Mirli Books is a small independent publisher set up in the UK to publicize and distribute material written by Peter Maggs. Click the links below to read articles and extracts from books mostly on genealogy and 19th Century social history.
Published on 28 December 2024: Anatomy of a Bridge
My first foray into the history of engineering—apart from my whimsical piece on the Box Tunnel. Brunel's 1838 railway bridge over the Uxbridge Turnpike at Hanwell, West London, caused him a level of trouble out of all proportion to its size and cost. Twice its main girders failed, and in 1847 it was all but destroyed by fire. It was rebuilt and later widened, and in the early 20th Century was replaced by a steel structure. The story of Brunel's "Little known Masterpiece" is now available; read more about it here: Anatomy of a Bridge
My first foray into the history of engineering—apart from my whimsical piece on the Box Tunnel. Brunel's 1838 railway bridge over the Uxbridge Turnpike at Hanwell, West London, caused him a level of trouble out of all proportion to its size and cost. Twice its main girders failed, and in 1847 it was all but destroyed by fire. It was rebuilt and later widened, and in the early 20th Century was replaced by a steel structure. The story of Brunel's "Little known Masterpiece" is now available; read more about it here: Anatomy of a Bridge
New in December 2022: The Separate System of Prison Discipline at Wandsworth and Elsewhere; a Radical Experiment in Social, Civil, and Mechanical Engineering
This article describes a system of prison discipline which operated in Britain for a few decades in the nineteenth century. Separation of prisoners, to stop the old lags contaminating the first timers, was achieved by each prison cell having only one occupant. However, the cells were heated, lighted and ventilated, and they had room service and en suite facilities... Read the article here
This article describes a system of prison discipline which operated in Britain for a few decades in the nineteenth century. Separation of prisoners, to stop the old lags contaminating the first timers, was achieved by each prison cell having only one occupant. However, the cells were heated, lighted and ventilated, and they had room service and en suite facilities... Read the article here
Published in December 2020: Reverend Duke and the Amesbury Oliver
Edward Duke was a wealthy, 19th Century, Oxford-educated cleric with time on his hands. In 1840 he published an extraordinary theory explaining that Stonehenge, Avebury, Silbury Hill, and various other Wiltshire monuments formed part of a great stationary planetarium on Salisbury Plain simulating the Sun, Moon, Earth, and planets. Stonehenge represented Saturn, and Duke concluded that the ancient Britons must have possessed telescopes, because the ratio of the diameter of the stone circle to the ditch at Stonehenge, was identical to that of Saturn to its rings...
Mr Duke was not only an antiquarian, but also a Wiltshire magistrate and ex officio guardian of the Amesbury Union Workhouse. Incapable of abiding by any majority decision with which he did not agree, Duke carried on an increasingly bitter series of disputes with both his brother guardians and the Poor Law Commissioners. In 1844 he wrote to the Home Secretary charging that the master of the workhouse acted with extreme physical cruelty towards one of the inmates – a crippled and consumptive orphan boy. This, Duke claimed, led within a few weeks to the boy's death. No record of the resulting four-day judicial enquiry into the case has ever previously been published.
Edward Duke was a wealthy, 19th Century, Oxford-educated cleric with time on his hands. In 1840 he published an extraordinary theory explaining that Stonehenge, Avebury, Silbury Hill, and various other Wiltshire monuments formed part of a great stationary planetarium on Salisbury Plain simulating the Sun, Moon, Earth, and planets. Stonehenge represented Saturn, and Duke concluded that the ancient Britons must have possessed telescopes, because the ratio of the diameter of the stone circle to the ditch at Stonehenge, was identical to that of Saturn to its rings...
Mr Duke was not only an antiquarian, but also a Wiltshire magistrate and ex officio guardian of the Amesbury Union Workhouse. Incapable of abiding by any majority decision with which he did not agree, Duke carried on an increasingly bitter series of disputes with both his brother guardians and the Poor Law Commissioners. In 1844 he wrote to the Home Secretary charging that the master of the workhouse acted with extreme physical cruelty towards one of the inmates – a crippled and consumptive orphan boy. This, Duke claimed, led within a few weeks to the boy's death. No record of the resulting four-day judicial enquiry into the case has ever previously been published.
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Hundreds of documents in the National Archives have been examined and transcribed in order to learn the truth of what happened. For the first time, the story of the Reverend Edward Duke and fifteen-year-old George Wheeler, the 'Amesbury Oliver', can be told.
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Steve Allen writes:
"An excellent read, Peter Maggs’ deeply researched account explores this patrician oddball, which gathers pace before delivering its measured conclusions"
"An excellent read, Peter Maggs’ deeply researched account explores this patrician oddball, which gathers pace before delivering its measured conclusions"
Published in July 2015: Murder in the Red Barn
This is a brand new investigation into the notorious murder of Maria Martin in Polstead in 1827. The use of primary sources, and careful scrutiny of 19th century newspapers and contemporary accounts has revealed a number of previously unknown facts about the case. Several lurid theories on the Red Barn murder have been discounted as a result, including the uncovering of evidence that one previous author of a book about the affair manufactured 'facts' to make a good story.
This is a brand new investigation into the notorious murder of Maria Martin in Polstead in 1827. The use of primary sources, and careful scrutiny of 19th century newspapers and contemporary accounts has revealed a number of previously unknown facts about the case. Several lurid theories on the Red Barn murder have been discounted as a result, including the uncovering of evidence that one previous author of a book about the affair manufactured 'facts' to make a good story.
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There were two great mysteries associated with the murder - did Maria's stepmother really dream where Maria's body was buried? And why did her acknowledged killer deny ever having stabbed her even though the body had several stab wounds? Credible explanations for both have emerged ...
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Some reviews from a well-known online retailer
" ... a very well-researched investigation ... A well written and helpful account"
" ... for my money ... the most comprehensive and factual account yet written"
" ... This book is not only a good read but extremely interesting"
" ... At last a readable, accurate, and well constructed narration of the facts"
" ... a very well-researched investigation ... A well written and helpful account"
" ... for my money ... the most comprehensive and factual account yet written"
" ... This book is not only a good read but extremely interesting"
" ... At last a readable, accurate, and well constructed narration of the facts"
Published in 2014: Smethurst's Luck
Thomas Smethurst, was a retired quack doctor and author who had specialised in 'the water cure'. He achieved notoriety as 'The Richmond Poisoner', when in 1859 he was convicted of murdering his bigamous wife Isabella Bankes. He was sentenced to be publicly hanged at Horsemonger Lane Gaol in south London.
Thomas Smethurst, was a retired quack doctor and author who had specialised in 'the water cure'. He achieved notoriety as 'The Richmond Poisoner', when in 1859 he was convicted of murdering his bigamous wife Isabella Bankes. He was sentenced to be publicly hanged at Horsemonger Lane Gaol in south London.
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There was an outcry in the press at a perceived miscarriage of justice, with hundreds of letters from doctors, lawyers, and the general public, together with dozens of editorials in the national newspapers. It was claimed that the conviction was based on faulty toxicology, highly equivocal medical evidence, and an extremely biased judge...
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Published in 2009: Henry's Trials
Henry John Hatch was an Anglican Clergyman, journalist, and social reformer who became the first chaplain of Wandsworth Prison when it opened in 1851. In 1859 he was sentenced to four years' hard labour in Newgate Prison for the indecent assault of two young girls in his care.
Henry John Hatch was an Anglican Clergyman, journalist, and social reformer who became the first chaplain of Wandsworth Prison when it opened in 1851. In 1859 he was sentenced to four years' hard labour in Newgate Prison for the indecent assault of two young girls in his care.
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Henry was released after serving only six months of his sentence, when his principal accuser, a twelve-year-old heiress, Mary Eugenia Plummer, was convicted at the Old Bailey of Wilful and Corrupt Perjury. For several years he fought a series of costly and protracted legal battles in order to receive compensation for his severely damaged reputation.
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New in March 2022: The Amesbury Union Workhouse This short article is extracted from the book about Reverend Duke. Read it here. New in December 2021: Edward Duke and the Amesbury Oliver This extended article is extracted from the book about Reverend Duke. Read it here. New in June 2021: The Chilmans of Merton, published by the Merton Historical Society. The story of my great-grandmothers, their siblings and antecedents, in and around Merton and Sutton, in what is now south London. Find the article here. New in April 2021: A history of high-power laser research and development in the United Kingdom in the journal of High Power Laser Science and Engineering. This is a review paper with many authors. I contributed to sections on laser research at Essex University in the 1970s and high power switching at EEV in Chelmsford. Read the paper here New in May 2020: I was interviewed on Brigham Young University Radio on my theory about Brunel and the Box Tunnel. If you can bear the 'err's and the 'um's, listen to the broadcast here: Interview New in August 2018 Ernie's War, Marine Private Ernest Maggs at the Battle of Jutland New in August 2018 Obituary in The Guardian of Annemarie Maggs, my mother, the original Mirli. Also an extended story of her life New in November 2017 A paper on a A High Stability TEA CO2 Laser System built at Essex University in the mid-1970s. A paper on a A Wide Bandwidth Detection and Display System – a high-speed detector for use with pulsed CO2 lasers. |
Published in June 2020. Edward Duke, 'Decipherer' of Stonehenge. This article, deals mainly with Edward Duke's astronomical analysis of the origin of Stonehenge and other Wiltshire monuments. Find the story here Published in April 2020. Steven Morris at The Guardian reprises my theory of Brunel and the Box Tunnel on the Great Western Railway, and whether it was deliberately aligned to celebrate a birthday ... Find the story here New in March 2018 The amazing update to Family Mystery Solved New in February 2018 why my wife's grandmother variously had five surnames, when she had only been married twice. The Men who Never Were New in October 2017 Misadventure in the Roach An article from Practical Boat Owner magazine relating a most embarrassing episode in my sailing career... The obituary of Hugh Menown from The Independent, March 25, 2000. Dark Secrets at Broad Blunsdon, a summary of the story of Henry John Hatch, printed in Wiltshire Family History Society Magazine in 2013. New in June 2017 Confusion and Myth in the Calendar Reform, an account of an investigation into the various times that different states implemented calendar reform. New in December 2016 Isambard's Gift, the results of an in-depth investigation into the legend that Isambard Kingdom Brunel aligned the Box Tunnel on the Great Western Railway such that the rising sun shines right through it on his birthday. Find more articles written by Peter Maggs here |
Illustrated talks Several illustrated talks have been extracted from these books and articles; a sample of slides used is shown below:
From Henry's Trials...
From Henry's Trials...
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From Smethurst's Luck...
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