Poppyland Publishing

15/07/2024

It was great to be at the Lowestoft 1940s Day on Saturday & to chat with the new MP for the constituency, Jess Asato. Jess has a keen interest in history and archaeology, so it was great to tell her about what we do and why we do it.

07/06/2024

We popped along to the D-Day event in Lowestoft yesterday and had a long chat with those on the Lowestoft Our Fallen stand. Super impressed with the work to create a database of those that fell during both world wars from Lowestoft.

It's worth watching the video via the link on the home page to see how the database works.

The group are planning to create a template so other groups can do this for their town.

Our tribute to those Lowestoft people who died because of two World Wars. It is THE MOST complete record (we think), and includes photos, dates, places and memories. It is fully searchable. HOW do I use THIS? (video 4mins) also quick links families OR streets most affected

04/06/2024

Congratulations to Poppyland authors, Jill Bennett and Paul Richards who have been honoured with the Freedom of The Borough of West Norfolk and Kings Lynn! So well deserved!

Jill Bennett, who retired this year, is to be awarded freedom of the borough of King's Lynn.

08/05/2024

Poppyland Publishing is pleased to be part be taking part in the 𝘊𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘓𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘗𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘍𝘢𝘪𝘳 to be held on Sunday 26 May, 10.00 - 16.00, National Centre for Writing at Dragon Hall, Norwich.

It's free and no tickets are required. Part of the City of Literature weekend, it includes lightning talks to go to. We will also have Poppyland authors dropping by to sign their books for eager customers.

Discover the vibrant publishing culture of the East of England at our popular publishing fair!

05/05/2024

If you're looking for a bank holiday read then why not get a copy of Poppyland's latest book, 𝐃𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐃𝐫𝐮𝐦𝐬: 𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐅𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲, 𝐓𝐰𝐨 𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐬?

Derek James, article in the EDP sums it up perfectly, "Victoria’s extensive research and fine writing has made this an important and compelling book, with rare photographs, looking at the lives of a father and son, their families and friends, through letters and documents CO’s during both wars."

Purchase now at your local bookshop or direct at:

Different Drums delves into the Manthorpe family's pacifist journey from religious non-conformity to humanitarianism. Set in Norwich, the story begins in February 1917 when Walter Manthorpe, a staunch Quaker, sought exemption from military service as a conscientious objector. His steadfast beliefs l...

17/04/2024

𝐇𝐨𝐭 𝐨𝐟𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐤–𝐃𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐃𝐫𝐮𝐦𝐬: 𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐅𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲, 𝐓𝐰𝐨 𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐬

Different Drums delves into the Manthorpe family's pacifist journey from religious non-conformity to humanitarianism. Set in Norwich, the story begins in February 1917 when Walter Manthorpe, a staunch Quaker, sought exemption from military service as a conscientious objector. His steadfast beliefs landed him in the military barracks at Mousehold, followed by a harrowing period of solitary confinement in Wormwood Scrubs while London was being bombed. Sentenced to five years in prison, Walter took the option of Alternativist service. This was supposedly an opportunity to contribute to society while withholding support for the war but turned out to be gruelling and pointless hard labour in penal work camps.

When he returned to Norwich, he ran one of the first health food stores in England. By 1923 he had been received back into civic life and elected chairman of the Norwich District Grocers' Association. Walter had two sons, Walter Jr and Jack, and as fate would have it, they both came of age as the Second World War gained pace. The bonds of blood and ideology were tested as the two brothers faced choices that would define their futures.

£14.95
Available in Bookshops, Amazon and direct from Poppyland Publishing:

https://poppyland.co.uk/products/B83134

11/02/2024

The physicist’s refuge from assassins on a British heath changed the course of history, as a new docudrama shows

11/02/2024

It was good to read the Observer’s article on the new Netflix docudrama called “Einstein and the Bomb”.

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2024/feb/10/einstein-on-the-run-how-the-worlds-greatest-scientist-hid-from-nazis-in-a-norfolk-hut

Philip Ralph was in close contact with Poppyland author, Stuart McLaren, whose Poppyland book covers the background to same three weeks Einstein spent in Roughton. The book “Saving Einstein” is available from the Poppyland website and in local bookshops - https://www.poppyland.co.uk/products/B79689

The physicist’s refuge from assassins on a British heath changed the course of history, as a new docudrama shows

10/12/2023

This is a very interesting post by the art historian Bendor Grosvenor about how paying copyright fees on many images has been clarified by the Court of Appeal judgement last month.

https://x.com/arthistorynews/status/1733599719014687227?s=46&t=I0rLJQOxwIWOp2g_ytIFxA

02/12/2023

We are all set up for our first customers at the National Centre for Writing Publishers’ Fair at Dragon Hall, Norwich - starts at 10.00, finishes at 4.00. Come along and meet us & other local publishers of all genres!

07/11/2023

Congratulations are in order for Poppyland author, Joy Beresford Frye for the shortlisting in the Biography & Memoir category of the East Anglian Book Awards 2023.

It’s the fourth shortlisting of a Poppyland book in the last three years. The imprint has won the History & Tradition category in the last two years, so we’re keeping our fingers crossed for 2023!

Discover the shortlist for the coveted East Anglian Book Awards 2023, celebrating the very best of publishing, writing, and reading in the region.

13/10/2023

Brilliant news!

Proud to be supplying - it's taken a while but we got there. Just delivered the first batch of 's excellent book An Angel Amongst Strange Bears, a biography of John Hobart, 2nd Earl of Buckinghamshire and pyramid resident. Available in the NT shop now!

24/09/2023

We had a good day yesterday selling books at the Great Yarmouth Local History & Archaeological Society History Fair. This is a great event with plenty of quality conversations about history.

14/09/2023

It was a special morning at The Orangery Tea Room Norfolk, Ketteringham Hall, where we did a book signing with Robert Sharpe, the author of our latest book, "Ketteringham: A Norfolk Country Estate". We were treated so well and those that attended appreciated the wonderful surroundings of the Hall.

Robert's research into the Hall and its estate tells fascinating a story—a tale of politics, the death and saviour of kings, Victorian paternalism and home to racing innovation.

If you missed the gentility of the signing, you can obtain the book from our website: https://poppyland.co.uk/products/B83110

05/09/2023

What a super article in this month’s KLMagazine. Visit the Poppyland website to get your copy of the book!

https://www.poppyland.co.uk/products/B79695

17/08/2023

John Hobart would be celebrating his 300th birthday today if he was still with us! His dry wit and humour, coupled with natural diplomacy, come through in his letters even now. These are captured for a modern audience in Joy Beresford Frye's wonderful biography "An Angel Amongst Strange Bears". The book is proving popular in bookshops throughout East Anglia particularly as last Saturday we issued a special £2 discount voucher in the EDP24 in celebration of his birthday. The voucher can only be spent in physical bookshops, not online or even on our website. Somehow I think John would have approved of commemorating his birthday in this way!

12/08/2023

With Rowan Mantell recommending An Angel Amongst Strange Bears as one of her 6 best reads for the summer, why not take advantage of the £2 discount voucher in today’s EDP 24! The voucher can only be used in outlets (not online) so get this weekend’s Eastern Daily Press at the same time as buying the book! You’ll find it on page 50 of the newspaper. The voucher expires in two weeks.

28/06/2023

Sounds really interesting for all those thinking of writing a book!

Join the poet, writer and artist Jay Bernard to explore and question what an archive is, how we might approach social history and develop our own creative approach to archival research. We will begin with our own memories or objects relating to Great Yarmouth and expand towards a deeper enquiry into who gets to write history and what gets remembered.
📍 Great Yarmouth
🗓️ 20th July 2023
⏰ 6-9pm
🎟️ Free, booking required
🍴 This event includes a free buffet.
[Image Description: Text reads ‘What gets remembered?’ alongside old images of Great Yarmouth]
Book your space now! 👇
https://tinyurl.com/WhatGetsRememberedWorkshop

07/06/2023

For those curious about the strange pyramid in the grounds of Blickling Hall then Joy Beresford Frye's new book reveals the story behind the man who is buried there. Her extensive research into Sir John Hobart, 2nd Earl of Buckinghamshire shows a man of culture and refinement who high office during his lifetime. Watch the video to get a flavour of the man, buy the book from the Poppyland website to find out more!

The book "An Angel amongst Strange Bears" is the story of John Hobart, 2nd Earl of Buckinghamshire. Born at Blickling Hall in Norfolk, and brought up by his ...

31/05/2023

Next meeting Friday 2nd June. The meeting starts at 7.30pm at Christchurch, Deneside, Great Yarmouth NR30 2HL.
Professor Jowitt and Benjamin Redding will lecture on HMS Gloucester which was found on the seabed just off Yarmouth. It ran aground and sank on 6 May 1682. Guests welcome £2.

23/05/2023

Look out for our latest biography An Angel Amongst Strange Bears: John Hobart, 2nd Earl of Buckinghamshire, Blickling Hall, Norfolk in shops now, or order from the Poppyland website: https://poppyland.co.uk/products/B79695

17/04/2023

It was with great sadness over the weekend that we heard of the death of Poppyland author Robert (Bob) Malster. Bob trained as a journalist with the Lowestoft Journal, experiencing at first hand the final years of the autumn herring fishing. His first book, 𝗪𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗸 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗰𝘂𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘅 𝗖𝗼𝗮𝘀𝘁 was followed by 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗪𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀, 𝗦𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗲𝗮 and a number of other books on local and maritime history. Among them are 𝗔 𝗛𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗜𝗽𝘀𝘄𝗶𝗰𝗵, written to mark the 800th anniversary of the granting of a charter to the town by King John, and 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝗼𝗿𝗳𝗼𝗹𝗸 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝘂𝗳𝗳𝗼𝗹𝗸 𝗕𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗱𝘀, which appeared just 100 years after W.A. Dutt’s celebrated work on the same subject.
He founded 𝗠𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀 and, as general editor, he edited more than fifty books by other authors before embarking on a series on the maritime history of the East Anglian counties for Poppyland Publishing as well as 𝗡𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵 𝗦𝗲𝗮 𝗪𝗮𝗿 𝟭𝟵𝟭𝟰-𝟭𝟵𝟭𝟵. 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗡𝗼𝗿𝗳𝗼𝗹𝗸 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝟭 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗧𝘄𝗼 and 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗦𝘂𝗳𝗳𝗼𝗹𝗸 were exemplary works, two out of the three being shortlisted in the History and Tradition category of the East Anglian Book Awards in the years they were published. In recent years he wrote our booklet, 𝗕𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗱𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱, and only this year submitted a volume entitled, 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗛𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀, which we hope to be able to publish in due course.

Bob, you will be sorely missed.

12/04/2023

Brilliant to see this post!

Waveney author wins category in East Anglian Book Awards.

Elaine Murphy is the winner of the History and Tradition category in the East Anglian Book Awards 2022 for her book "Wingfield: Suffolk's Forgotten Castle" published by Poppyland Publishing. On receiving her award she said:

I’ve always been fascinated by the tumultuous history and romantic charm of castles, so it was wonderful to be able to spend time researching in-depth this wonderfully evocative home and the people who lived there. Getting an award for something that was such fun to do is a great bonus.

The book can be purchased from bookshops or direct from the publisher at www.poppyland.co.uk/products/B79688
for £19.95 plus p&p.

03/04/2023

An history interesting event involving two well known historians!

If you're interested in the history of Oulton and Oulton Broad then our evening fundraiser could be for you AND tickets are available now!
Two local historians, Bob Collis and Ivan Bunn, will be talking history at The Grit, on Wednesday 24th May, 7pm.

Tickets are available from Oulton Broad Library (£6 - cash only) or online at https://historytalks.bpt.me/ (£6 - plus £1.35 service charge (£7.35).

Tickets are limited to 60 - so do book early to avoid missing out!

Oulton Broad Library opening times:
Monday 1000 - 1300
Tuesday 1000 – 1300, 1400 – 1700
Wednesday 1000 – 1300, 1400 – 1700
Thursday 1000 – 1300, 1400 – 1700
Friday 1000 – 1300, 1400 – 1700
Saturday 1000 – 1300, 1400 – 1700
Sunday 1100 – 1600

16/02/2023

A brilliant evening at the National Centre for Writing where the East Anglian Book of the Year was announced. Congratulations to Lynne Bryan on winning with her memoir “Iron Man” and all those that were shortlisted in their category.

I’m sure the evening was inspiring for all those that attended and Poppyland was glad to be represented at the event.

21/01/2023

Congratulations to Elaine Murphy on winning the History and Tradition category in the East Anglian Book Awards run by the National Centre for Writing. Elaine responded to her success by saying, "I’ve always been fascinated by the tumultuous history and romantic charm of castles so it was wonderful to be able to spend time researching in-depth this wonderfully evocative home and the people who lived there. And getting an award for something that was such fun to do is a great bonus."

Her book, Wingfield: Suffolk's Forgotten Castle, is available from the Poppyland website - https://poppyland.co.uk/products/B79688 as well as local bookshops.

We are extremely pleased that a Poppyland Publishing book, for the second year running, has won the History and Tradition category in the East Anglian Book Awards. Wingfield: Suffolk's Forgotten Castle is an excellent example of the work done by local historians to reveal the history of their counties through careful and rigorous research.

Wingfield was well known throughout the late medieval and Tudor periods but later declined to become a residence at the heart of a farming estate. But these later centuries are just as important to understanding the story of the building and crucial to understanding the surviving remains. This book....

06/01/2023

Put this date in your diary (16 February 6.30) and book for the National Centre for Writing’s celebration when the winner of the East Anglian Book Awards Book of the Year will be announced.

Come along for an evening of discussion and celebration of books, writers and publishers from the East of England.

03/12/2022

TODAY! the National Centre for Writing Publishers’ Fair opens at 10.00 at Dragon’s Hall, King Street, Norwich. Open until 16.00, come along and meet us and other local publishers!

27/11/2022

25/11/2022

Join us for the wonderful City of Literature Publishing Fair at medieval Dragon Hall, Norwich on 3 December from 10am to 4pm. All our new Christmas books will be available for sale as well as award winning and short-listed titles.

If you are a local historian and interested in getting your book published, pop along for a chat.

Entry is free and there’ll be festive hot drinks on offer!

Our popular Publishing Fair returns for Christmas! Drop in and explore the vibrant independent publishing culture of the East of England.