The Speakers List is provided to enable contact with people who make presentations on a variety of topics.
Arrangements and quality of talks remain with the individual Speakers and not the Heritage Group.  
​Charges and expenses for talks may be claimed.  
​The list is arranged by Name -  Contact details -  Subjects of talks.
Staffordshire Archives and Heritage Service
For information contact: Helen Johnson, Community Engagement and Partnership Officer Email: [email protected]
  • We offer a range of talks about our collections for local groups and societies.
​Danny Wells
'Thorpe View’ Mappleton, Ashbourne, Derbyshire. DE6 2AB    
Email address:  [email protected]          
Website:  www.history-talks.co.uk
Contact Number: 01335-350536 Museum of Cannock Chase
  • ‘Breathing Life into History’
  • An eclectic mix of social history, primarily Victorian Britain and the first half of the 20th century. Over forty talks covering aspects of architecture, art, local history, garden history, literary heritage, and social history. 
  • Some talks are specific to Staffordshire and Derbyshire
  • Talks leaflets on request or see the website 
Museum of Cannock Chase, Valley Road, Hednesford, Staffs. WS12 1TD                      
Email address: [email protected]           Contact Number 01543 877666
  • Behind the Scenes’ (about the work of the museum on a day-to-day basis)
  • ‘Make Do’ (about the WW2 Homefront)
  • ‘Houses from History’ (domestic life through the ages)
  • ‘From Coal Face to Fire Place’ (the story of coal mining in our area)
Nicholas Corder
Website: www.nicholas-corder.co.uk          
Email address: [email protected]                 Contact number: 01785 824 064
  • Some Staffordshire Murders (based on my book
  • Foul Deeds and Suspicious Deaths in Staffordshire and the Potteries.
  • The Bayeux Tapestry.
  • Downshifting - Why having more makes you poorer (based on my Book Escape from the Rat Race)
  • Two Men in a Barrel (A Whisky-tasting tour of Scotland in the style of Jerome K Jerome)
  • The Ukulele - from Madeira to Morecambe - A history with songs.
  • A Writer’s Life for me - the pleasures and pitfalls of attempting to make a living by writing
  • Turned out nice again - the George Formby Story - with songs
Richard Bifield PPTMI.FTS.(rtd) DipTP, MRTPI (rtd)
26 Main Road, Ketley Bank, Telford. TF2 0DH.                                                                  
Email address: [email protected]    Contact number: 01952 614319    Mobile: 07976 1000087
  • The Life and Works of Thomas Telford.
  • The Best of Shropshire's Heritage and Landscape.
  • Telford and Wrekin: Then and Now.
  • 1709-2009: Celebrating the Birth of the Industrial Revolution in Coalbrookdale..
  • A visitor's Guide to Telford and Wrekin..
Peter Shilston
Email address: [email protected] 
  • The History of Playing Cards
  • American Gangster 1919-1941
  • The History of Russia
  • Egypt.
  • Admiral Lord Anson and Shugborough.
David Wilkinson - Stafford Borough Council Archaeologist until 2003
5 Silkmore Crescent, Stafford. ST17 4 JL      Contact number: 01785 258589
  • Ten Steps to Time Team (A History of Archaeology)
  • The Origins of Stafford (Archaeology and History)
  • ​The Discovery of Stafford Castle (History, surveys and excavations)
  • Medieval Watermills of Staffordshire (Excavations in Tamworth and Stafford and the evidence of Domesday)
  • Monastic Sites of Staffordshire ( Medieval monasteries, their physical remains and their history after the Dissolution)
  • The Medieval towns of Staffordshire (The origins and development of boroughs and markets)
  • The Medieval Churches of Staffordshire ( Architectural history)
  • Chartley Castle ( Chartley village, Chartley Castle and Chartley Hall)
  • ​Medieval Countryside of Staffordshire (Villages, fields and woodland)
  • ​Medieval Industry of Staffordshire (Using documentary and archaeological evidence)
  • ​The Pattern of Staffordshire Building (Traditional techniques and materials used in building)
  • ​Stone Flint Mill (The archaeological and historical evidence.  Featured in Channel 4's Restoration Man)
  • ​My favourite Staffordshire Places (A personal choice of 20 places in the historic county)
  • ​An Introduction to Archaeology ( A definition and description of modern archaeology)
  • ​Per talk David normally charges a £40 fee plus travelling costs at 30p per mile travelled
​Shaun Farrelly
​12 Mitchell Rise, Yarnfield, Stone, Staffs. ST15 0TR
​Telephone: 07528 615417  (Please leave a message if there is no reply)
​Email address: s.farrelly@btinternetcom
  • The Atlantic Telegraph - the laying of the first trans-Atlantic cable
  • ​Guglielmo Marconi - the Man, his life and his Wireless
  • ​​James Brindley - the father of British canal engineering
  • ​Legends of the Stones - a light-hearted tour of some stone circles
  • ​A Trip to the Seaside - the history of our seaside piers
  • ​Unpicking the Thread - who invented the sewing machine?
  • ​When the War Came to Yarnfield - the munitions factory, the railway, the Americans and the GPO
  • ​Keeping Off the Rocks - a brief history of British Lighthouses
  • The Americans in Stone 1942 to 1945 an examination of operations carried out for the 8th Army Air Force in the Stone area during the war
  • Curious Discoveries On the Staffordshire Map –  a quick tour around some geological features, some industrial sites and some man-made oddities around the county 
  • The Other Darwin - Erasmus Darwin". A truly remarkable man in many different areas of expertise and rather over-shadowed by his illustrious descendent. 
  • A New Home in Stone – Why did the small village of Yarnfield become the home to telecommunication training in 1947?
  • The History of Yarnfield and Cold Meece Parish in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth II – An examination of how the parish has developed during the late Queen’s reign
  • The History of London Bridge - and the Man who bought it
  • Zeppelins: The beginning of Total War - How aerial warfare was developing during the Great War
  • ​Staffordshire from Above – A trawl of the massive “Britain from Above” archive of aerial photographs.  ​​
  • Talks are restricted to a maximum area of 20 miles distance from Stone
Dr. Charlotte Ball
Email address: [email protected]  Tel: 07892 909997
  •  Beasts of the (Battle)field: Animal Symbolism in the Staffordshire Hoard
  • Medicine and Magic in Anglo-Saxon England
  • A Saint and a Viking: Two deaths in Repton
  • Remnants of an empire: The echoes of Romanitas in Anglo-Saxon art and literature
Jane Dew
Email address: [email protected]
  • Jane is a professional embroiderer, specialising in historical textiles and works with groups to create accurate examples for their local property and offers a talk about her work. Projects include: - 
  • The Ancient High House, Ford Green Hall, Little Moreton Hall, Staircase House, Stockport and the Globe Theatre. A wide range of images explains the processes, materials, local influences and status projected on a screen, if available, and on A4 boards to pass round.
  •  "The Just Sew Stories", describe the little known connections of late 19th century stitchers and their families. Images are available for closer examination and audiences are encouraged to bring their small examples of the Arts & Crafts movement. 
  • "Over the hills and far away", slides of William Morris's little known visit to Mid Wales, with large display screens from an exhibition Jane curated for Moma Mid Wales and digital images if the equipment has an operator! 
  • Currently preparing a lecture on 19th century Ecclesiastical Embroidery in the Midlands, it's symbolism and restoration. Similar format to the previous lectures. 
  • Charge £35-50, depending on the size of the hosting group, and travel from Stone, Staffordshire.
Lee Timmins
Email address: [email protected]   Tel: 01283-732255
2 Church Lane Cottages, Church Lane, Sutton on the Hill, Ashbourne.  DE6 5JA
  • THE ENGLISH HIGHWAYMAN - A history of mounted English highway robber 1570 to 1831 Talk delivered in costume with table display.
  • Charges £35 per talk.  Travel charge £5 up to 10 miles, negotiable thereafter.  Travel distance up to 25 mile radius from my home.  Digital projector available, but no screen.
Steve Booth
18.Larchfields, Stone, Staffordshire.  ST15 0DD.  Tel: 01785 814067                                                            
  • ​​The 1st Duke of Sutherland – a kindly landlord or a cruel tyrant?
  • The Dukes and Duchesses of Sutherland after 1833 and their local impact
  • The RAF Fauld Explosion, 27. Nov 1944
  • The Potteries Blitz – June 1940 to March 1941
  • Lidice 1942 – its destruction and the part played by Staffordshire people in its re-birth
  • Dr William Palmer of Rugeley – Saintly Billy or Mass Murderer?
  • Staffordshire soldiers and the Great War
  • Stone’s contribution to the Great War
  • From Staffordshire to Australia to the Somme – the experiences of a young emigrant
  • Chimney Sweeps’ climbing boys (in particular at Staffordshire and the part played by Francis Wedgwood and others in ending the abuse)
  • Staffordshire and the Coming of the Tudors in 1485
  • Local ‘Democracy’ in the 18th Century
  • The Golden Age of Stage-coaching (with particular reference to Staffordshire)
  • Staffordshire Hoards (1831 – 2012)
  • The Lost Treasure of Stone – the mystery of the unique Priory Seal.
  • All talks last for about 1 hour and are fully-illustrated (Power point). I charge a standard, all-inclusive fee of £30 per talk. 
Anthony Poulton-Smith
Email address: [email protected]  Tel: 01827 735832
Website poultonsmith.co.uk/talk.html  
  • Origins of Place Names - a look at the place names of England. Which names? The audience decides in an extended Q&A session.
  • Origins of Pub Names - as with place names, plenty of opportunity to ask specific examples.
  • Animal Myths - a look at the many astonishing ideas which have become part of our history and have never had any basis in fact. 
  • The Saxon Era - the Dark Ages and why they were anything but dark.
  • The Humble Privy - a history of the toilet in its many forms.
  • Talking Butts - the many ideas in history which may be well known but have no basis in fact. 
  • Stupid Moments in History - the Charge of the Light Brigade may be known as a big mistake, but it was nowhere near the most foolish.
  • Old Wives Tales - everything from curing warts, to determining the sex of a child, and avoiding a miscarriage as an 8yo boy!
  • Numerous etymological talks - every word has an etymology and defining same can only add to the knowledge and history of a subject, often with surprising results.   
 ​Quintin Watt   
Email address: [email protected]  Tel:  07809 837577
18 Farrington Road, Ettingshall Park, Wolverhampton, West Midlands, WV4 6QH 
  • ‘The Rise and Demise of the Bromsgrove Guild’ - An Illustrated History of the Metalworkers to HM the King.
An overview of the story of the famous Worcestershire firm that created the gates of Buckingham Palace, the Liver Birds and many other well-known artistic monuments both in the UK and around the world. 
  •  In Search of the Bromsgrove Guild in the West Midlands – Where you can still see their artistry. 
A visual gazetteer of where you can see local examples of the Guild’s work; in wrought iron, bronze, wood, plaster and stained glass.  
  •  The Bromsgrove Guild’s Great War
This focuses on the impact of the war on the firm and its employees, many were craftsmen from the Continent.  Also focuses on how the war provided work for the company in the 1920s through the construction of the many of the war memorials erected in Britain and the wider world.
  • “Let my quick fate a warning be…”  Fatal Transport Accidents in the West Midlands, 1820s-1920s.
An illustrated presentation dealing with various accidents that involved the region’s stage-coaches, canals, railways and trams.  How and why did these shocking events occur, and who was to blame?  What ‘Health & Safety’ lessons were learnt from these many tragic mishaps?
  •  “Oh, what a bostin war!” – The Black Country in 1914
This illustrated talk examines peoples’ reactions to the outbreak of the Great War in the Black Country.  Were they excited to have a ‘pop at the Kaiser’?  Did thousands of eager young men ‘rush to the colours’, afraid it would all be ‘over by Christmas’?  What were the myths and reality?
  • Wolverhampton and the Great War – An under-whelming response?
 This presentation gives an overview of the town’s experience of the war on both the home and battle fronts.  It includes reference to local heroes, care of the wounded, the Zeppelin raids and the local campaign to plant avenues of trees as living war memorials.
  •   Forgotten Great War Soldiers of the Midland Railway - Part One.
Examining wartime experiences of MR employees who formerly worked on the forgotten south Staffordshire railway line between Wolverhampton and Castle Bromwich, via Walsall and Sutton Coldfield and deals with men from Wolverhampton, Wednesfield and Willenhall districts.
  •  Forgotten Great War Soldiers of the Midland Railway - Part Two.
 This presentation follows-on from Part One, and considers the war-time exploits of MR railwaymen based in Walsall, Aldridge, Brownhills, Penns, Water Orton and Castle Bromwich. 
  •  The Adventures of Harry Payne – the Edwardian “Literary Tramp”.
Looking at the remarkable story of a partially-sighted vagrant, who tramped around the British Isles.  Each town he visited, he earned a few pence by writing a review of that place for the local newspaper.  These perceptive snapshots provide a unique worm’s-eye view of Britain before and during the Great War.  They earned Harry the epithet, “Literary Tramp”, and challenge the myth that poor people left no written evidence of their lives and experiences
  •   Current charge £50 for a presentation and an additional £10 if travelling further than 20 miles from my house (Wolverhampton).  
​Vanessa Morgan  
​Email address:  [email protected]
Tel: 07746 800484  
  • FAMILY HISTORY
Talk 1)  MAKING A START.  Aimed at people not familiar with family history, or those who are interested but don’t know where to start.
Talk 2)  MORE THAN JUST A LIST OF NAMES AND DATES.  For those who have already started their family history, and would like to put flesh on the bones of their ancestors.      NB. Both talks can be condensed as one talk for a mixed audience.                                                                                Talk 3)  FASCINATING FAMILY HISTORY.  Anecdotes and stories of interesting discoveries found during the speaker’s own research.                         
​Talk 4)  A FAMILY HISTORY BOOK.  How to write your family history for the future generations.        
  •     STORIES GRANDDAD TOLD
Based on his memories of the people and places around the small village he grew up in prior to WW1.
​They can be told to anyone with an interest in that period and the country way of life at that time.                                      
  • MY FATHER, POW
Not a heroic story of escape, but the story of the day-to-day life of a private captured on his way to Dunkirk.
  • LOCAL NINETEENTH CENTURY MURDERS
A collection of stories through the 19th century.  Those as local to the venue as possible will be highlighted.
  • ROGUES, VILLAINS & THIEVES
A collection of stories of bank robbers, train robbers and poachers etc. from the 19th century to compliment the above talk – for those who think murder may be a bit too gruesome.  Those as local to the venue as possible will be highlighted.
  • BIRMINGHAM, ITS HISTORY & ITS PEOPLE
Extracts and descriptions from various books and newspapers written between the 1700’s and the 1900’s.
  • LAVINIA, PRINCESS OR FAKE?
The story of Lavinia Ryves who tried to prove in the 1860’s, through documents in her possession, that she was the granddaughter of the Duke of Cumberland, brother of George III, and therefore entitled to a title and an inheritance.
  • DIARY OF WILLIAM LEA
William Lea was vicar at St Peter’s Droitwich from 1848-1882.  His diary gives detailed accounts of local, national and international events, so of interest to anyone who likes hearing of history as it happened and the views of one individual. 
  •  WW1 NARRATIVES
Two different talks, both which use extracts taken from ‘The War Illustrated’ published at the time.  
                Talk 1)  WW1 Stories from the Front
                Talk 2)  Dear Mother A WW1 Tragedy. Letters between a mother and son in 1918. Warning, the latter part of this talk is quite a sad account.
  •  READ ALL ABOUT IT
Newspaper pieces from the late 1700’s to the early 1900’s.
  •  DR WILMORE’S REVENGE
A Victorian short story taken from a local newspaper of the 1880’s.  But is it true or false?
  • NATIONAL TRUST PROPERTIES
Talk 1)  FAMILY STORIES. Using old newspapers and archival documents the history of the families at Sudbury Hall, Keddleston Hall, Calke Abbey, Hanbury Hall, Coughton Court and Charlecote Park are told. These are six separate talks. 
​Another single talk combines the stories of the families of the Warwickshire properties of Baddesley Clinton and Packwood House.
Talk 2)  A WEEKEND AWAY. Descriptions of properties around the country worth a visit.
  •  FACT STRANGER THAN FICTION
Aimed at writers this talk shows how pieces can be taken from archive newspapers and turned into historic fiction. How descriptive reports can help authentically set a scene for the period. This talk can be shortened to include a workshop. 
Penny Wheat
Email address: [email protected]   
Tel:  01785-615085 - mob: 07432 168292
 “The Craft of the Silversmith.”  An illustrated, lively and amusing talk by a practising silversmith and lecturer, with many photographs, examples of work and items for sale.
  •   “From behind Bars”      (Suitable for zoom)
A lively and challenging talk based on Penny’s book
  • “And You Visited Me”,
30 years of prison friendships and visiting, including America’s Death Row. Many photographs and examples of​prisoners’ artwork and writings.
  •   “The perils of a Public Speaker”  (Suitable for zoom)
What’s inside the mysterious box? Wait and see!
An amusing and light-hearted talk, based on many years experience doing the rounds of Staffordshire’s WIs, Townswomen’s Guilds, Probus, Rotary and other such groups.
  •  “Miss Ellen Nee“        (Suitable for zoom)
A liquorice all sorts of an evening of fun and facts, with something for everyone.
  •  Dig it!
Penny’s latest offering aimed at those of a horticultural bent.  An hour of fun, facts and fascination for those who love their gardens.
  •  Well I never!
Fact is often stranger than fiction and the world is full of comical, curious coincidences. You will be amazed, discombobulated, amused and baffled by countless examples.
  •  Please note: - £55 plus travel expenses, from 2023​​
Mike  Tingle’s  Talks  for  2026
Email Address:   [email protected]
A selection of PowerPoint presentations of local and/or historical interest
  • Congleton Curios - hiding in plain sight
Congleton is full of intriguing objects open to view, in the town centre and suburbs. But most people walk past without noticing.
Take a virtual tour around dozens of Congleton’s lesser-known features to discover many curious items and their history.
Who lived in Bradshaw House? (No, it wasn’t John Bradshaw.)  Why was Congleton granted a new coat of arms in 1967?
  • Congleton Bear Hunt
Congleton was given the nickname “Beartown” in the 17th Century.  So, a wide variety of representations of a bear feature around the town.
Why did the town acquire its nickname?  When did “Bearmania” take place and what legacy did it leave?
Join Mike as he takes you on a virtual bear hunt around the town.
  • Serendipitous Science
Many materials and processes over the ages were discovered accidentally, by people who were weren’t actually seeking them. 
Who leapt out of the bath shouting “Eureka” (I’ve found it)and what had he accidentally found?
Where was polythene discovered?  (Clue: it’s in Cheshire).  When was Coca-Cola first produced?
How did chocolate inspire a revolutionary cooking device?
  • Lion Salt Works, Northwich
Until 1986, LSW was the UK’s last open-pan salt works –  a family-run concern that lasted nearly 100 years.
Who introduced open-pan salt production to Britain? Where did the salt originally come from? Why were lumpmen and wallers so called?
What was a mundling stick used for? How was (& is) Cheshire salt obtained without mining?
Hear about LSW’s history & £10 million renovation and learn how various grades of salt were made for different uses at home and across the World.
  • Salt in Cheshire
A county-wide view of the history and development of salt extraction and production, focussing on the three wiches.
Who discovered Cheshire salt?  How was (& is) the salt recovered and purified?  What were the unintended consequences of salt extraction?  
Why does the chemical industry rely on salt?  Where is the only working salt mine in the UK?
Learn about the domestic and industrial importance of Cheshire salt over more than two millennia.
  • Flagging up some simple heraldry
In 2022, to celebrate Congleton’s 750th Charter Anniversary, more than 50 flag designs were hung around the town.
Join this virtual tour to find the answers, and learn some basic heraldry.
Who granted the 1272 Charter to Congleton?  Why were there lions on the Mountbatten Way banners?  
What do the heraldic symbols on the other flags represent?  
How many types of mythical beasts were included?  Where is Malbon impaled with Wickham?
  • Brindley’s Mill, Leek
This 18th Century watermill is owned by a Preservation Trust and run by volunteers, who demonstrate its machinery to the public.  Learn about Brindley’s life & the workings of his eponymous mill.
What is James Brindley mainly known for and how did he come to build this water mill?  Which river powers it? 
When was the mill restored and opened to the public?  What did (and still does) the mill produce?
  • Nether Alderley Mill
NAM, now owned by the National Trust, is operated by volunteers.  Hear its history and learn how it still processes high quality organic wheat into stone-ground wholemeal flour for sale.
Who built this unusual-shaped mill and when?  Where did they live?  What makes its 19th Century machinery unique?
When did it cease milling, and later restored & reopened by the Trust?  How is it powered?
  • The Stanley family of Alderley
The Stanley family were Lords of the Manor of Nether Alderley for over 300 years until the late 1930s.
How did the Norman Audithley family become the Stanleys?  Where did they live before coming to Alderley?
When was the first Baron Stanley of Alderley created?  Why did one Lord Stanley close the local pubs?
What is the legend of the Eagle & Child shown on their crest?
Learn the answers, and more of their family history, both locally and in other areas.
  • Legend of the Eagle and Child
This 14th Century Lancashire legend relates to heraldry, ancient mythology, nearby Alderley Park and multiple public houses.
Which family originally adopted the eagle & child as their crest and why did they adopt this image?
Where was the legendary baby found?  What is the connection with Nether Alderley?
Who were the Inklings that met in an Eagle & Child pub?  
Join Mike to sort some of the facts from the fiction in this mythological story.
  • Old Oswestry
Rather than old parts of the town itself, this talk is about one of the best-preserved Iron Age hill forts in Britain.
When was it built?  How long was it occupied?  What type of dwelling did the Iron Age occupants live in?
Who lives there now?  What were the strange hollows on the West side used for?
Come for a virtual walk around this English Heritage site, to learn about  its history, development & an unanswered mystery.
  • Tales of Hoffmann - Ring of Fire
Llanymynech Limeworks, South of Oswestry, has a unique Hoffmann Kiln - one of only three such lime kilns remaining in Britain.
Who set up this Limeworks and when?  What makes this Hoffmann Kiln unique?  Why was lime-burning normally a batch process?
How  did the “ring of fire” make it continuous?
Hear how the site’s history began with a bankrupt entrepreneur.  Learn how limestone from the on-site quarries travelled down to the kiln, was converted to quicklime, then transported away by land and water.
Please contact the Speakers directly