Events  2025 

 

Sunday 20th July    2.30pm

Cobham to Henley Street circular walk

Meet: 2.30pm at Cobham Church, The Street, Cobham DA12 3DB

Guide: Jenny Ellett 01474 361977

Free - No need to book, just turn up. Gravesend Historical Society Walk open to everyone and well-behaved dogs.

 

Friday 25th July    11.30am

Gravesend’s Victorian Dream-How Gravesend suddenly changed.

Guide: Christoph Bull

Meet: 11.30am on corner of The Grove, Gravesend - opposite Clock Tower

Cost: Free-but a donation would be welcomed.

No booking required, just turn up and see how Gravesend changed character from a tourist attraction to an industrial town. Opportunity to visit the wonderfully restored Zoar Chapel (now The Hope Church) in Saddington Street and discover the first Sikh Gurdwara (Temple). The walk lasts about 1.25 hours.

Monday 28^th July   -    beginning at 11am

Chalk Parish-Marshes, Midges & Medicine (illustrated talk with lunch)

Speaker: Christoph Bull       At: Gardeners Arms public house, Forge Lane, Higham ME3 7AS

Cost: £18 inclusive of talk and lunch

Booking and pre-payment essential: 01474 823337 or sarahluchgardenersarms@gmail.com.

This talk will pour out the largely hidden history of Chalk Parish-and astound you all!

 

Wednesday 3^rd September   -    beginning at 10am

From Upnor to Upper Halling-Medway Valley Adventures
(illustrated talk with lunch)-      Repeated by popular demand.         Speaker: Christoph Bull     
At Florist-Café, High Street, Strood ME2 4AR

Booking and pre-payment essential 01634 300948 or theflowerandcoffeeshop@gmail.com

A talk about the immediate local area from Upnor, through Strood and down to Upper Halling-and all places in-between. The treasures on your doorstep.

Gravesend the day before yesterday (the town’s transformation over the last 70 years)

Northfleet the day before yesterday (the town’s transformation over the last 70 years)

Dartford the day before yesterday (the town’s transformation over the last 70 years)

The Griffin, horse & harp – the Earls of Darnley at Cobham Hall & their Irish connection.

Myths & Legends of Gravesham & Dartford

Dartford Rural Rides: Darent valley delights

Dartford Rural Rides: West Kingsdown to Southfleet

In Preparation

*   Higham Parish history from A to Z

*   Medway Valley Adventures: From Upnor to Upper Halling

*   Local Places names and the stories behind them

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.

Cobham Village. Guided Walk

Comments

You were absolutely fantastic yesterday, truly an unbelievable font of knowledge! Thank you so much for coming and being so generous with all of your wisdom about Northfleet and beyond.
-      Dan from Cementfields Community and Heritage Arts Project June 2025

Dear Christoph,  "You are a brilliant presenter. One of the top ten public speakers I have ever heard/seen in my life (and that includes the great Jesse Jackson).  Your presentation in a flower shop cum coffee house to a large group of local community people was superb - an hour and a half of extemporizing brilliance, full of humour, intelligence and insight. Your speech to my class of exam-frightened American students on Zoom was equally brilliant. Your perspective on America and its history as an "outsider" was just what they needed and appreciated."   Declan Hill - Ph.d (Oxford)  Associate Professor of Investigations Henry C. Lee College of Criminal Justice and Forensic Science     University of New Haven, Connecticut      April 2025

Just a note to thank you for a very interesting talk on Tuesday. We all stayed awake and thoroughly enjoyed hearing about women from our local area. I’m sure the ladies will want to invite you again when we are settled in our new home! Jane F.  (Sole Street Women's Institute, November 2024).

Dear Christoph, thank you for a most entertaining talk. Society members were delighted. Joanne (Eltham Society Sept 2024)

Hi Christoph,    Many thanks for a great talk today (The only one that got away-Gunther Plueschow)…truly enthralling- great film in the making!  Julie Flynn, Sidcup U3A June 2024

Thank you for making your way to the island again and for your most interesting and often amusing talk.  As with all your talks, the feedback was 100% positive and was much enjoyed by all.  May 2024 from Isle of Sheppey U3A

Dear Christoph,  It was really lovely to see you again last Tuesday. Thank you so much for the entertaining and historical tour of Cobham.   It is lovely to stop for an hour or so and just listen and look at slides of the fascinating and rich tapestry of history of one of Kent’s beautiful little villages.  You are an absolute fount of information. We all really enjoyed your presentation and the bonus is everyone is able to hear you!   Hope to see you next year!       Kind regards    Gwen

Dear Christoph    Thank you very much indeed for your wonderful talk this evening.
It was obvious that the Brownies enjoyed the evening. Thank you for your patience answering all their questions and for taking an interest in what they had to tell you.
I learn something new every time I hear you speak.   Please thank those at the Civic Centre that gave up their time for us and His Worship for giving the Brownies the crisps.  
Best wishes      Lynne for 11th Milton (Christ Church) Brownies

Dear Christoph,    A huge thank you for helping me organise the trip by our U3A group to Cobham Hall.  The feedback I have received is nothing but complimentary and everyone had a most enjoyable afternoon.  Please also pass on our thanks to the other two guides and to you for your time and your really informative and entertaining presentations. With all best wishes - I will be in touch at a later date regarding further trips. Isle of Sheppey U3A, July 2023

Just wanted to say a huge thanks for this morning’s talk at Hope Pop In. We really enjoyed both the content and your entertaining style.  I’ve had so much positive feedback that I think I’ll have to be in touch soon to have you back!!  Hope Church, Orpington April 2023

Many thanks again for all your help and professionalism. The members were very impressed with your talk, as was I. High Halstow Parish Council April 2023.

Just a quick note to say how very much we appreciated your highly entertaining presentation yesterday.   You truly brought Dickens to life and it would be very interesting to visit some of
the places mentioned at some point.   Hope we can call on you again in the not too distant future. Bidborough Ladies March 2023.

Many thanks for your fascinating and entertaining talk last week to Tunbridge Wells u3a about Kent public libraries. I had no idea how haphazard and precarious their introductions were! March 2023

Thank you so much for your very informative and amusing talk yesterday on the subject of Dickens in Kent. It was, as with your previous talk, well received and had some of our members hysterical with laughter. The feedback I got was all very complimentary. Feb 2023-Isle of Sheppey U3A.

Thank you so much for your, as always, entertaining and informative presentation on "Our Thames - Dartford to Grain" yesterday. A wonderful selection of illustrations too shows time and care you spend putting your presentations together. Hoping you had a good journey home. Kind regards and many thanks   Christina Tyler Programme organiser on behalf of our commitee and members. November 2022

Thank you so much Christoph for helping our event be so successful again.  As always we have received so much great feedback of how enjoyable and insightful attendees found your tour.
We look forward to working with you again soon and your idea of including a historic property we may be marketing is a brilliant one and hopefully one we can incorporate in our next event with you.       Many thanks again for all your help.  Sealey’s Estates Gravesend September 2022

Dear Christoph,      It was lovely to meet you again after so long.
Thank you so much for coming to talk to us on Saturday.  You must have realised how much everyone enjoyed your presentation from the applause; I certainly did and other members have contacted me since to say that they have been inspired to stop and explore the villages which they usually just drive past.  Perhaps next year you can give us Part Two of your Rural Rides , if I can guarantee a more prompt start for you.
Christine of NW Kent Family History Society, Dartford. July 2022.

Hi Christoph,   Thank you for the talk on Thursday evening.  It was very well received by a much larger audience than we have been getting recently.  You both educated and entertained us in your usual unique style and we learned lots of new facts about Dartford.  I don’t know how you managed A to Z, you certainly used your lockdown time well!  Also, thanks for helping us out and standing in at the last minute, it was much appreciated.   Best wishes,    David,   SLHG Secretary.

Dear Christoph,   Thank you so much for your talk “Gravesend the day before yesterday” which you gave to the group last Thursday.  It was very well received and as usual you both entertained and educated us in equal measure.  I was at school in Gravesend in the 1950s and can recall something of what it was like then.  As your talk demonstrated many of the changes have not been for the better!  Anyway, thank you once again for an enjoyable and provocative evening, and as Secretary I hope we can rely on you to return with another talk next year. David Johnson Shorne Local History Group. November 2021

Dear Christoph,    Once again, it is my pleasure on behalf of the members and committee  of SouthAra to thank you for your talk at last Thursday meeting (On Libraries in Kent). Your presentation was not only interesting in its content, but as always was delivered with enthusiasm and humour which made an enjoyable afternoon for all present. Geoff Till,
SouthAra (Southfleet Active Retirement Association) November 2021

I think that your reputation as a speaker proceeded you and I’m sure that helped us to get our largest audience to date. I’ve also heard members saying how much they enjoyed your talk with your enthusiastic, humorous delivery and of course that array of different voices/accents!Gravesend & Northfleet U3A.via Zoom, March 2021

 Dear Christoph   I have been meaning to write and thank you for your talk on 14 December 2020 and apologise for being so late in fulfilling the intention. It was very informative and entertaining. In the circumstances, you went above and beyond.  
(Miriam from Dorking Local History Society referring to a Zoom talk)

We certainly have enjoyed all the talks we have heard and the guided walks around Gravesend, there is always something new to learn about the area and we particularly like the way you mix facts with humour.  Excellent evenings.
Mrs E Norris, Cobham, May 2020.

Dear Christoph,  Thank you for coming to share with us at The Friendship Club a couple of weeks ago.  We thoroughly enjoyed your visit to our group. My colleague, Penny, delivered a quiz based on your talk last week which they enjoyed.  Dartford YMCA Jan 2020

Thank you very for last night's presentation. Again, a fascinating and enthusiastic talk that
(I'm sure you could tell) was very much enjoyed by the gathered mob. 
Mike – Oddfellows West Kent-Otford. January 2020

"Thanking you for the wonderful talk on Pocahontas which the members thoroughly enjoyed”.  Rainham Historical Society, Dec 2019

“Thank you for visiting us on 27^th November 2019 to talk about Gravesend & important buildings. Thank you for your time in answering all of our questions and we hope you will come back in the near future”.       Ifield School 6^th Form students, North Kent College, Chalk, Dec 2019.

Thanks and Frohe Weihnachten – Craciun Fericit – Happy Christmas.

"Soon we arrived in Gravesend to be met by Christoph Bull, our guide. His knowledge is astounding, and he gave us a comprehensive background to the various sites we visited, all without notes, and corrected any misconceptions we had on the origin of the name Gravesend."
Alison Cresswell, Paddock Wood U3A August 2019.

"Thank you so much for your brilliant talk last evening (on Stone the shrinking parish), you brought back so many memories for me, some I have to admit I’d forgotten about!! "
 Barbara Cannell, Hextable Heritage Association. June 2019

"Thank you so much Christoph for another enjoyable and informative presentation  and your jokes too!  So sorry the microphone was playing up .......just as well you do not need it!!   We  always know we can rely on you to make our meetings go well   Many thanks  Christina" 
On behalf of our committee and members.     Swanley Local History Group,    May 2019 

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 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

"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.