SPEAKING
I'm an experienced public speaker and regularly deliver talks to groups and societies across Dorset and further afield.
My talks combine careful research with an engaging style, designed to pique curiosity and encourage deeper interest. I bring local and social history to life through the stories of real people.
Each talk is accessible and enjoyable for a range of audiences, with plenty of colour and context to keep things lively. Wherever possible, I tailor the content to your group's location, adding those local
touches that make history relevant.
​​​​​​​Please see below for information about the talks I currently have on
offer. These can also be viewed in more detail on my SpeakerNet profile. Or feel free to contact me to discuss a bespoke presentation.​
Using Dorset's auxiliary hospitals as a case study, we explore the pivotal role played by Voluntary Aid Detachments during the war and how their remarkable achievements were sustained through the efforts of female voluntary labour.
The Victorian workhouse still inspires powerful images of fear and hardship but what was life like for those who passed through its doors? This talk draws on stories from a number of Dorset's workhouses to explore this theme.
John Samuel Wanley Sawbridge Erle-Drax (1800-1887) was one of the most notorious figures of 19th century Dorset. My talk recounts the story of this contentious figure and seeks to set his life against the social and political backdrop of his age.
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Useful information
The talks I offer typically last about 50-60 minutes (including Q&A if applicable) and are fully illustrated using MS PowerPoint. I can provide a laptop, digital projector, pointer and
extension cable, so should only require a screen or blank wall at the venue.
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I'm available for either daytime or evening bookings and tend to travel within Dorset and South Somerset. Fees begin at £50. Reasonable travel expenses may apply if speaking outside
a 10 mile radius of Sherborne.
Please feel free to contact me to discuss your group's requirements.
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Some recent speaking engagements
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Blackmore Vale & Yeovil National Trust Association
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Bradford Abbas History Society
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Cerne Abbas Historical Society
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Colmer Women's Institute
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Clarks Pensioners Club
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Dorchester Association
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Dorset Archives Trust
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East Dorset Heritage Trust
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Friends of the Yeatman Hospital
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Friends of Weymouth Musuem
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Gillingham Local History Society
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Hundred of Yetminster History Society
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National Trust South Dorset Association
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NHS Retirement Fellowship
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Probus Club of Beaminster & Bridport
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Red House Museum & Gardens
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Shaftesbury & District Historical Society
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Sherborne Museum
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Sherborne Ladies' Probus Club
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Shire Hall Historic Courthouse Museum
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Somerset & Dorset Family History Society
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Stourton Caundle Welcome Club
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Tintinhull Local History Group
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Wareham & District Archaeology & Local History Society
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Weymouth & Portland Ladies' Probus Club