A talk this evening to the Aireborough Historical Society of one of my least requested subjects, 'The Battle of Culloden'.

It's a subject beset with myths which can make it difficult to connect with the audience, but tonight's seemed to be an exception and I was complimented on my impartial research.

I've another rarity next week, this time it's on 'Barnbow', the WWI munitions works near Leeds. I'm not alone in offering this talk, I suppose because it's local that a number of Yorkshire Speakers offer their own version of the creation of the works, and the explosion that occurred there in 1916.

Consequentially the market for this talk is pretty thin, most societies having had one such talk from one of the speakers at sometime.

Even so, I've given the talk 20 times since 2017, it was the second talk I gave, and in addition to next week I have another booked for later in the year.

My most popular talk continues to be 'The Gunpowder Plot' by a substantial margin, with  'Canals' in second place and 'After You're Dead' and 'Model Villages' not far behind.

Even though it's a relatively new talk I'm pleased that 'Highwaymen' has done as well as it has although I'm disappointed that more people don't book 'Stay Safe On-Line' as with the ever-increasing 'scams' now so prevalent it is more important than ever that folk are wise to the dangers that modern technology brings.

 A strange set of circumstances this last few days.

A local group I've spoken to a couple of times asked if I could possibly fill a vacant speaker engagement at short notice, as the Speaker Secretary had been unable to contact the previously booked speaker.

I agreed but much to my surprise, the morning before the scheduled talk, I received another 'phone call saying the original speaker had made belated contact and was ready to go.

We agreed to let the original booking stand and I withdrew, or so I thought!

Another 'phone call on the evening of the event, this time in full-on panic mode. The speaker had arrived but had no screen, and this particular venue does not have a suitable blank wall for projection onto - please, please could they borrow my screen?

Of course I agreed but it made me wonder just how some speakers get away with it. You only have to trawl through Speakernet to see how many speakers expect the venue to provide a screen, and sometimes a projector as well. Some speakers turn up with their presentations just on a memory stick and expect the venue to provide the whole gamut of equipment necessary for the talk.

Personally I think this a cop out, if you profess to being a professional speaker then you should arrive at the venue  prepared with all that is required to make your talk a success.

 

 My New Year schedule of talks is now well under way with half a dozen in January alone.

I'm always on the lookout for ways to improve my talks and after three recent outings for the Highwaymen talk, and as a result of some audience discussion afterwards,  I've made some (small) alterations, which ended up being an almost complete re-write!

I'm also in the middle of up-dating 'Stay Safe On-Line' as on-going events can quickly render such a talk obsolete.

I've some new client groups this year, notably the West Riding Woodcarvers Association, the Olicana History Society and the Phratry Harrogate Supper Club as well as some old favourites, the Thornton Antiquarian Society and the Boothferry Local & Family History Group.

 Well my Christmas break is over, it's now 2025 so it's back to work.

Two talks next week, both to groups I've spoken to in the past, Garforth Probus want the new 'Monuments' talk while the Skipton Retired Men's Forum have asked for 'Highwaymen'.

Then a busy following week with talks on the 13th, 14th, 15th and 16th - wow!

That'll keep me out of mischief!

I gave my Canals talk on 14th of December to the Yorkshire Archaeological and Historical Society at the Swarthmore Learning Centre. Over lunch in the pub afterwards a chap from the Friends of Pudsey Roller, a group dedicated to the preservation of an historic Leeds-built Steam Roller talked to me about giving the same talk to his group.

Our talk moved on to the use, limited though it was, of the use of steam propulsion in canal boats.

In expectation of a booking from the Pudsey Rollers I carried out  some research on steam engines in canal boats and revised the talk to include a 'steam element' so as to make the talk more attractive to this particular audience. 

I will see if the work has been worthwhile and a new booking results from my endeavours.

 Well it's ages since I last posted and my good friend Jackie Depelle, a highly recommended speaker on family history and associated topics, 

(check out her site at https://depellejg.wixsite.com/mysite)

reminded me that it was about time I up-dated my blog.

The most significant news is I now have a new talk, Ten World Famous Monuments, which takes the form of a round-the-world tour, starting in London with Nelson's Column before travelling to Paris for the Eiffel  Tower, Italy and the Leaning Tower of Piza, onto Egypt and the Great Pyramid, India and the Taj Mahal before visiting New York and the Statue of Liberty.

Back in the UK we go to the Angel of the North before returning to London for Tower Bridge and Big Ben, ending our journey at Stonehenge.

                                           The Statue of Liberty, New York USA

As well as continuing my talks program in September, as part of Pontefract Civic Society's Heritage Weekend, I conducted a series of guided walks around Pontefract and later that same month I took part in a local history event at Worsborough Dale in conjunction with the Worsborough Local History Society.

I continue to run a family history group for Sherburn u3a and to be a trustee of the Pontefract and Ackworth Almshouse Charity.

I'm always thinking of new topics for my talks and would like to do one on Witches, Wizards and Warlocks, if only I can find the time.

In the meantime, my sincere thanks to all those groups who have listened to my talks in the last year and my very best wishes to them, and all my readers, for Christmas and the New Year, and I will try to post more often in the future,

It seems ages since I last posted anything, so this is by way of an up-date. 

 As you can see from my programme I have added a new talk, Highwaymen, the story of those famous, and infamous, 'Gentlemen of the Road'; Dick Turpin of course but also Claude de Val and that well-known highwaywoman, Lady Katherine Ferrers, made famous on film by Margaret Lockwood. 

And who exactly was it who rode from London to York in a single day? Book this talk to discover the truth behind the legend. 

 So what else has been happening in my 'speaker's world'? 

 I am still very busy giving talks to a great variety of organisations, some new and some old friends although the Zoom talks are mostly at an end now the Covid emergency is behind us. I'm not sorry about that as one of the pleasures of doing this job is meeting new people face-to-face. Chatting on a computer is a poor substitute. 

 I do still have three Zoom regulars, but only because they are too far away for realistic travel; two in Lancshire and one in south Wales. 

 I have a very full programme for 2024 and am now taking bookings for 2025 but there are still some vacancies this year, so if you need a speaker, even at short notice, give me a ring or drop me an email, I will always do my best to accommodate you. 

 I am giving some thought to another talk to add to my repertoire; 'Witches, Wizards and Warlocks'. I'd be interested to hear what you think, is that something that might interest your members? 

Please let me know, and if there are other topics you might like me to cover I'd welcome your suggestions. 

 I know it's a little late in the day but I hope you and your members have a happy and peaceful New Year.