In 2023 Simon published his first book Utterly Immoral, Robert Keable and his scandalous novel, the first full biography of Robert Keable. Since then Simon has delivered over 100 talks and lectures about Robert Keable, the South African Native Labour Corps and Tahiti. This website gives details of his talks and Simon also blogs about subjects associated with the life of his grandfather and more. In 2026 he will be publishing his next book, on 1920s Tahiti, and more details will follow soon.

Speaker and writer
We all enjoyed your fascinating and brilliantly delivered talk on Thursday and by all accounts you were deemed the best speaker we've booked in a long time! Committee Member, Ealing U3A
Educated at Sherborne School and Durham University, Simon first worked managing restaurants before re-training as a teacher and spending 25 years as Head of Politics and Director of MUN at a secondary school in Croydon. He now spends his time writing, researching and giving talks about Robert Keable, Tahiti and the SANLC. He has written articles for The Journal of the Society for Army Historical Research, The Church Times, The History News Network, Genealogy Today, The Beresford Family Society Magazine,and The Magdalene College Magazine. He is an accredited lecturer for the Arts Society and also a regular speaker at events run by Western Front Associations, U3As and Family History Societies.
Description of my talk on Robert Keable
Description of my talks on Tahiti
Simon is Robert Keable’s grandson and Utterly Immoral is his first book.
1 Tahiti, the enduring image 1767-1920
2 1920s Tahiti – Writers and Artists
3 Rober Keable, utterly immoral WW1 chaplain and writer?
1 Utterly Immoral, Robert Keable and his scandalous novel
Description of my talk on Robert Keable
2 1920s Tahiti
1. Robert Keable, utterly immoral WW1 chaplain?
2. Treated like POWs. The story of the South African Native Labour Corps.
3. Did we ever say thank you? Foreign labourers serving in France in the British Labour Corps during WW1