Hello, I’m Jo (they call me Spooky Jo)
I’m a historian, author and tour guide, and for 16 years I’ve stood in front of strangers in Coventry, Birmingham, Rugby, and London and I have made history worth listening to.
I’ve seen what makes a crowd lean in, and what makes them check their phones. It’s never the dates. It’s the troublemaker, the secret, the feud and the ghost with opinions.
I also run Dark History UK, where the stories get a bit spookier. Dead Cool Storytelling Co. is what happened when venues kept asking me the same thing: “Can you make our history sound like that?”
Yes. Yes, I can.
We dig it up, dust it off and give it a voice people actually want to repeat.
What I believe
Every venue has a story: Usually a better one than the one on the plaque.
Accurate and entertaining aren’t opposites: Every story is properly researched. It just doesn’t read like homework.
Stories should be shared, not locked away: That’s why the checklist is a free download with no sign-up.
“Many, many thanks for a great evening walking around Coventry last night. Everyone enjoyed it tremendously, with a bit of history, blitz, ghosts and a laugh as we went. Thank you again.”
WHO IT’S FOR
Old buildings are full of drama. Most of it is hiding behind a laminated panel. Here’s who we help dig it out.
Historic houses and castles: Fourteen generations of one family and not one good anecdote on the signs? We can fix that.
Museums and heritage attractions: Your collection is brilliant. Your labels are putting people to sleep.
Hotels, inns and pubs: Every old pub claims a ghost. Let’s find out whose, and why they’re so annoyed.
Wedding and event venues: Couples want a story to tell their guests. Give them one that isn’t just “built in 1742.”
Churches, cathedrals and cemeteries: Rich history, serious subject matter, and visitors who deserve better than a leaflet.
Tourist boards, councils and trails: Whole towns with great stories and nobody telling them. We can help you tell them.
How It Works
No jargon. No 40-page strategy document nobody reads. Just a proper chat, some proper digging and a story you’ll be proud to tell.
The chat. Tell us about your venue. What do visitors ask? What do staff dread being asked? What does the plaque say? We listen, we ask nosy questions, and we have a biscuit.
The dig. We research your building, your people and your past. We find the troublemakers, the secrets and the feuds, and we check every fact so the drama is true.
The story. We write it in a voice that sounds like a person, not a panel. You review it, tweak it and tell us what feels like you.
The handover. Your finished stories go where they need to go: panels, website, tours, staff scripts, social posts. Your team knows how to tell them.
What you’ll need to bring
Curiosity, a few old folders, and a willingness to say “we’ve always done it that way” out loud, so we can gently ignore it.
Get Me Out of Beige
Address
Coventry, United Kingdom
Call Us
07958 023 594
Email Us
hello@darkhistoryuk.co.uk