English.
Black History, Financial Institutions, Tours for children.
I offer three tours (although can also respond to specific interests) :
Pirates of the Indian Ocean
The East India Company was the largest corporation in the world bringing to London exotic spices, cloth, tea, precious metals etc. They were the architects of Empire, fearing no one. The City of London and the Company’s business was intertwined for over 200 years - a legacy still tangible today. After its downfall, evidence of the Company was swept away, but we can still find traces of their story in the alleys, churches, and streets of the City. (Can be adapted for children).
For the Love of Tea
There is nothing British about a cup of tea and yet it is our favourite drink. Tea was brought by the East India Company from China. Sugar from the Caribbean. Even Freesian cows were from the Netherlands. Take a tour of the City’s streets and discover the origins of our cuppa, tea auction sites etc. and hear what made residents of Boston in the US shout ‘Throw the tea in the sea’. Optional: end with cream tea or coffee in a stylish setting.
Saints and sinners
This walk looks at the history of the City of London through the eyes of some of its famous residents, such as Shakespeare, the 1st Earl of Sandwich and Mary Poppins to name only a few. You decide who is a saint and who is a sinner. We will start outside St Paul’s and end at Blackfriars finding the nooks and crannies along the way. A visit to the ‘wedding cake’ church of St Bride’s church is also included.
‘Who Do You Think You Are’?
I am also an experienced ancestry researcher, specialising in London’s records and social history. I can offer ancestry research of your family tree, presented as a narrative, and an organised 90 minute London walk for you and your family where we visit sites and area you are connected to. We would start with a one hour free zoom call to gather facts and get to know each other. Prices depend on research time likely to be needed.
About Me
After a career in development, living and travelling overseas, I decided to qualify as a City of London guide. I am fascinated by London’s Square Mile, its history, and love sharing that with others.
Before that, between 2016 and 2019, I was the Governor of St Helena, Ascension Island, and Tristan da Cunha. I was the first (and so far only) woman to hold this post in five hundred years of history. The island was run by the East India company until it was handed to the Crown on the death of Napoleon in 1821 who was exiled there.
I have liability insurance as a City of London guide
I am also available for after dinner speaking and motivational talks.
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