Profile
Steve Williams….
I am a Lancashire based historian who offers highly illustrated and entertaining talks to groups, historical societies, schools, colleges, libraries and museums as well as to lunch clubs, men’s groups, Rotary, the Women’s Institute, Mothers Union and the like.
Steve Williams
My main interest is World War One, being the Secretary & Co-Founder of the Chorley Pals Memorial. I have written two books, ‘Brindle & Hoghton Pals’ and ‘Chorley Pals’, chronicling over 650 local men who fought in the Great War.
Since 2002, I have run coach trips from Lancashire to the First World War battlefields on The Western Front. Over the last few years I have assisted BBC Television in the North West, Granada Reports and BBC Radio Lancashire with WW1 related stories. I am also a regular contributor of ‘Flashback’ articles to the Chorley Guardian, as well as to other local newspapers and community magazines.
Taking early retirement in 2008, I spent most of my working life in sales & marketing, being used to presenting at product launches, sales conferences, seminars, meetings and training sessions. In 2003, I researched and presented my first history talk to Brindle Historical Society, where I am the Secretary. Back then, I used what is now regarded as rather ‘old fashioned’ technology by way of OHP (overhead projector). Now I research, design and present a range of highly illustrated talks using the latest computer based PowerPoint and graphics software.
My portfolio includes other areas of interest, besides the First World War. As a boy I was brought up in the era of steam trains, travelling on them to the Lancashire coast and the Lake District. I now offer a number of ‘then and now’ talks’ on lost railway lines in the region and recently added a talk about the railways to the Lancashire Coast.
As a former football Referee, I also offer a talk on my 30 year career including 12 years as a Linesman on The Football League. Living equidistant between Preston and Blackburn, I offer several talks about both clubs including one based around Preston North End stalwart, Sir Tom Finney and one about Blackburn Rovers star of the 1960s, Bryan Douglas. I combine my interest in the First World War and the football with a talk entitled ‘Footballers in the trenches’.
My most popular talk is one called ‘A Mother’s Tears’, which was originally created for ladies groups when a few felt that the First World War “wasn’t for them”. It is now well received by groups across the board whilst men’s groups like the ‘Footballers in the Trenches’ talk.
For those who like looking back at social and local history, I offer talks on two Lancashire villages with presentations on a local cotton mill, the ups and downs of my local village hall (1923 to 2006) and a presentation entitled ‘Brindle and Hoghton, then and now’.
My talks last between 45 minutes and an hour and are aimed at mixed audiences, including the education sector and the after-dinner market. I am available at lunchtime or to suit education timetables, and can travel across the North West of England or further afield, if required. I do not use notes but would be lost without my projector, screen and laptop computer (which I can supply).
Finally, I offer a number of other services – from marketing and fundraising consultancy to WW1 articles and research (including individual soldiers), plus planning and leading battlefield trips to The Western Front (my next trip is to the Somme over the late May Bank Holiday in 2011).
For a complete list of my talks plus rates, click here.
