In recent years house histories have become the new frontier of popular, participatory history. People who have encountered their ancestors in the archives and uncovered family secrets, are now turning to the secrets contained within the four walls of their homes. In doing so they are finding a direct link to earlier generations. It is ordinary homes, not grand public buildings or the mansions of the rich that have all the best stories.

A House Through Time offers readers not only the tools to explore the histories of their own homes, but also a vividly readable history of the British city, the forces of industry, disease, mass transportation, crime and class.

Packed with remarkable human stories, it is a phenomenal insight into living history, a history we can see every day on the streets where we live. And it reminds us that it is at home that we are truly ourselves. It is there that the honest face of life can be seen. At home, behind closed doors and drawn curtains, we live out our inner lives and family lives.