Christoph Bull,Guided Walks and Illustrated Talks

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.

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2019

Local History & Chips : 2019

Programme of talks by Christoph Bull (Local Historian) – most illustrated, with a humorous delivery at the Reliance Restaurant, Queen Street, Gravesend.

Monday 11^th February 2019:
Pocahontas: the real story without Disney: Gravesend’s connections with the New World are many, but none are as important or as misunderstood as Pocahontas.
At Reliance Restaurant, Queen Street, Gravesend, costs £15 for supper and talk and that booking is essential on 01474 533593

Saturday 16^th February 2019
Northfleet guided historical tour-ships, cement & socialists (if dry) Begins: 11am, War Memorial, The Hill, Northfleet .....................or illustrated talk
"Secret History of Northfleet" (if wet) at St Botolphs Church, the Hill, Northfleet.
Guide/ Speaker: Christoph Bull (Local Historian)
The event is free but booking is needed – Siobhan Schwartzberg 07597969498 or siobhanschwartzberg@hotmail.com.
If you think Northfleet is just a suburb of Gravesend with no history before cement
– then think again!!

Friday 1^st March 2019 7.30pm
Swanscombe & Greenhithe in World War One (and what happened abroad) (illustrated talk)
Speaker: Christoph Bull (Local historian)
At: Church Centre, opposite St Peter & St Paul’s church, Swanscombe Street
Cost: £4 – refreshments available to purchase.
Swanscombe & Greenhithe Local History Group invite everybody to this open event – all welcome. No need to book, just turn up.

Sunday 10^th March: 2.30
Circular walk Cobham Woods and deer park.
Meet: 2.30pm at Lodge Farm, Lodge Lane, Cobham DA12 3BS
Leader: Anne Waugh 07969055243
Gravesend Historical Society walk – free – no need to book, just turn up.
Sensible footwear will be needed.

Monday 18^th March 2019: Shorne Parish: saints, sinners and scenery: a talk about the parish of Shorne, its history and folklore.
At Reliance Restaurant, Queen Street, Gravesend, costs £15 for supper and talk and that booking is essential on 01474 533593

Saturday 23rd March 2019

Event Name	Tales and Tastings in Swanscombe
What	An alternative food history guided walk around the town of Swanscombe with tastings, led by Christoph Bull in collaboration with artist Nicole Mollett.
Date	Saturday 23^rd March 2019
Times	2pm-3pm
Meeting location	Outside on the pavement (Not in) the George and Dragon pub, Galley Hill, Swanscombe
Free Parking	The Grove Car park (7 minutes walk from the starting point) Please note there is no parking directly near the start of the tour.
Public Transport	Swanscombe train station is 2 minutes walk from the start of the walk. Trains from London Bridge, St Pancreas International, and Charing Cross take approximately 40-50 minutes to get to Swanscombe. 484 bus from Ebbsfleet International station via Castle Hill to Swanscombe
	Imagine a community who lived off the land, eating locally grown fresh fruit and vegetables with zero food miles. A place where you can buy delicious fresh homemade ice cream with your pocket money. A place with a factory which makes exotic drinks. Welcome to Swanscombe! Join us on a walk where you will get to eat history. Taste the flavours of the local produce and listen to stories of manufacturers, farmers and shop keepers who sold edible produce to the surrounding areas. On the walk we trace the history of food and its influence on culture, politics and architecture. This walk is funded by Ebbsfleet International Development and is part of the Gathering event.
Please Note:	This tour is primarily designed for adults Please do wear comfortable walking shoes as you can expect to be standing or walking for the whole tour. Strong footwear is advised at it may be muddy in places and be prepared for rain or shine! Walks begin at 2pm and last approximately 1 hour and start outside the George and Dragon Pub. We will set off promptly so please arrive a little early to be sure not to miss us. Wheelchair user friendly. The walk will be going along roads inside the village, there will be no steps. The tasters will be small sized and optional. Do eat lunch before you attend!
Cost	The walk is free, but you need to book a place...... Or book on the Eventbrite page……… https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/tales-and-tastings-in-swanscombe-tickets-55399112236

On: Saturday 30^th March 2019 Begins 7.15 for 7.30
Evening Quiz-Gravesham Town Twinning Association
At: St George’s church hall, Church Street, Gravesend
Cost: £5 – please bring your own drinks and nibbles.
Contact for bookings: Jill Clucas 01474 873536

Monday 29^th April 2019: Gravesend: the day before yesterday. How Gravesend has changed so much in our lifetimes, this talk explores some of those alterations, good & bad.
At Reliance Restaurant, Queen Street, Gravesend, costs £15 for supper and talk and that booking is essential on 01474 533593

Monday 13^th May 2019: Who’s who in Hoo: a talk about the Hoo peninsula and the fascinating places that are to be found within this lovely landscape.
At Reliance Restaurant, Queen Street, Gravesend, costs £15 for supper and talk and that booking is essential on 01474 533593

Monday 10^th June 2019- A question of Gravesham – local history quiz evening Come and find out the astonishing history of our own area – by answering questions in a fun quiz.
At Reliance Restaurant, Queen Street, Gravesend, costs £15 for supper and talk and that booking is essential on 01474 533593

Monday 9^th September 2019: Chalk Parish – marshes, midges and medicine. Chalk is one of Gravesham’s most interesting parishes, come and learn about this ancient village and parish.
At Reliance Restaurant, Queen Street, Gravesend, costs £15 for supper and talk and that booking is essential on 01474 533593

Monday 14th October 2019: Some Gravesham Characters – meet some of the famous and unknown people who make up our area’s story.
At Reliance Restaurant, Queen Street, Gravesend, costs £15 for supper and talk and that booking is essential on 01474 533593

Monday 25^th November 2019: Ghost stories from North-West Kent. Prepare for the Christmas period with some suitable real ghost stories from the surrounding area.
At Reliance Restaurant, Queen Street, Gravesend, costs £15 for supper and talk and that booking is essential on 01474 533593

All the Local History & Chips events in (yellow) begin at 6pm , for a fish and chip supper, followed by the illustrated talk. The ghost stories are not illustrated-they don’t need to be!

Booking Essential – Reliance Restaurant on 01474 533593.

Only £15 for a stimulating and tasty evening.

This website was updated 26th January 2019

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Comments

We've had some lovely feedback about your talk. Our ladies found it very interesting.
We'll definitely be in touch again. Hoo WI, January 2019

“Christoph Bull gave an excellent, highly amusing, well-illustrated and well-prepared talk on ‘The Good, the Bad and the Ugly’, to a packed meeting of members of the Tonbridge Civic Society, on Tuesday 16^th October 2018. Many members later said how much they had enjoyed the talk.”
Peter Charlton Vice-Chairman, Tonbridge Civic Society

“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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