	Historian Speaker Guide		Landline 01474 320156 Mobile 0770 228 7147 christoph.bull@talktalk.net Email Me
Christoph Bull is a tour guide and Speaker who has entertained many local groups with his illustrated talks and walks. He is also Municipal Mace Bearer for Gravesham Borough Council and historical advisor to Swanscombe & Greenhithe Town Council Talks & Walks by Christoph Bull, BA (Hons), MCLIP, ALA
Illustrated Talks * Chalk Parish- Marshes, midges and medicine * Amazing Swanscombe * Shorne Parish - saints, sinners & scenery. * Northfleet's Secret History * The forgotten parish Denton, near Gravesend. * Folklore of Chalk Parish: things that go bump in the parish * Neumünster - Gravesham's twin town in Germany: historical twins * A Kentishman in Transylvania (about Romania) * "The good, the bad & the ugly":The amusing story of Kentish public libraries * Gravesend: Gateway to the Thames * Dirty Dartford… * Dickens in Kent * Gravesham Round & About - a virtual historical tour. * From Grot to Great: Gravesend Library’s transformation * Our Thames from Dartford to Grain * Some Real Kentish Ghost stories (not illustrated) * Pocahontas – the non-Disney story * The Kaiser’s War?? – a different perspective on the First World War * Cobham Parish - A Kentish Gem. * Stone near Dartford – the tale of the incredible shrinking parish. * Greenhithe to Grayhithe and back again (a talk about Greenhithe’s history) * Amazing Swanscombe, Greenhithe and Neumünster – Kent and Germany during World War One * Grim Gravesend – a guided walk or an illustrated talk about the sad, mad and bad of the town- tales of poverty disease and crime. * “The only one that got away” – the story of a German POW escape from Kent in 1915 and the amazing adventure which took him from China via America to Gravesend. * Some Gravesham Characters – well known and unknown people who have shaped the borough’s story (illustrated talk) Illustrated Talks. In preparation: * Dartford Rural Rides - Discover the Darent Valley's delightful villages. * Dartford Rural Rides-Discover the mysterious down-land communities. * Into the Hoo Peninsula & its secrets.		Guided Walks *Chalk Village* Chalk Parish Footpaths Chalk Church *( including the tower)* St. Helen’s Church, Cliffe S.S. Peter & Paul’s Church, Swanscombe Dartford Central Library (Historical tour of the magnificent Carnegie building inside & out) Gravesend Central Library (Historical tour) Gravesend town centre: walking the historical spine of a Kentish riverside town Swanley town: a blooming Kentish railway town. Guided walk of East Chalk & the churchyard Swanscombe Town: Kentish industrial revolution revealed Shorne Village Greenhithe Village Delightful Dartford – from the workhouse to the grave. Gravesend – riverside guided tour Gravesend Old Town Hall Gravesend County Court and King Street. School Trips around NW Kent parishes and towns – contact me on 01474 320156 – e.g. Victorian Gravesend, Industrial Revolution in Swanscombe or Dartford etc. Grim Gravesend – disease, poverty, crime and marine disasters in old Gravesend. Northfleet – historical tour and eye opening experience. Say NO to Option C Take part in the consultation It’s important! www.lower-thames-crossing.co.uk
2018 Monday 8th October 2018 7.30pm It’s Northfleet, but not as we know it- Illustrated talk on Northfleet’s transformation over the past century. Speaker: Christoph Bull (Local Historian) At: Coldharbour Library, Coldharbour Road, Northfleet Begins: 7.30 Price: £4 includes light refreshments Booking essential: max.fisher@kent.gov.uk or 03000 413131 and ask for Coldharbour Library. Please pay before event at Coldharbour Library otherwise unpaid tickets booked are sold on. Space limited. Wednesday 10^th October 2018 2pm The forgotten parish of Denton-whatever happened to Denton and what did it once consist of?(Illustrated talk)Speaker: Christoph Bull (Local Historian). At: St Aidan’s Church, St Aidan’s Way, Chalk (off Valley Drive) Begins: 2pm Cost: £3 includes light refreshments Just turn up – no need to book. Monday 15^th October 2018- 6p.m Swanscombe: puritans, pollution & politics-how a cement town changed the world (illustrated talk) Amazing Swanscombe: puritans, pollution & politics Come and find out the astonishing history of this small town which we all think we know. At: Reliance Restaurant, Queen Street, Gravesend Begins: 6pm for a fish and chip supper , talk to follow Cost: £15 – includes both the meal and the talk. Booking Essential: Reliance Restaurant 01474 533593 Tuesday 6^th November 2018 11.00am Some local ghost stories from North West Kent (Hear about the dark side of local history)Speaker: Christoph Bull At: Veterans Club, The Hill, Northfleet Cost: Free – but booking required – Jaki 01474 354479 Thursday 8^th November 2018 7pm The Only one that got away – (illustrated talk) Discover the unique First World War event, largely unknown, that links Germany, Gravesham, Holland and China – come and be amazed. Speaker: Christoph Bull (Local Historian) At: St Nicholas Church, Southfleet Begins: 7pm Price: £5 includes light refreshments Booking via 01474 833669 or pay at the church on the evening or email: WW1@philippainter.co.uk Parking: at Southfleet Village Hall, Dale Road. Commemorating the end of World War One with very human story. Monday 26^th November 2018: 6.pm. The centenary of World War One-discover the Kaiser’s real War- a talk designed to break some of the clichés. At: Reliance Restaurant, Queen Street, Gravesend Begins: 6pm for a fish and chip supper, talk to follow Cost: £15 – includes both the meal and the talk. Booking Essential: Reliance Restaurant 01474 533593 Monday 3rd December 2018: 6 p.m. Grim Gravesend: how the other half lived at Christmas – At: Reliance Restaurant, Queen Street, Gravesend Begins: 6pm for a fish and chip supper , talk to follow Cost: £15 – includes both the meal and the talk. Booking Essential: Reliance Restaurant 01474 533593 Friday 28^th December 2018 10.30am Winter Warmer walk: Chalk Marshes-come and blow your Christmas cobwebs away. Guide: Christoph Bull (Local Historian) Meet: Bottom of Castle Lane/Lower Higham Road, Chalk at 10.30am Cost: Free – donations welcomed. No need to book, just turn up. Gravesend Historical Society walk-open to everybody. Sensible footwear needed, uneven surfaces and stiles. This website was updated on 9th October 2018 Say NO to Option C Take part in the consultation It’s important! www.lower-thames-crossing.co.uk
Comments “Another interesting and informative evening delivered with the usual enthusiasm and humour that always accompany these talks”. Paul Gay, Sept 2018 commenting on a talk about Northfleet. We hired Christoph’s services for the evening, to present and give a guided tour around Gravesend’s historic town centre. Being a locally renowned estate agents, it provided a different approach to our community and charity activities. 60 or so guests booked into the walk and it proved to be extremely successful. Christoph’s grasp of local history is second to none. It gave both clients and staff a real insight into the history that lies about us that often we dismiss on a daily basis. Christoph is funny, authoritative and very engaging. For a taster I would recommend that anyone joins his walking tours and talks and in the future – because of the fantastic feedback we got from the event we ran – we will be holding further history walks in the future under Christoph’s excellent leadership. Michael Alan Sears, Managing Director, Sealeys Estate Agents Ltd On behalf of our committee and members, thank you so much for your absorbing presentation, so entertainingly delivered, last Tuesday evening. There certainly was something for everyone and I personally want to go out and explore some of the places you mentioned - some very close to Swanley but not really widely known. Our great attendance was I am sure because of your fame as an excellent speaker! (Swanley History Group, March 2018) On behalf of the committee and members of SouthAra, I wish to express our thanks to you for yet another excellent presentation at yesterday meeting. As always, your talk contained interesting and in many cases not so obvious factual information on the principle Churches in and around the area we live; all of which was relayed with a sprinkling of humour for the enjoyment of the audience. Geoff Till, Feb 2018 “We all really enjoyed your very spirited and informative Gravesend lecture”. Biddenden Local History Society, Feb 2018. Talk Title: Our Thames: Dartford to the Grain Saturday, 6 January 2018 Thank you for a thoroughly good talk enjoyed by all our members. So much information brought to life the Thames side locally, and with your good humour! We are looking forward to your next talk. Personally I have a much loved copy of "Liquid History - The Thames Through Time" by Stephen Croad so I enjoyed your talk even more. Thank you once again for a very entertaining talk. Best wishes Raymer North West Kent Family History Society Dartford Branch Programme Secretary Hello Christoph Glad to meet you all but briefly yesterday, The feedback from the members was very good , regarding both the enjoyment of your delivery and content matter on Gravesend & its clock tower. It is fascinating to learn about the former lives of places and buildings that barely catch our attention now in familiar streets. However we can start to look more closely and wonder about the social and historical periods that they have been part of. We can certainly recommend you to others, and look forward to the next time we see you. Kind regards Rosie Griggs Lanbara Speaker Diary Sec. November 2017 Hi Christoph - As I mentioned to you at the time, I got some very good comments from members as they left, and I hope you enjoyed talking to George and Margaret (our Africa correspondents) afterwards as much as they enjoyed chatting to you. Thank you again for an entertaining and informative evening on the amusing stories from Kent’s public libraries. Kind regards Mike Hyde, programme organiser of Oddfellows, Tunbridge Wells District. 9 November 2017. We so much appreciated your coming to talk to us today. All you had to say about the Kaiser's War was fascinating and it sounded as though it was a subject close to your heart [and your family] Comments from some of the audience afterwards showed that it caused many of us to think about the War from a different angle which I am sure is what you were hoping for. Thank you once again. Regards. Julia Hawkins Wed, 8 Mar 2017 Subject: Talk to Medway U3A Dear Christoph, Thank you for coming to talk to Leytara on’ Dirty Dartford’ last week, everyone I have spoken to said how much they had enjoyed the subject and the way it was delivered. I have had several requests for an encore. November 2015 "We so much enjoyed your talk about Pocahontas. As I am sure you realised we found it entertaining and thought-provoking especially as it exploded so many of the myths that have grown up around her. Thank you very much for coming and I hope that some of us will be making our way to Gravesend to join one of your tours. Medway U3A Sept 2015 "Hi Christoph, thank you so much for the talk you gave yesterday. It was really interesting and entertaining. Our audience really seemed to enjoy it and everyone that I have spoken to was very complimentary". Dartford U3a, June 2015 "Hi Christoph I am sorry I should have been in touch before. I would like to thank you for your presentation that although we rushed, you came over in a very professional way on the 31^st March 2015. We had a committee meeting yesterday and went through the feedback sheets. Everyone had a great day and thoroughly enjoyed your presentation". Dot Marshall Gravesham 50+ Forum “I am writing to thank you for a most interesting and informative talk at Loose last evening when many of us would have learned things we never knew before (about Germany in World War One). Your research is obviously extensive and your enthusiasm for the subject was clearly evident.” David Priestley, Chairman of Loose Area History Society Nov 2014. "Thank you for a wonderful presentation today, thoroughly enjoyed it. Can’t wait for the next one". Gravesham 50Plus Forum. "Thank you so much for coming along to our AGM and doing your history presentation on Northfleet. You were brilliant with loads of great feedback from the audience". Council for Voluntary Services – North West Kent. "Many thanks for a great tour of Gravesend. The children and us adults enjoyed it very much, and everyone liked you very much". BH Education, Harmer Street, Gravesend. Hi Chris. Just been to Strood Library to hear you give your talk on libraries. We both thought you presented your subject with superb wit and knowledge. You made the afternoon so interesting and we would like to be made aware of any future talks on any different subjects that you may offer. Thank you and hope to see you at Chalk Church sometime . Roy and Margaret Davis. Hi Chris, Thanks for your excellent talk at Strood last Saturday. It was very well received, and about as entertaining as the best comedian in the land! Norma Crowe, Medway Archives and Local Studies Centre, Strood. Had a brilliant morning with Sue’s English group and Derek and Lisa Baldwin and Andrea Dodd at the Mayor's parlour . Thanks to mayor and mayoress Derek and Pam Sales for tea and description of duties of the job. Extra special thanks to the entertaining and excellent Mace carrier Christoph Bull he made all the history fun to listen to. Eileen Baldwin, Gravesend
C. R. Bull Tel: 01474 320156. Mobile: 0770 228 7147
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