A Brighton community publisher is celebrating 50 years of sharing grassroots local history with its latest book launch and a new online archive.
QueenSpark Books is also organising an event where – for the first time – its entire catalogue of 110 books will be available to view.
The first book was Poverty – Hardship but Happiness and other early titles included To be a Farmer’s Boy, Backyard Brighton and Back Street Brighton. The latter two have been republished as one book.
The publisher started as a street newspaper as part of a successful community campaign against a proposed casino in Queen’s Park – and it soon evolved into the publisher of a “people’s history of Brighton and Hove”.
QueenSpark Books said: “Our archive documents the changing face of the city from the early 20th century to the present day.”
It covers the “Poor Dispensary” and slum housing, two world wars and the era leading up to the creative development and cultural diversity that, for many, defines Brighton and Hove.
The publisher added: “Our stories feature many of the people and places that make Brighton and Hove what it is today.”
On Saturday 17 September, from 11.30am to 3.30pm, QueenSpark Books is holding an event at the Regency Town House, in Brunswick Square, Hove.
It will be launching a new book called Telling Stories, a collection of new writing about the people and places that make Brighton and Hove what it is.
There will also be a selection of out-of-print extracts from earlier QueenSpark books.
The publisher said: “On the same day, we’ll be launching our new online archive where for the first time you’ll be able to search and read the entire texts of all of the historic QueenSpark books prior to 2010.”
A number of titles can be bought from the publisher’s online bookshop, with prices ranging from £1 to £12.99.
Titles include Backstage Brighton, Back Row Brighton, The Landlord Cometh, Behind the Façade and the Brighton and Hove Photographic Collections Volumes I and II.
