Archivist, and Mr R.N. Pittman, then headmaster of St Peter’s School, York; Mr Roland Quinault, Honorary Secretary, Royal Historical Society, for allowing me to consult his thesis, ‘Warwickshire Landowners and Parliamentary Politics 1841–1923’; Mr Richard Rose, editor of the unpublished diary of Joan Courthope; Mr M.N. Webb, Assistant Librarian, Bodleian Library; Mr Eric Wright, Principal Assistant County Librarian, Education and Libraries, Northamptonshire; lastly the ever helpful and courteous staff of the Catholic Central Library, the London Library, the Public Record Office and the Round Reading Room of the British Library.
It was, as ever, both a pleasure and a privilege to do all my own research, beyond the help which is gratefully acknowledged here. In particular, tracing the story of the Gunpowder Plot involved me in a series of historical visits and journeys. In connection with these, I wish to thank the Earl of Airlie, Lord Chamberlain, General Sir Edward Jones, Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod, and Mr Bryan Sewell, Deputy Director of Works, for making possible a visit to the House of Lords on the eve of the Opening of Parliament; Mr R. C. Catesby for our journey to Ashby St Ledgers and its church; Professor Hugh and Mrs Eileen Edmondson of Huddington Court for their hospitality; Mr and Mrs Jens Pilo for receiving me at Coldham Hall, and Mr Tony Garrett, who accompanied me there; Mr Roy Tomlin, Honorary Secretary, Wellingborough Golf Club, Harrowden Hall; Sr Juliana Way, Hengrave Hall Centre; Mr Dave Wood, Service Coordinator, and Mr David Hussey, Headmaster, RNIB Forest House Assessment Centre, Rushton.
Others who helped me in a variety of ways were Mrs K. H. Atkins, Archivist, Dudley Libraries; Professor Karl Bottigheimer; Mr Robert Bearman, Senior Archivist, Shakespeare Birthplace Trust; Mr Roy Bernard, Holbeche House Nursing Home; Fr Andrew Beer, St Pancras Church, Lewes; Fr M. Bossy, S.J., for the photograph of Helena Wintour’s vestment at Stonyhurst; Mr Conall Boyle; Mrs Kathryn Christenson, Minnesota; Mr Donald K. Clark, Director, Hyde Park Family History Centre; Ms Sarah Costley, then Archivist, York Minster, and Mr John Tilsley, Assistant Archivist; Ms Caroline Dalton, Archivist, New College Library; Mr Charles Enderby; Mr Dudley Fishburn M.P.; Major-General G.W. Field, Resident-Governor, Catherine Campbell, and Yeoman Warder Brian A. Harrison, Honorary Archivist, Tower of London; Ms Joanna Grindle, Information Officer, Warwickshire County Council; Father D.B. Lordan, St Winifred’s Church, and Brother Stephen de Kerdrel, O.P.M. Cap, Franciscan Friary, Pantasaph, Holywell; the Very Rev. Michael Mayne, Dean of Westminster; Mr Jonathan Marsden, Historic Buildings Representative, Thames and Chilterns Regional Office, National Trust; Professor Maurice Lee, Jr; Mr Stephen Logan, Selwyn College, Cambridge; Miss K.M. Longley, former Archivist, York Minster; Mr Roger Longrigg for answering an enquiry about late-sixteenth-century horses; Mother John Baptist, O.S.B., Tyburn Convent; Mr Simon O’Halloran, Queensland, Australia; Sir Roy Strong; Mr Barry T. Turner, Guy Fawkes House, Dunchurch; Mrs Clare Throckmorton, Coughton Court; Mr Richard Thurlow, National Bibliographic Service, British Library, Boston Spa; Mr J. M. Waterson, Regional Director, East Anglia Regional Office, National Trust; Mr Ralph B. Weller.
Throughout, I have had great support from my publishers on both sides of the Atlantic: Nan Talese in the US, who, from the first, shared my vision of how the book might be; and Anthony Cheetham, Ion Trewin and Rebecca Wilson in England. Linda Peskin typed and retyped the MS with exemplary skill, matched only by her patience. My agent Michael Shaw counselled calm at the appropriate moments; Douglas Matthews, Indexer Extraordinary, not only performed his task with his accustomed dexterity but also supplied information about Guy Fawkes ‘celebrations’ in Lewes; Robert Gottlieb and Rana Kabbani