Mirli Books is a small independent publisher set up in 2008 in the UK to publicize and distribute material written by Peter Maggs. Click the links below to read articles and extracts from books mostly, but not exclusively, on genealogy and 19th Century social history.
Published in December 2020: Reverend Duke and the Amesbury Oliver
Edward Duke was a 19th Century cleric with time on his hands. In 1840 he published an extraordinary astronomical theory explaining the origin of Stonehenge, Avebury, and Silbury Hill. He concluded that the ancient Britons must have possessed telescopes ...
Mr Duke was not only an antiquarian; as well as being a Wiltshire magistrate he was an 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 dispute with his brother guardians, as well as the Poor Law Commissioners. In 1844 he wrote to the Home Secretary charging the master of the workhouse 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.
Hundreds of documents in the National Archives have been examined in order to learn the truth of what happened, and tell the story of the Reverend Edward Duke and George Wheeler, The Amesbury Oliver.
Edward Duke was a 19th Century cleric with time on his hands. In 1840 he published an extraordinary astronomical theory explaining the origin of Stonehenge, Avebury, and Silbury Hill. He concluded that the ancient Britons must have possessed telescopes ...
Mr Duke was not only an antiquarian; as well as being a Wiltshire magistrate he was an 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 dispute with his brother guardians, as well as the Poor Law Commissioners. In 1844 he wrote to the Home Secretary charging the master of the workhouse 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.
Hundreds of documents in the National Archives have been examined in order to learn the truth of what happened, and tell the story of the Reverend Edward Duke and George Wheeler, The Amesbury Oliver.
Published in July 2015, Murder in the Red Barn
This is a brand new investigation into the famous murder of Maria Martin in Polstead in 1827. 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 manufactured 'facts' to make a good story.
This is a brand new investigation into the famous murder of Maria Martin in Polstead in 1827. 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 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 murderer deny ever having stabbed her even though the body had several stab wounds. Credible explanations for both have emerged ...
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To be published in December 2021: Edward Duke and the Amesbury Oliver This extended article is extracted from the book about Reverend Duke. New in June 2021: The Chilmans of Merton, published by the Merton Historical Society. The story of my great-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 of my mother, Annemarie Maggs, 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. 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. |
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. Click the button to read the article. 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. Published in 2014, Smethurst's Luck, the story of Thomas Smethurst, 'The Richmond Poisoner', who was convicted of murdering his bigamous wife on faulty toxicology, equivocal medical evidence and a biased judge. Published in 2009, Henry's Trials, the life of Henry John Hatch, the first chaplain of Wandsworth Prison, who ended up in prison himself until his accuser, a 12 year old child, was convicted of Wilful and Corrupt Perjury. |
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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