Kevin Little
Speaker Topics
Animals & Wildlife, Business & Economics, Entertainment & Comedy, Travel & Lifestyle, Other
Locations Covered
South East, South West
Fees
£75 - £150
Availability
Short Notice, 1 Month Minimum, 3 Month Minimum
Profile Bio
I was a fishmonger for 54 years in Reading town centre and owned my own business. My spare time was taken up with my narrow boat, my rescued animals, and my travels around the world.
I have cruised around England in my narrowboat, from the Birmingham Canal Navigation to the tidal Thames. I was lucky enough to live on the Kennet and Avon Canal near Reading for 10 years.
I cared for many rescued animals, from birds, cats, ducks, geese, ponies, and goats to dogs.
I have travelled around the world - I was one of the first tourists in postwar Vietnam, I visited the Pacific state of Vanuatu, and many countries in Europe, Africa, Asia and North America.
I have been doing talks for over 12 years. I can talk for hours, but I usually limit myself to 45 minutes or an hour – this is a subject we can discuss! I love to speak to audiences live because there is much more interaction, but I have "zoomed" talks all over the UK. I'm based in the Southwest (postcode TA), but travel frequently to the Thames Valley.
Talk Description
FISHY TALES
I was a fishmonger for 54 years so I have the experience to talk about hilarious incidents with health inspectors, the police, customs officials and, last but not least, customers. My tales include the story of how I was nearly arrested for selling pike, and the near disaster with the dolphin.
Other Talks
ANIMAL TALES
When I lived by the Kennet and Avon Canal near Reading I brought a lot of birds back to health, from the duck that lived in the bath, the starling that swallowed a fishing hook, to the crow that fell out of a nest. When I moved to Somerset some 30 years ago I walked into a situation where I started to rescue dogs, ponies, ducks, geese, goats and sheep – that’s because my house came with 12 acres. Because it was in the country, so many (many) feral cats came my way and I took them on, until I reached my maximum of 35. None were breeding, they just turned up. Now I am in the happy position of owning only 4 cats, and I can assure you it’s much easier to manage! The only trouble is that the magpie is now in control, and he’s learned how to use the catflap!
WANDERING THE WATERWAYS OF BRITAIN
I owned a narrowboat for many years, so here you will hear tales from the waterways of Britain. How I was drunk in charge of my boat on the Foxton flight, my engine failed on the Thames near Tower Bridge, I broke down on the course at Henley Regatta, and the joys of taking a cat for a cruise on the Kennet and Avon Canal.
TRAVELLER'S TALES
In more than 50 years of travelling the world I drove a rickshaw with no brakes in India, heard about bear’s milk in the Philippines, nearly got arrested on Brooklyn Bridge and got chased by coconut crabs in Vanuatu.
TALES OF OLD READING
I was born in Reading, Berkshire, during the very cold winter of 1947 and lived and worked there for 54 years. My life as a fishmonger was entirely in Reading town centre and I knew many of the people who made the town so different. Stories of all the different shops in Smelly Alley (officially Union Street), named after the sixteen century open sewer that ran down its length (not named after the fishmongers!), the fire at Waring and Gillows, testing the newly-built Reading bridge by driving steam rollers onto it, the fish dock at Reading station, the toilet in the Oracle, and the now forgotten Vaudeville cinema.
