Talks

I love to share my historical knowledge and love for Panama Canal Zone history, and hear audience responses to my talks

Its great fun !

I've given multiple talks to local societies in the UK (and have more booked)

  • U3A (University of 3rd age UK)
  • WSS (World Ship Society UK)
  • Postcard Clubs
  • Retirement societies

I come with my own laptop and present with a full PowerPoint presentation incorporating pictures/postcards of Canal History

Please use the link below to get in touch if your organisation/society would be interested in a talk.

CONTACT CLIVE

I have the choice of two talks available to present

Talk 1 is titled:

BUILDING THE CANAL 1875 to 1914

The talk is a great introduction to understanding early Panama Canal history and how it came to be built to the point of the first transit of a ship ocean to ocean

I can tailor/adjust the talk between 45 minutes to 70 minutes dependant on venue/audience requirement

It includes

  • Short history of Panama from 1500's to 1800's
  • French era of canal choice and build effort 1875-1889
  • Comparison of Suez/Panama challenges
  • French attempt and reasons for failure
  • Next Steps
  • Decisions that led to the USA choosing the Panama route over Nicaragua
  • Panama Independence from Columbia
  • Early issues faced during the USA build
  • Engineering/Medical advances that pushed the project forward
  • How the Canal works
  • Opening of the Canal for Maritime traffic in 1914

Talk 2 is titled :

Postcards and the Panama Canal

This talk focuses on postcards with a specific focus on maritime traffic

It can be tailored/adjust talk between 50 minutes to 70 minutes dependant on venue/audience requirement

It includes

  • Photography in the Canal Zone in the early days
  • Postcard producers of the Canal Zone
  • Printing techniques used to turn Black and White images to Colour cards
  • Examples of colour Cards. Ships in Transit pre WWII
  • Types of vessels that transited the canal in the early years
  • Shipping company issued views and their variations
  • Introduction of colour chrome postcards from 1950 onwards
  • Famous liners and warships in transit post WWII