author
C. H. B. (Charles Henry Bourne) Quennell
1872–1935
Best known for bringing history to life for younger readers, this English architect and illustrator turned everyday objects, homes, and customs into vivid stories about the past. His books, often created with his wife Marjorie, helped make social history feel approachable and fun.
1 Audiobook
Bell's Cathedrals: The Cathedral Church of Norwich A Description of Its Fabric and A Brief History of the Episcopal See
by C. H. B. (Charles Henry Bourne) Quennell
About the author
Born in 1872, C. H. B. Quennell was an English architect, designer, illustrator, and historian whose work ranged from buildings and town planning to popular history writing for children and families. Sources consistently describe him as a figure of many talents, with a particular gift for explaining how ordinary people lived in earlier times.
He is especially remembered for the widely read A History of Everyday Things in England, produced with his wife, Marjorie Quennell, who was also a historian and illustrator. Together they helped shift attention away from kings and battles toward clothing, houses, tools, travel, and daily life, making history feel concrete and human.
Quennell died in 1935, but his books continued to be valued for their clear storytelling and lively visual approach. For listeners and readers today, his work still offers an inviting way into the textures of English life across the centuries.