Candidate Profile

THE CRUISE SHIP ENRICHMENT NETWORK
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EXPERTISE
Extraordinary Lives & Famous People
Film & TV
History - General
History - Social
PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE WITH:
BIOGRAPHY
Engaging, knowledgeable and entertaining Rachel Kolsky is a popular social historian, prize-winning London Blue Badge Tourist Guide and author.

Focussing on the 'human stories behind the buildings' Rachel's talks are known to be fun and informative filled with anecdotes past and present. From off-the-beaten track London and famous personalities to cinemas and shopping, memories of all aspects of London's rich and varied social history come flooding back.

Before embarking on her career as Guide and Lecturer Rachel, a qualified librarian, worked as an information professional in the financial services industry for over 25 years being recognised at industry level with the Information Professional of the Year award in 2006. Her professional organisation, SLA, awarded her the Membership Achievement Award in 2008.

When not working or guiding she supports her local independent cinema, The Phoenix, East Finchley, where she was a Trustee for over 20 years. Rachel has published five books, Jewish London (2012), Whitechapel in 50 Buildings (2016), Secret Whitechapel (2017), Women’s London (2018) and Whitechapel Doors (2019) and she is thrilled to have been a guest lecturer on cruises since 2009.




(Click image for full size)
TALK TITLES
SAMPLE TALKS
DISCOVER LONDON: THE HUMAN STORIES BEHIND THE BUILDINGS

Please note that all are illustrated talks using screen and projector. Images include photos of the current buildings and archive pictures for the historical aspects. The talks can last for as long as required but tend to be between 45 minutes and 75 minutes. Cruises require 45 minutes.
This is only a selection .... the themes are never ending but these have proved to be very popular

DISRAELI'S LONDON
A trip around Disraeli's London from the house of his birth to his final resting place. En route you visit places and buildings known to Disraeli - where he spent his school days, where he worked, where he lived and where he forged his political career. We also meet his wife and some of his most faithful friends and colleagues.

PICTURE PALACES
Sit back and re-live the glory days of cinema going. From the early purpose built Picturedromes to the ‘picture palaces’ of the 1930s this is an opportunity to appreciate again the architecture of the Odeons and Granadas and the memories of the films and film stars but with the cinemas themselves taking centre stage.

LIGHTS, CHUTZPAH, ACTION
Discover the contribution made to the British film industry by Jewish producers, directors, designers, distributors and actors. From the early pioneers to 1930s emigres and beyond their stories take you from Gaumont to Gainsborough, Ealing to Essoldo, Korda to Klinger and Skikne to Steiner. So sit back and enjoy these magic cinematic memories.

(these two talks complement each other and might be good choices for a film location themed cruise)

THE STORIES BEHIND THE STORES
This virtual tour in and around London's premier shopping streets, discovers how shopping has developed in London and how small shops from centuries ago have become household names across the world. Stories include Rags to Riches, Riches to Rags, Murder and Prison!!
(fyi - stores profiled include John Lewis, Selfridges, Fortnum and Mason, Harrods, Debenhams, Army and Navy and Marks and Spencer)

LADIES' AND GENTLEMEN'S ST JAMES'S
Savour the historic shops and gentlemen’s clubs of aristocratic St James's that have remained the same for centuries. They served Nelson, Wellington, Wilde and Churchill and whatever your needs, a vintage port, a bowler hat, a long leisurely lunch or a bed for the night, there will be an establishment for you too!

Note: The history of shopping and the stores is fascinating and could be done as a series of talks, all quite different.
The Stories Behind The Stores - the premier department stores as above
London Markets - development of markets and examples past and present - Covent Garden, Smithfield, Billingsgate, Brick Lane, Columbia Road, Spitalfields, Petticoat Lane, local markets still surviving eg Roman Road
Gentlemen's London - in and around St James;s eg Lock, Lobb, Dr Harris, Berry Bros, Floris, Beau Brummell and the arcades, Hatchards and various shirt shops
The Great British High Street - this talk concentrates on the development of the High Street and profiling key shops eg Boots, WH Smith, M&S, Tesco, Sainsbury

COTTAGES TO CADETS, GARDENS TO GREEN BELT: Octavia Hill
Discover the life and legacy Octavia Hill, a tireless social reformer, co-founder of the National Trust, 'mother' of housing management, friend of Ruskin and the Barnetts and promoter of beauty and open spaces for everyone

AT HOME WITH THE ROTHSCHILDS
'Plus Anglais que les Anglais' the Rothschilds in England owned an array of homes in London and the country that rivalled, if not surpassed in some ways those of the English aristocracy. This talk focusses on their homes, how they entertained, their romances and their close friends, colleagues and servants.

ALL CHANGE AT KING’S CROSS
This is the site that everyone is flocking to since the arrival of the Eurostar at St Pancras station.. Once London's most notorious red light district this area has undergone a transformation. Two Victorian railway stations, the gothic splendour of the Midland Grand Hotel, industrial buildings, a German Gymnasium and wonderful new public art all feature in this talk.

BEATLES’ LONDON
The Beatles arrived in London in 1962 and they gave their last public performance on the roof of the Apple building in 1969 before breaking up the following year. This talk highlights the London they made their own including the psychedelic Apple store where the labels cost more than the clothes, homes of Paul and Ringo and briefly John, film locations and the registry office where Paul married Linda and broke so many hearts.

THE MEMORY LINGERS ON – THE JEWISH EAST END
The Jewish community may no longer live in Spitalfields but the streets and buildings still evoke memories of the synagogues, schools and soup kitchens. Not forgetting Yiddish theatre and the street markets in and around Petticoat Lane. Stories of other immigrant communities of the area, such as the Huguenots and Bengalis are also woven into the talk.

Note: For cruises with a high proportion of Jewish passengers the talk above can be given as one of a series profiling the varied Jewish areas and communities in London, past and present.
For example:
Jewish Art and Artists, Jewish Theatreland, Jewish West End, Jewish Hampstead, The Lost Synagogues of London. Disraeli's London and At Home with the Rothschilds are also suitable.

WONDERFUL WOMEN OF WHITECHAPEL
A tour around Whitechapel and Spitalfields discovering women, past and present who have defined the area and have left their mark
Women profiled include Eva Luckes, Princess Alexandra and Edith Cavell at the London Hospital, Annie Besant and her campaigns for working women, Mary Hughes and the Dew Drop Inn, Miriam Moses and the Brady Girls Club, Maria Dickin who founded the PDSA, Millie Lansbury the suffragette and Poplarist, Monica Ali and her novel Brick Lane and Tracey Emin, the YBA who has made Spitalfields her home

BATTLING BELLES OF BOW
This tour centres on Bow and follows the footsteps of Sylvia Pankhurst who chose east London as the starting point for her campaign for women's suffrage and seeing the plight of the working women and mothers also established a creche, restaurant and model toy factory in the area. East End women were key to the success of the Suffragette movement and the route highlights their supporters and their workplaces including the famous Bryant & May Match Factory, site of the Match girls' strike of 1888.
CRUISE HISTORY / EXPERIENCE
PENDING
Fred Olsen - Borealis - Canaries at Xmas - December 2023/January 2024
Viking - Saturn - Mediterranean - March 2024
Cunard - QM2 - M411A - Transatlantic - May 2024
Cunard - Queen Anne - H413 - UK - May 2024
Cunard - Queen Victoria - V418C - Croatia - July 2024
Cunard - QM2 - M247 - UK - August 2024

COMPLETED

Oceania - Sirena - Mediterranean - 3 November 2023
Cunard - Queen Victoria - V309 - Mediterranean - 16 April 2023
Saga - Spirit of the Rhine - No code - Holland at the Movies - 23 March 2023

Cunard - QM2 - M301 - Caribbean - 22 December 2022
Cunard - QM2 - M223 - Transatlantic Eastward - 5 August 2022
Cunard - QM2 - M204P - Caribbean - 26 January 2022

Fred Olsen - Bolette - T2130 - Canaries and Madeira - 20 December 2021
Saga - Spirit of the Rhine - No code - Rhine 70th Saga Anniversary - 22 November 2021
Cunard - Queen Elizabeth - Q124P - UK - 27 August 2021

(Lock-Down)

Cunard - Queen Victoria - V928 - Iberian Peninsula - 28 November 2019
Fred Olsen - Boudicca - D1901 - Alexandria to Dover - 2 February 2019
Cunard - QM2 - M902 - Transatlantic Eastward - 3 January 2019

Fred Olsen - Balmoral - L1838 - Xmas Markets - 13 December 2018
Fred Olsen - Black Watch - W1801 - Australia and Indonesia (Sydney to KL) - 27 February 2018
Fred Olsen - Braemar - M1803 - Amazon (Barbados to Barbados) - 1 February 2018

Fred Olsen - Braemar - M1727 - Belgium and Holland - 3 November 2017
Fred Olsen - Braemar - M1704 - Caribbean - 16 February 2017

Fred Olsen - Balmoral - L1628 - Caribbean - 12 November 2016
Fred Olsen - Balmoral - L1602 - Rio and South America to Cape Verde - 19 January 2016

In addition there are previous cruises between 2009 and 2015 which are not listed.
ADDITIONAL RELEVANT INFORMATION
Here are some lovely comments from passengers and a cruise report not yet loaded to the Reviews section:

‘..., you were brilliant on the QM2. It all comes down to good communication and that is a skill that you have got. ... You are quite outstanding.’ (Passenger)

‘I hope you don't mind me saying how inspirational, informative, humorous and engaging I found your talks on the Cape Verde cruise which ended today.’ (Passenger)

'I thought your talks were brilliant and so did all the passengers. The subjects were all interesting and we were all spell bound. It was all well put together and just plain fascinating.’ (Passenger)

'I thought all your lectures were great – interesting, informative, historical - and presented in such a delightfully enthusiastic and engaging way. Really excellent.’ (Passenger)

I really enjoyed your lectures, you present them with wit and vivacity.’ (Passenger)

'I very much enjoyed your presentations on board, you are a delight to listen to!’ (Passenger)

Cunard - Rachel is a lively speaker who is clearly passionate about what she does. She also offered to do an Interest Corner on how to get a book published - and went down well.
RECENT PAST CRUISES COMPLETED
The following recent Cruise History has been recorded for this candidate.
SHIP REF CRUISE DESCRIPTION NIGHTS SAILING FROM DEPARTURE DATE
Viking Saturn SA240320 Journey to Antiquities 7 Piraeus (Athens) Wednesday, March 20, 2024
Viking Saturn SA240313 Ancient Mediterranean Treasures 7 Istanbul Wednesday, March 13, 2024
Viking Saturn SA240306 Ancient Mediterranean Treasures 7 Piraeus (Athens) Wednesday, March 6, 2024
Queen Victoria V309 Middle East & Europe 20 Dubai Monday, April 3, 2023
Queen Mary 2 M301 Caribbean Celebration 12 New York Thursday, December 22, 2022
Queen Mary 2 M223 Transatlantic Crossing 10 New York Tuesday, August 2, 2022
Queen Mary 2 M204P Eastern Caribbean 28 Southampton Friday, January 14, 2022
Bolette T2130 White Christmas in Norway 15 Southampton Monday, December 20, 2021
Queen Elizabeth Q124P British Isles Coastal Cruise with Liverpool 7 Southampton Friday, August 27, 2021
Queen Victoria V928 Spain and Portugal 10 Southampton Thursday, November 28, 2019
Boudicca D1901 Ancient Arabia, India & the Mediterranean 34 Colombo Thursday, January 10, 2019
Queen Mary 2 M902 Eastbound Transatlantic Crossing 7 New York Thursday, January 3, 2019
Balmoral L1838 Christmas Markets of Germany & Denmark 8 Southampton Thursday, December 13, 2018
Braemar M1803 Amazon River Adventure 14 Bridgetown Thursday, February 1, 2018
Black Watch W1801-1805 Wonders of the World (Part Cruise) 108 Southampton Friday, January 5, 2018
Braemar M1727 Waterways of Belgium & Holland 7 Southampton Friday, November 3, 2017
Braemar M1704 The Best of the Caribbean 14 Bridgetown Thursday, February 16, 2017
Balmoral L1628 A Caribbean Discovery 32 Southampton Saturday, November 12, 2016
Balmoral L1602 Rio Carnival & River Plate 46 Southampton Tuesday, January 19, 2016
Balmoral L1521 Winter Sun Island Hopping 21 Southampton Saturday, November 21, 2015