Simon Wills

Dr Simon Wills is an historian, wildlife photographer, and genealogist who writes widely for multiple media. He has a longstanding interest in the history of seafaring, and is maritime adviser to the BAFTA award-winning BBC series 'Who Do You Think You Are?'. Simon is an experienced presenter on historical subjects and gives talks and interviews for festivals and societies, and for organisations such as the BBC, National Trust, and National Archives. Simon enjoys the research required to create an authentic account of the past, but believes in telling a good story too.

You can follow Simon on Twitter @WillsyWriter or via www.birdsandtrees.net

His latest publications is 'Shipwrecks in 100 Objects' which explores 500 years of lost ships and the bravery, tragedy and innovation associated with these disasters. Meet the man shipwrecked three times within an hour, a coastguard still diving overboard to save lives at 79, and the lifeboat inventor who endured someone else taking credit for his work. Learn about the cowardly captain who deserted his passengers on a sinking ship, the obstinate ship-designer who took 480 men to their deaths, and the first mate who wrecked his own ship for insurance money.

Two of his most well-received books are 'A History of Birds' and 'A History of Trees' featuring Simon's original photos. These books tell the historical back story to familiar birds and trees, revealing fascinating tales about our ancestors' interactions with the natural world and what they believed. Learn, for example, why Queen Anne paid a large sum for a cutting from a walnut tree in Somerset, and which bird was believed to have created the world.

Simon's well-received 'Wreck of the SS London' is the intriguing tale of the loss of a luxury liner in 1866. Only three passengers survived the disaster, and the unexpected twists and turns of real-life events open up the dangerous world of Victorian ships.

Simon's guide to photographs of our maritime ancestors, 'Tracing Your Seafaring Ancestors', reveals the stories behind the images. What rank is that Royal Navy officer? Is this a yachtsman? Did he work for P&O? If you enjoy maritime photos or have seafaring ancestors, then this heavily-illustrated unique book is an invaluable guide.

Shortlisted for the Mountbatten Maritime Literature Award, Simon's novel 'Lifeboatmen' is a surprising but true story set in 1866. Lifeboatmen are famed for their courage, but what happens when things don't go according to plan in the middle of a hurricane...?

'Voyages From The Past' tells true stories of passengers who travelled by ship from the 16th to the 20th centuries. Their first-hand accounts illustrate how life at sea has changed dramatically over the centuries. Each voyage is full of the amusing, tragic, or everyday anecdotes of real people - from malodorous ships' captains to pirates, rats, wrecks, and disease.

Simon also has a longstanding interest in the history of healthcare - working for 35 years as an information expert in the NHS, where he created the award-winning Medicines Learning Portal. When he's not working, his many interests include exploring new places, cricket, birdwatching, the theatre, and his dog, Max.