Speaking to Societies, Groups, and Organisations: Discover Liverpool

1. Curious & Amazing Tales of Liverpool ~ (Collections 1 to 5)

Five wonderful collections of entertaining and very funny stories from around the City and its suburbs ~ so many, in fact, that you can choose which collection you would like to hear first ~ Ken can always return to tell you more!

2. Curious & Amazing Tales of Wirral ~ (Collections 1, 2, & 3)

Three collections of more funny and fascinating stories ~ this time from across the Wirral Peninsula ~ Informative and great fun! Like his Liverpool tales, simply choose which collection you would like to hear first!

3. Curious and Amazing Tales of St. Helens and Knowsley

More wonderful and entertaining stories, this time from two very different boroughs of Merseyside.

4. Curious and Amazing Tales of Hale, Runcorn, and Widnes

In this talk I tell tales from the three districts that, together, make up the Borough of Halton. Each of which have wonderful but varied histories.

5. Curious and Amazing Tales of Crosby and Sefton

These two areas to the north of Liverpool each have very special and, in both cases, very ancient histories indeed.

6. Curious and Amazing Tales of Huyton and Prescot

A selection of unusual and entertaining stories from the Village of Huyton and the Town of Prescot.

7. Curious and Amazing Tales of Merseyside ~ (Collections 1 & 2)

In these talks (you choose which collection you would like to hear first) Ken has chosen entertaining stories from each of the Five Boroughs and the City of Liverpool, to give you a very eclectic selection of strange but true tales.

8. The Joy of Scousers and Scouse

Whether or not you are from Liverpool, or its surrounding towns; whether or not you have ever visited the famous City on the Mersey, this is a very entertaining, informative, and certainly funny look at the unique people and their City. I also tell why we are called 'Scousers', and I explain where our traditional dish and bizarre dialect came from.

9. Weird and Wonderful Liverpool

An introduction to Liverpool's eccentric but wonderful people; especially for people not from the City.

10. Beer, Bars and Boozers ~ (Sets 1 & 2)

The fun stories of just some of Liverpool City's most fascinating City Centre pubs, including those of the more curious or notorious of their landlords and customers. I also talk about some of the buildings themselves, and the often strange part that they have played in the history of Liverpool and its people.

11. Curious Christmas Stories and Traditions ~ (Sets 1, 2, and 3)

These three sets of stories each take you back in time to explain why we celebrate Christmas in the many ways that we do. They are each different collections of stories and tales about our most popular festival and are full of surprises, humour, and happy memories of Christmases from our own pasts.

12. Beastly Merseyside ~ (Collections 1 & 2)

It is not just people who have written the history of Liverpool and its region, the animals have more than played their part too. In fact, there are so many stories to tell that there are two, separate collections of stories for you to choose from. Both are celebrations of those creatures - some more legendary than others, but most very real indeed.

13. Liverpool's 'Lost and Found' Villages

This beautifully illustrated talks helps you to discover hidden secrets about Liverpool's suburbs. These were once, and some for very many centuries, once villages and townships in their own right, before eventually being swallowed up by the great conurbation.

14. The Lost Village of Woolton

Wonderful tales from the history of one of Liverpool's most significant 'lost' villages.

15. The Lost Villages of Garston and Speke

The fascinating histories of two of Liverpool's most ancient and important lost villages.

16. The History of Your 'Lost' Liverpool Village

For this talk you will, in advance, select your own local village to rediscover. Ken will then tell you many things that will surprise and entertain you, as well as, perhaps, bringing back some memories.

17. Seven Stories from Seven Hills

A curious tour of Liverpool's, literal, 'High Spots', the Seven Hills of Liverpool.

18. Street Stories

The curious tales behind some of Liverpool's street names ~ how did they earn their names?

19. An A to Z of Little-Known Liverpool

A new style of talk, in that you are first given an alphabetical list of little-known, and fascinating people, places, and buildings around Liverpool. You then choose a few of these from the list to learn more about - it's fun and informative, with lots of cries of ''well I never knew that!''

20. A Matter of Life and Death

The story of Liverpool's cemeteries and burial grounds, and how and why they came about. This talk includes some fascinating tales of 'The City of the Dead' at St James's Burial Ground, which is now a somewhat macabre public garden! You will also hear about the dreaded water sprite ~ Ginny Greenteeth!

21. The Bloody History of Liverpool

If you like the darker, more grisly side of Merseyside's history, then this is the talk for you!

22. Notorious Murders and Misdemeanours of Merseyside

In this fully illustrated talk Ken tells stories of some of the more notorious murders and crimes that have taken place in and around Liverpool, over the past couple of centuries.

23. Of Giants and Duck Hunts

Tales of the very historic and fascinating township of Hale; the beautiful and ancient community that sits just outside the southern boundary of Liverpool.

24. Spooky Liverpool

Liverpool and its suburbs are places of ancient history and of myth and legend. They are also places of true stories of the ghostly, the unusual, the mysterious, and the genuinely terrifying ~ this really can be a Creepy City but these tales are fascinating too.

25. A Night to Remember

The fully illustrated and animated story of the sinking of RMS Titanic, and of the massive and completely unnecessary loss of life.

26. The Rise, Fall, and Renaissance of Liverpool

This is the complete story of Liverpool, but served in 'bite-sized chunks', that will nevertheless enlighten you about the wonderful City on the Mersey and its equally wonderful peoples.

27. Liverpool: The Pool of Life, Community, and Faith

The story of the diverse peoples, communities, cultures, and faiths that go to make up the wonderful City of Liverpool - 'The World In One City'!

28. Prehistoric, Pagan, and Medieval Merseyside

The curious history of an ancient people from when they first established themselves, then their tribes, and then their communities across Merseyside, through three distinct historical and archaeological eras.

29. Ancient Liverpool and Its Seven Streets

This is the story of nasty King John, who did little good in his life except founding the Town of Liverpool! This part of our early history is told through the stories of the Town's first, seven streets, as laid out by the King.

30. The Lords of Old Liverpool

The Story of Liverpool's aristocrats and landed gentry: in particular the Stanley and Molyneux families, who became the earls of Derby and of Sefton. Beginning with the early monarchs of Britain, who were the first Lords of the Manor of Liverpool, right down to the current Marquess of Salisbury, who still owns great areas of the City's suburbs and ancient manors.

31. The Stately Homes of Liverpool

The story of the City's glorious ancient mansion houses, including Croxteth, Knowsley, and Speke Halls. Plus other, less well-known mansion houses, occupied by the 'great and good' of Liverpool over the centuries.

32. The History and Architecture of Knowsley Hall

The history of one of the finest and most significant stately homes in Britain ~ Knowsley Hall, and of the Stanley Family who continue to occupy it.

33. Eagles, Earls, and Elephants

The complete story of the Earls of Derby and the Stanley Family. This story runs from their dubious origins as alleged followers of William the Conqueror, to their modern status as principal Peers of the Realm, and significant players in the life of modern Merseyside.

34. The Heart of Art and Culture

The Story of Liverpool's St. George's Quarter ~ the wonderful cultural palaces that are open to the public around William Brown Street and St George's Hall in particular: This talk takes the form of a beautifully illustrated, virtual guided tour around the very special buildings of the Quarter, and of St John's Memorial Gardens, including The World Museum; Central Library; and the Walker Art Gallery. The tour ends with a full tour of St George's Hall, after which the Quarter is named.

35. Green and Pleasant Liverpool

The story of the creation of Liverpool's original public recreation areas ~ its three, 18th century landscaped Pleasure Gardens. Ken then comes up-to-date by describing the establishment and growth of the amazing ring of large, landscaped public parks that surround the modern City.

36. The Great Hunger and Liverpool

The dramatic story of the causes and consequences of the Irish Potato Famine ~ The Great Hunger ~ and of its impact on its victims. This is also the story of the legacy left to the City and people of Liverpool, with whom the Irish immigrants sought refuge.

37. The Triangular Trade ~ Liverpool and The Slave Trade

The full and grim story of Liverpool's dominant role in the Transatlantic Slave Trade, during the 18th and early 19th centuries. This talk also highlights how modern slavery still thrives, right around the world ~ including in Britain!

38. The 'Fab Four'

The story of the childhood of four boys from Liverpool, and of how they became the greatest popular musicians and composers the world had ever seen.

39. Liverpool At Work

How did Liverpool earn its living as a village, then as a town and, ultimately, as one of the greatest cities and ports in the world? Whilst our roles as a major trading port, and in the dreadful Slave Trade, are generally well known, this talk describes the other, exciting and unusual ways in which the people of Liverpool made their money.

40. The 'Nest of Crows'

The exciting story of Liverpool during the English Civil Wars in the mid-17th century; of the three sieges it suffered; and of the Town's long-lost and valuable treasure.

41. Liverpool's Military Heritage

This is the history of the contribution made to Britain by Liverpool and its people during times of war ~ from its founding in 1207, to the great wars of the 20th century.

42. Trenches, Torpedoes, Bombs, and Bunkers

The catastrophe that was 'The Great War' of 1914 to 1918, was considered to be so dreadful that it was soon dubbed "the war to end all wars"! Of course, this was most certainly not to be the case, as Liverpool, Merseyside, and the people of the region were to discover. This is the story of those people, and of their courage, during both World Wars of the 20th century.

43. Blitzkrieg, Huyton Internment Camp, and The Mersey Forts

The story of Hitler's determination to wipe Liverpool and Merseyside of the map during the May Blitz of 1941, in the Second World War. Ken then tells two of the lesser-known wartime stories of Liverpool ~ a tale of incarceration and one of unusual fortification.

44. From Pool to Powerhouse

The inspiring story of the rise of the port of Liverpool, from being nothing more than a tiny, obscure fishing hamlet on the shores of a large, deep, tidal inlet, to become one of the world's greatest and most important docks system.

45. The Dockers' Umbrella

Hear about the amazing, 7 1/2-mile long, dockside, elevated, electric passenger rail system ~ The Liverpool Overhead Railway.

46. Tales of The River and The Sea ~ (Collections 1, 2 & 3)

These three talks are each a wonderful collection of maritime facts and fantasies. These are all centred on the rivers Dee and Mersey, and on the connections that Liverpool and Merseyside have always had with the seven seas and oceans of the world.

47. Going Down to The Sea In Ships

The inspiring story of Liverpool's Rise to maritime glory, and of the lives and times of its seafarers across the centuries. What was "a life on the ocean wave" really like? Ken will tell you!

48. Journeys 'Over The Water'

The tale of the Mersey ferries and their destinations

49. The Story of Wirral

A rapid ride through the history of this wonderful peninsula ~ from invasions by Romans, Vikings, and Normans through to how the rural life of Wirral adjusted to the Industrial Revolution, and the developments of its important City neighbour across the Mersey. This talk brings us right up to date with modern Wirral, and its ambitions for the rest of the 21st century.

50. The History and Mystery of Bidston

This talk tells the most important stories and legends of ancient Bidston Hill and Village. Ken explains the connections between the hill and Saint Joseph of Arimathea and the Holy Grail; the Witches Covens; the notorious smugglers and Mother Redcap; and the World War Two underground bunkers ~ plus much, much more.

51. Ferries, FunFairs, Turrets, and Towers ~ The Story of New Brighton

The wonderful story of the seaside resort of New Brighton: Beginning with the history of Fort Perch Rock and the Lighthouse, and then describing the history of New Brighton Tower; the Palace; the Pleasure Gardens and Fun Fair; the Piers; the Promenade; the Swimming Pools, and much, much more. There are a lot of surprises and a great deal of nostalgia in this talk!

Illustrated Talks to Groups, Organisations, Schools & Colleges

Below are descriptions of each of Ken's talks:

Section A: Fascinating, Bizarre, and Funny Stories from across the Region

Section B: Unusual and Entertaining Facts

Section C: The Extraordinary and The Intriguing

Section D: Early and Medieval Merseyside and its Aristocracy

Section E: The Informative and Educational

Section F: Merseyside At War

Section G: The Waterfront and The Wirral