at the BBC as a specialist archive researcher. He is also in demand as a speaker on popular history and genealogy following his work as a presenter, reviewer and commentator on all aspects of history, notably family history for the BBC on Who Do You Think You Are? Nick also wrote a weekly column in the Daily Telegraph called 'The Family Detective'.

Starting from its original conception and design by the owners and naval architects at the White Star Line through construction at Harland and Wolff's shipyards in Belfast, Nick Barratt explores the pre-history of the Titanic. He examines the aspirations of the owners, the realities of construction and the anticipation of the first sea-tests, revealing that the seeds of disaster were sown by the failure to implement sealed bulkheads - for which the original plans are now available. Barratt then looks at what it was like to embark on the Titanic's maiden voyage in April 1912. The lives of various passengers are examined in more detail, from the first class aristocrats enjoying all the trappings of privilege, to the families in third-class and steerage who simply sought to leave Britain for a better life in America. Similarly, the stories of representatives from the White Star Line who were present, as well as members of the crew, are told in their own words to give a very different perspective of the voyage. 
 
Finally, the book examines the disaster itself, when Titanic struck the iceberg on 14 April and sunk hours later. Survivors from passengers and crew explain what happened, taking you back in time to the full horror of that freezing Atlantic night when up to 1,520 people perished. The tragedy is also examined from the official boards of enquiry, and its aftermath placed in a historic context - the damage to British prestige and pride, and the changes to maritime law to ensure such an event never took place again. The book concludes by looking at the impact on those who escaped, and what became of them in the ensuing years; and includes the words of the last living survivor, Millvina Dean.

Discover your family history and bring the past to life

The Family Detective

Delve into the fascinating history of your family with the acknowledged expert in the field

an excellent guide for beginners...a valuable book

Dr Nick Barratt is a medieval historian by trade, gaining a PhD from Kings College London. He worked at the Public Record Office - now the National Archives - for several years, before moving to the BBC as a specialist researcher, and established Sticks Research Agency. His research credits include House Detectives, Seven Wonders of the Industrial World and Who Do You Think You Are? which he also presented. He is currently a director of Firebird Media and is on the National Executive of the Federation of Family History Societies. He works as a columnist for The Daily Telegraph and has published several books on house and family history.

The market for family history has never been stronger. The phenomenally successful television series Who Do You Think You Are? made many people consider the subject for the first time. Nick Barratt, the man behind the interactive strand of the series, now brings his expertise to this practical, lively and well-researched book, which will open the door to the fascinating world of genealogy. Accessible and clearly presented, and underpinned by a wealth of knowledge and experience, this book gives you everything you need to know to get cracking. From how to get started (talking to relatives, gathering clues, assembling a family tree), through to accessing and understanding and understanding the main sources (certificates, censes, probate and family registers), to how to flesh out your family tree, including tracing immigrant and emigrant relatives, tracking down military ancestors and how to cope if you uncover family secrets. Throughout the book there are case histories and real-life examples to help and inspire every reader.

Nick Barratt

A superb work of research and is clearly and entertainingly written, sometimes intimidating in its attention to detail, but rarely dry

A far-reaching, in-depth yet broadly-based history of London ... You don't have to be a Londoner to enjoy this heroic tale of people - and bricks and train-tracks triumphing to the detriment of green space

Barratt brilliantly tells the stories of the capital’s historical communities.

A masterful social history of London’s suburbs

The Story of the Suburbs

London's suburbs may stretch for well over 600 square miles, but in historical accounts of the capital they tend to take something of a back seat. In Greater London, historian Nick Barratt places them firmly centre stage, tracing their journey from hamlets and villages far out in the open countryside to fully fledged urban enclaves, simultaneously demonstrating the crucial role they have played in the creation of today's metropolis. 
 
Starting in the first century AD, he shows how the tiny settlements that grew up in the Thames Valley gradually developed, and how they were shaped by their proximity to the city. He describes the spread of the first suburbs beyond the city walls, and traces the ebb and flow of population as people moved in to find jobs or away to escape London's noise and bustle. He charts the transformation wrought by the coming of the railways, the fight to preserve Hampstead Heath, Epping Forest and other green spaces and the struggle to create a London-wide form of government. He gives an account of wartime destruction and peacetime reconstruction, and then brings the story to the present with a description of the very varied nature of today's suburbs and their inhabitants. In the process, he evokes Tudor Hackney and Georgian Hampton, explains why Victorian Battersea and Finchley were so different from one another, and follows Islington's fall from grace and subsequent recovery. 
 
Magnificently illustrated throughout with contemporary engravings and photographs, this is the essential history for anyone who has ever lived in London.

Nick Barratt

Praise for Greater London

A superb work of research and is clearly and entertainingly written, sometimes intimidating in its attention to detail, but rarely dry

A far-reaching, in-depth yet broadly-based history of London ... You don't have to be a Londoner to enjoy this heroic tale of people - and bricks and train-tracks triumphing to the detriment of green space

Barratt brilliantly tells the stories of the capital’s historical communities.

A superb work of research and is clearly and entertainingly written, sometimes intimidating in its attention to detail, but rarely dry

A far-reaching, in-depth yet broadly-based history of London ... You don't have to be a Londoner to enjoy this heroic tale of people - and bricks and train-tracks triumphing to the detriment of green space

Barratt brilliantly tells the stories of the capital’s historical communities.

A superb work of research and is clearly and entertainingly written, sometimes intimidating in its attention to detail, but rarely dry

A far-reaching, in-depth yet broadly-based history of London ... You don't have to be a Londoner to enjoy this heroic tale of people - and bricks and train-tracks triumphing to the detriment of green space

Barratt brilliantly tells the stories of the capital’s historical communities.

Books by Nick Barratt

Follow penguin

Follow ladybird

Follow puffin

Sign up to the Penguin newsletter