Christopher went on to enjoy a successful management
career, in hotels, retail management and consultancy,
often involving lecturing, writing guidance manuals and
reports. Now living close to St Katharine Docks,
Christopher’s passion for London further grew with
lecturing about Dickensian times and gaining further
insight into the capital’s history and culture. Spurred on
by Dickens’ reputation as the greatest writer, reformer
and performer of his period, he became well known for his
public talks -in period dress.
He has hosted events and appeared in documentaries for the
BBC, American television and Londonist, becoming a
respected expert. Christopher’s ‘Dickens Day For Great
Ormond Street Hospital’ was a big fund raiser and personal
gratitude to the famous hospital for saving the life of
one of his granddaughters.
Daily inspired by the unique area in which he lives, he
wrote ‘The Story Of St Katharine’s, which describes its
history, from the ancient hospital and church founded by
Queen Matilda c1148, the Precinct of more than four
thousand people who lived there, onto the famous Telford
Docks which replaced the Precinct, dereliction and then
resurrection towards building the splendid Yacht Marina
that we know and cherish today.
The book was immediately well received and acknowledged as
an important piece of literature because the ‘story’ had
not been told in full before. The book is well illustrated
and establishes St Katharine’s as a unique part of London,
steeped in its own history.
After the Story of St Katharine's success, Christopher
West was inspired to write his new book ‘Poppies, Pomp and
People', about 'a year at the Tower of London.’ By tracing
its comings and goings over a period, this book gives a
unique insight into the modern Tower, the ceremonies, the
events, the experience of living in a historic landmark,
and all the people who make it work.
The Foreword for the book was generously written by Lord
Dannatt, then Constable and previously head of the British
Army, who pointed out that 'this is a record of life
today, proving that the Tower of London is living history
and not just a relic of the past…. Christopher West has
captured the story in a delightful way, and I commend this
book to all who want to get a real feel for life inside
the Tower of London today.’