Edward Foster
Regional Qualification(s):
London
Language(s):
English, French
Phone Number(s):
07810-740593
Contact guide
Introduction:
I was born in Hampstead � one of London�s famous villages � and the area has been home to me ever since. London is in my bones: the streets of Camden Town (where I worked in local journalism); the galleries and the glitz of the West End (which I covered as a Film-Theatre-Music editor based in Covent Garden); and Westminster�s corridors of power.
For over twelve years I was employed by the world�s oldest defence studies think-tank on Whitehall; here I worked closely with Government and the media, analysing, lecturing and commenting on NATO and European security, defence structures and management. This drew on the French, German and Law I had studied at Cambridge University. It sometimes allowed me to indulge my passion for history.
This career also required me to organise events and host VIPs from many countries; skills I now use to present my native London. I myself am a keen foreign traveller, and understand the excitement and satisfaction of making sense of somewhere new. Well, this is the world�s most exciting and varied city. Let me show you � I can tailor London-wide coach tours or visits on foot to specified districts and sites to suit your interests, appetite and time.
Personal Interests:
| Political & military; British & European royalty. |
| Art/architecture; music (classical and popular) |
| English-language and international cinema. |
| Travel and languages. Greyhounds. |
Special Interests:
| Military | Military ceremonial; museums of warfare, military units and arms/armour; British/Continental battlefields; monuments etc. (inc churches) relating to British and foreign military/naval units and personalities. |
| Politics & Government | Westminster and the �Whitehall Village� of government buildings; political history recorded at London sites; monuments, etc. related to statesmen and thinkers; security/espionage (including literature/film). |
| International Links | European/global connections are a theme of mine, whether concerning trade, ruling dynasties, cultural exchanges or the successive immigrations which have enriched London�s landscape and lifestyle. |
| Art/Paintings & Sculpture | I enjoy conducting art-history visits to London�s superb collections of Old Masters and modern/contemporary art. London artists can also provide a theme for tours. |
| Music | As with artists, connections with British/foreign composers can be followed across London, which holds remarkable music-related collections. London naturally buzzes with Jazz/Roots/Rock references. |
| Architecture | London�s shifting influences and energetic renewals are recorded in its buildings; this thread runs through every visit; or can be built into a main theme. |
| Castles & Palaces | Tower of London; Hampton Court; Greenwich; Kensington, Windsor, Blenheim Palace and innumerable other sites outside London. |
| Museums | Besides museums covered above, I offer the British Museum (the world�s first), Kensington�s scientific museums, Sir J.Soane�s eclectic collection, and other oddball public displays. |
| Walking Tours | On request: City of London; Whitehall & St James�s; Mayfair; Covent Garden & Soho; Bloomsbury; Camden Town; Hampstead; Docklands; Greenwich. |
Driver Guide:
No
