Hello, thanks for looking in. This is me:
I was born in 1964 in Bromley, London.
That was the year that UK Prime Minister Sir Alec Douglas Home was making way for Harold Wilson at Number 10, while across the Pond, US President Lyndon B. Johnson had stepped into the shoes of the late John F. Kennedy, assassinated the year before.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize while Soviet Union leader Nikita Khrushchev was deposed and replaced by Leonid Brezhnev.
We had no home computers or laptops, iPhones or iPads. No internet or digital cameras. Entertainment meant tuning in to BBC1 or ITV, and the idea of streaming your favourite show was as far-fetched as a trip to the moon (that wouldn’t happen for another five years by the way).
There were no cash machines, GPS, LED lighting or flat-screen TVs.
But there was a lot of love. This was the swinging sixties when London became the ‘capital of cool’, the ‘anything goes’ era. Top of the Pops was first broadcast in the UK and The Beatles were becoming a worldwide phenomenon.
As for my small part in this unfolding tapestry, I have spent over thirty years helping small businesses to grow; sometimes my own, sometimes others’. I ran a small brewery selling craft beer in the late 90s and naughties, and since then have consulted for a wide range of other people’s businesses.
I have spent the last 26 years helping my three kids to grow too.
Throughout all those business and family experiences, a common theme has been that of “storytelling”. Successful businesses thrive on telling stories and children thrive on listening to them. In fact, stories are essential to us all.
In my Dates with History newsletter, I tell personal stories from history, taking a look at a wide range of historical snippets relevant to the week following each Sunday morning’s edition, usually from the perspective of an individual.
Here’s some of the feedback I have received from readers:
Thanks for the newsletter! What I value about it is the spark of curiosity which clearly leads you to investigation and finally to invitation to others with curiosity. As you say…cheers …. from a fellow sojourner on the road of curiosity! Mike
Your entire "column" is one of the most interesting ones I've read. Period! I'm so pleased to have this to savor. God bless you and your work! Jack H
Aloha Steve, I am enjoying your newsletter, teeming with information. It's keeping my curious mind active. Much more entertaining than reading the news. Thank you, Aloha, stay safe and be well. Suzie, Hawaii
I'd just like to say thanks for starting my Sundays off with a smile and a positive attitude. J. UK
Hi Steve: I recently discovered your newsletter and it has quickly become my favorite - easily besting the menagerie of finance newsletters I get each day. Thank you for your efforts and keep up the great work! Keith P, Boston Massachusetts
If you’ve read this far, I think I can scratch an itch for you every Sunday. Why not give Dates with History newsletter a try and receive fascinating snippets of history once a week in your inbox. It’s totally free and you can unsubscribe anytime.
Thanks again.
Steve.
Some of my most popular articles:
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Incidentally, I also produce the Batting the Breeze podcast, where I talk to people with personal stories. They may be informative, amusing or thought provoking; they may provide a twist to popular history; they may stir the emotions or inspire, whether through triumph or tragedy.
I decided that if I was going to ask people to share their stories, I ought to share one myself! Take a look at how I got on - Secondhand Embarrassment.
What did you think?
