This history of Pickering reproduces the 1999 hardback and has taken the opportunity to bring the town's story from its beginnings down to 2009.Gordon Home (1878 - 1969) was a prolific author, journalist and artist and was the Art Editor of the ‘Tatler’ magazine. His well-received ‘Yorkshire Coast and Moorland Scenes’ of 1904 led him to Pickering to write its history. He wrote ‘The Evolution of an English Town: Pickering’ in 1905 and the book quickly became established as a model for other local history books. The book was reproduced in hardback in 1999 by the Blackthorn Press with the addition of a further chapter on Pickering’s history in the twentieth century by local historian, John Rushton. Gordon Home went on to write travel books about Britain, France and Italy and after service as a Major in France and Africa in the First World War, he took up archaeology and architectural history. He was editor for Dent’s Cathedral Series and published historical and topographical works, illustrated with his own paintings. John Rushton studied at University College and the London School of Economics. He came to Ryedale as tutor organiser for the Workers’ Educational Association in 1959 and developed local studies throughout the District. He was active in the foundation of the Beck Isle Museum in Pickering and in recent years he has lectured for the WEA and Hull University. He was awarded the MBE in 2005 for ‘services to the community’. Other books for the Blackthorn Press include ‘Yorkshire in the Reign of Elizabeth I’ and ‘The History of Ryedale’ with others in preparation. This history of Pickering reproduces the 1999 hardback and has taken the opportunity to bring the town’s story down to 2009.