About HOYD Publishing
and Philip & David Williams
HOYD or History on your Doorstep is the publishing Imprint of
Philip Martin Williams and David Williams.
Philip and David are brothers, with a keen interest in both Theatre and Cinema.
Their latest books are two on Lancashire Music Hall Comedian Frank Randle
Wired to the Moon and Randle’s Film Fun
They also have a great love for the history of their hometown of Ashton-under-Lyne (Greater Manchester). So much so, that writing local history books occupies most of their spare time.
Philip works for the local ASDA supermarket, while David has retired through ill-health.
Their first book was published in 1991 entitled Extra, Extra, Read all About It, which gave a brief history of the newspapers of Ashton from 1847 - to present day.
All the proceeds from this book were donated to the RNIB.
Their next book, which took more than two years to write, was published late in 1994.
This was To Market, To Market
telling the story of Ashton's ancient market.
This book has proved to be a local best seller.
The brothers other interests include the Cinema and combining this
with their love of local history produced Flickering Memories
This book was published in 1995 by Tameside Leisure Services,
and launched from the Metro Cinema, Ashton.
The year1998 saw the successful launch (from the
Also during 1998, A Back Door to Fleet Street, a rewrite of their original ’Extra, Extra, Read all About It’ was published. Containing more information and photographs, the book also has a foreword by GMTV presenter John Stapleton.
In 2001 Philip and David looked further afield from Ashton-under-Lyne for their inspiration. Also in 2006 the brothers’ produced another long awaited tome with the publication of
As 2006 closed Philip and David finished work on ‘150 Not Out’ a 48 page booklet produced by ‘History on your Doorstep’ for the Ashton-under-Lyne Cricket, Bowling and Tennis Club.
Throughout 2008 the brothers’ have been busy on two projects. One is a small concise history of the 3rd Ashton (St. James’) Scouts who celebrate the centenary in January 2009. The second is a new expanded edition of the popular To Market, To Market. The original five chapters will be enlarged with extra text and additional photographs. Plus a new chapter detailing events at the market since the book’s last publication date in 1998 – this will obviously include the devastating fire of 2004 and the subsequent rebuild. The book is due for publication in the spring of 2009.
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Arcades Shopping Centre, Ashton), of The Knight Rides Out
This book, with a foreword by Kathy Staff (Nora Batty from
‘Last of the Summer Wine’), chronicles the Myth & Legend of Ashton's Black Knight and the Rise & Fall of the once popular Black Knight Pageants, and has been enormously successful.
With Hooray for Jollywood the brothers returned to their interest in Cinema, as the book tells the life of Lancashire Movie Maker John E. Blakeley and The Mancunian Film Corporation.
The book was re-published in a larger format in November 2006.
’Wired to the Moon: Frank Randle – A Life
A Biography of music hall and film comedian Frank Randle.
The Cricket Club celebrated their 150 Anniversary in 2007.