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Famous Faces, Forgotten Jobs

Jennifer Cowling


Regions:
Oxfordshire, Berkshire, Gloucestershire, Wiltshire
Notice Period:
Emergency (maybe less than one week's notice)
Type:
Professional
Fee:
Paid: £65 fee + 45p per mile to and from Wantage (£70 from 1 April 2027)
Category:
Humanities
Updated:
18th May 2026

What do a coffin polisher, an ice-cream seller and a lion tamer have in common? They all went on to become household names! Everyone has to start somewhere — and some people start in very strange places indeed. This entertaining talk uncovers the weird, wonderful and sometimes downright baffling jobs famous figures from the worlds of entertainment, politics and sport did before success arrived. A perfect reminder that success can come from the most unexpected places.

Views: 37 | Enquiries: 0

About Jennifer Cowling

I've been working as a freelance speaker for eight years. My audience is mainly WI, U3A and other clubs and societies for retired or semi-retired people, numbers ranging from 15-20 to 120-150. I have a good clear voice and have been invited back to many groups over the years. My Talks Programme (available on request) is varied. My (45 mins-1 hour) talks are entertaining as well as informative and I really enjoy giving them. I have kept my pricing at a very reasonable level. I have always had positive verbal feedback. Here's a selection of additional emailed comments:

"Thank you so much for a fascinating talk last night.  All these expressions we use without even thinking about them.  We just absorb them without really ever being told what they mean"

"All the slides were fascinating and it was so nice to hear your recollections of your journey told with such verve and passion"

"Just a quick email to thank you so very much for your fabulous talk yesterday evening.  As our president mentioned, it was fascinating to discover the history behind some of the phrases that we all use every day without ever questioning where they have originated from"

........"Your talk went down so well  that I have had several requests for you to speak again"

"We really enjoyed your talk on Wednesday - as I'm sure you realised from people's comments and reactions. It was both interesting and entertaining"


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