Profile
William at a Glance
A snapshot of William’s work, passions and the causes close to his heart.
Historian & Music Scholar
Academic background spanning history, geography, music, education and lifelong study.
British Museum Guide
Volunteer eyeOpener guide, with more than 500 tours delivered since 1994.
Lecturer & Speaker
Engaging talks and courses for societies, charities and adult learners.
Composer
Over 40 works across chamber, choral, piano and orchestral music.
Cruise Ship Lecturer
Specialist lectures exploring royal history, music and cultural heritage.
Teacher & Educator
Teaching adult education classes in history and music since 1992.
Personal profile
My name is Dr William Sterling – welcome to my website. I hold degrees in History and Geography with additional qualifications in Music and Education.
I taught full-time at an Independent School in Kent for four years before joining the Civil Service. I worked for 16 years in the Department of Transport, where I held a variety of roles including Private Secretary to two Ministers and as part of teams working on the Horses Bill (1990), Accommodation, Relocation, Contracts, Personnel, Finance, Road Planning and Computing.
I then worked for the Department of Education for 8 years, in Finance and Personnel, and helped run Failing Schools in the Fresh Start and other Programmes.
A lifelong passion for history, music and learning, shared through teaching, composing and public speaking.
Academic background
I took early retirement from the Civil Service in 2008 to devote more time to academic studies
I completed non-qualification courses at Morley College and Goldsmith’s and completed my MA in 1988 (Birkbeck) and my PhD in 2008 (King’s College London), attending the graduation ceremony in 2009.
Civil Service Career
16 years at the Department of Transport and 8 years at the Department for Education.
Roles included Private Secretary to two Ministers and work across finance, personnel, policy, planning and major programmes supporting schools in need.
Teaching, Lecturing & Specialisms
Teaching Adult Education classes in History and the History of Music since 1992.
I have lectured on cruise ships since 2011 and am a Royal History and Music specialist in the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries.
Music, Compositions & Interests
I compose over 40 works for a variety of ensembles ranging from piano and song through chamber to orchestral works.
My other hobbies include Badminton, Ballroom and Latin American Dancing, Theatre and Travel.
British Museum & Public Speaking
I have been a volunteer eyeOpener guide at the British Museum since 1994 and have led more than 500 tours.
I am a former chairman and current treasurer of the Department for Education Music Society, sing in choirs in Central London and composing for charity.
Let’s stay in touch
I am always happy to hear from organisations, societies or individuals interested in talks, courses or collaborative projects.