Talks I give

I regularly give talks to local societies. My standard fee is £25-00 and I am usually prepared to travel up to 20 miles from the greater Reading area.

 

The talks I give most often are:-

  • The GWR comes to the Thames Valley
  • Early Postal History of Reading
  • The Royal Berkshire Regiment in WW1
  • Ephemera can be fun
  • History of St Mary’s Church, Purley on Thames
  • The History & Archaeology of Purley on Thames

 

As well as these topics I am also prepared to put together a wide variety of talks in the general area of local history of  Purley and district, transportation, public services and the Royal Berkshire Regiment. I also occasionally do talks relating to my part time jobs as an OFSTED school inspector or local councillor.

 

The talk on the GWR covers the very early period from approximately 1835 and takes the story to the end of the Broad gauge.  I usually try to tailor it to the area where I am talking.

 

The postal history of Reading begins in the middle ages and can come right up to date if there is time. However usually we only get to the start of the first world war. It focuses upon the services offered by the Post Office and is illustrated by examples of post marks and postal material.

 

When I talk about the Royal Berkshire Regiment in the First World War I try to focus on social rather than military aspects. For example what did men do for the high proportion of their time when they were not in the trenches. I also try to set a context for people who are researching their family history.

 

No I am not going to talk about dragonflies. My meaning of ephemera relates to objects produced for a specific purpose and usually thrown away after that purpose has been achieved. What I try to do is to identify the several types of ephemera and talk about the social history that can be gleaned from collecting and studying it.

 

St Mary’s church in Purley on Thames is a very ancient foundation. My talk ranges over the early history of Christianity in the area and then relates the architectural history of the church to stories of clergy over the last 800 years or so.

 

G9200talks 2/10/02