How talking about my interests changed my life

By Brian Jones - 06/10/2008

It all began on a wet Friday in December 1997 at Nottingham University.  We were there to see our son receive his Masters degree, and I was impressed and surprised by the number of 'mature' students who were also collecting their University degrees.

 
I had enjoyed a varied career in industry but now - aged 57 - no-one seemed interested in me.  Insurance call centres and DIY shop floor roles seemed to be the limits of my opportunities.   These jobs were reasonably stress free and paid adequately, provided the wife continued to work, but my mind needed stretching.

 

Seeing those 'mature' people getting their degrees was the stimulus I needed. 'If they can do that, so can I', I thought - and I was serious.  I decided to start studying again - and got hooked on the experience.  But adult education does not come free so I needed to earn some money - over and above that I was getting from my 'day job' - to pay fees.  At the time two local schools were hosting evening classes so I wrote to both offering to present one off talks or multi-session courses on Family History.  One responded and I was on my way.  

 

The buzz I got from that first course was fantastic.  Now I knew what I wanted to do with the next phase of my life.  I also knew that I wanted to study more - those mature students and their degrees haunted me - and that would cost more money so I needed more sources of work.  


 

I contacted the regional office of the Workers' Educational Association.  Founded in 1903 the WEA is the UK’s largest voluntary provider of adult education and, with over 650 local branches nationally, it is as vibrant today as it was 100 years ago.   My meeting with the local tutor organiser was helpful and encouraging - and I was booked for my first WEA course to be presented in the Autumn 2000 term.  He did not want Family History; for the branch he had in mind it needed to have a local bias.  Always up for a challenge I committed to produce an eight-week course on 'The Fens' - and produced 'The Fens - man made by the landscape', local history and my interest in the lives of 'real' people coming together nicely.

 

I was on my way to my new life.  I set about putting together other courses that were 'marketable' and in doing so I expanded my knowledge and kept my enthusiasm fresh.

 

Eight years on I have now presented almost 150 multi-session courses for the WEA on subjects as varied as 'The Great Fenland Monasteries', 'Superstitions, Traditions and Celebrations' and 'From Ragtime to Rock 'n' Roll - a Social History of Popular Music'.

 

Word got around - helped by a local paper article which called me a 'quirky historian' -and I started to receive enquiries from groups such as Probus, WI and the like about one-off talks for them.  The answer obviously had to be 'yes' and I now have a core of over 30 talks on offer, with variations or new ones being added all the time.  My daughter and I appeared on the popular BBC TV 'Bargain Hunt' in 2007 and I now have frequent requests to tell others about our 45 minutes of fame.  


 

The 'talks market' provides unlimited opportunities for individuals to share their enthusiasm about their interests with others.  Just think.  Do you collect something - china/porcelain; stamps; paperweights; thimbles; whatever?  Did you have an interesting or unusual job in days gone by - remember Gilbert Harding on 'What's My Line' and the Sagger-maker's bottom knocker?  Have you been to any unusual places, or just 'usual' places that others may not visit?  A friend of mine visited Antarctica and people love to hear of the journey and see the slides.

 

I now have 'regular customers' who occasionally ask for something different to suit their programme.  Saturday 27 September 2008 was 'Grandparents Day' and a Family History group asked me to research and present a talk on 'Grandparents through the ages'.   I had fun researching it and the 'mature' audience enjoyed sharing their memories and regrets about their grandparents.

 

You won't get wealthy on the 'talks' circuit, but you could earn some pocket money or your favourite charity much needed donations.  Quite literally - the opportunities are endless and the enjoyment for both sides considerable.  
Give it a thought.  Give it a try.  You might find it changes your life as it has mine.

 

 

You can reach Brian to book talks on talkinghistory@msn.com