Winston Churchill

Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Churchill
KG
TD DL FRS
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
In office
26 October 1951 – 7 April 1955
Monarch George VI
Elizabeth II
Deputy Anthony Eden
Preceded by Clement Attlee
Succeeded by Anthony Eden
In office
10 May 1940 – 26 July 1945
Monarch George VI
Deputy Clement Attlee
Preceded by Neville Chamberlain
Succeeded by Clement Attlee
In office
28 October 1951 – 1 March 1952
Prime Minister Himself
Preceded by Succeeded by The Earl Alexander of Tunis
In office
10 May 1940 – 26 July 1945
Prime Minister Himself
Preceded by Succeeded by Clement Attlee
Chancellor of the Exchequer
In office
6 November 1924 – 4 June 1929
Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin
Preceded by Succeeded by Philip Snowden
In office
19 February 1910 – 24 October 1911
Prime Minister Herbert Henry Asquith
Preceded by Succeeded by President of the Board of Trade
In office
12 April 1908 – 14 February 1910
Prime Minister Herbert Henry Asquith
Preceded by David Lloyd George
Succeeded by Member of Parliament
for
Woodford
In office
5 July 1945 – 15 October 1964
Preceded by New constituency
Succeeded by Patrick Jenkin
Member of Parliament
for Epping
In office
29 October 1924 – 5 July 1945
Preceded by Sir Leonard Lyle
Succeeded by Member of Parliament
for
Dundee
with Alexander Wilkie
In office
24 April 1908 – 15 November 1922
Preceded by Alexander Wilkie
Edmund Robertson
Succeeded by Edmund Morel
Member of Parliament
for
Manchester North West
In office
8 February 1906 – 24 April 1908
Preceded by William Houldsworth
Succeeded by William Joynson-Hicks
Member of Parliament
for Oldham
with Alfred Emmott
In office
24 October 1900 – 12 January 1906
Preceded by Alfred Emmott
Succeeded by Alfred Emmott
John Albert Bright
Personal details
Born Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill
30 November 1874(1874-11-30)
Blenheim Palace, 24 January 1965(1965-01-24) (aged 90)
28
Hyde Park Gate, London, England
Resting place St Martin's Church, Bladon, Oxfordshire
Nationality British
Political party Conservative (1900–04, 1924–64)
Liberal (1904–24)
Spouse(s) «start: (1908-09-12)–end+1: (1965-01-25)»"Marriage: Location: (linkback://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winston_Churchill)
Relations Lady Randolph Churchill (mother)
Pamela Harriman (former daughter-in-law)
Winston Churchill (grandson)
Children Randolph Churchill
Marigold Churchill
Chartwell (Private)
28 Hyde Park Gate, London (Private, place of death)
Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
Profession Member of Parliament, statesman, soldier, journalist, historian, author, painter
Religion Anglican
Military service
Allegiance British Empire
Service/branch British Army
Years of service 1895–1900, 1902–24
Rank Lieutenant-Colonel
Battles/wars Anglo-Afghan War

Mahdist War

Awards Galó de l'Orde del Mèrit (UK).png Order of Companions of Honour ribbon.png India Medal BAR.svg India Medal
Queens Sudan Medal BAR.svg Queen's Sudan Medal
Queens South Africa Medal 1899-1902 ribbon.png Queen's South Africa Medal
1914 Star BAR.svg 1914–15 Star
British War Medal BAR.svg British War Medal
Allied Victory Medal BAR.svg Victory Medal
Territorial Decoration (UK) ribbon.PNG KG, TD, PC, Conservative British politician and Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice (1940–45 and 1951–55). A noted statesman and orator, Churchill was also an British prime minister to have received the Nobel Prize in Literature, and was the first person to be made an Dukes of Marlborough. His father, Chancellor of the Exchequer; his mother, Jenny Jerome, an American socialite. As a young army officer, he saw action in British India, the Sudan and the Second Boer War. He gained fame as a war correspondent and through books he wrote about his campaigns.

At the forefront of politics for fifty years, he held many political and cabinet positions. Before the First World War, he served as President of the Board of Trade, First Lord of the Admiralty as part of the Asquith Gallipoli Campaign, which he had sponsored, caused his departure from government. He then served briefly on the Western Front, commanding the 6th Battalion of the Minister of Munitions, Secretary of State for Air. After the War, Churchill served as Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Conservative (Baldwin) government of 1924–29, controversially returning the pound sterling in 1925 to the gold standard at its pre-War parity, a move widely seen as creating deflationary pressure on the UK economy. Also controversial were Churchill's opposition to increased home rule for India, and his resistance to the 1936 abdication of Edward VIII.

Out of office and politically "in the wilderness" during the 1930s, Churchill took the lead in warning about the danger from Hitler and in campaigning for rearmament. On the outbreak of the Second World War, he was again appointed First Lord of the Admiralty. Following the resignation of Neville Chamberlain on 10 May 1940, Churchill became Prime Minister. His steadfast refusal to consider defeat, surrender or a compromise peace helped inspire British resistance, especially during the difficult early days of the War when Britain stood alone in its active opposition to Hitler. Churchill was particularly noted for his speeches and radio broadcasts, which helped inspire the British people. He led Britain as Prime Minister until victory had been secured over Nazi Germany.

After the Conservative Party lost Leader of the Opposition. In 1951, he again became Prime Minister, before retiring in 1955. Upon his death, Elizabeth II granted him the honour of a [1] Named the

Contents

Family and early life

Churchill aged seven in 1881.

Born into the aristocratic family of the Dukes of Marlborough, a branch of the [2] Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, like his father, used the surname Churchill in public life.[3] His ancestor George Spencer had changed his surname to Spencer-Churchill in 1817 when he became Duke of Marlborough, to highlight his descent from John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough. Winston's father, John Spencer-Churchill, 7th Duke of Marlborough, was a politician; and his mother, Leonard Jerome. Winston was born on 30 November 1874, two months prematurely, in a bedroom in Blenheim Palace, Woodstock, Oxfordshire,[4]

From age two to six, he lived in Dublin where his Grandfather was appointed John Strange Spencer-Churchill who was born during this time in Áras an Uachtaráin, the official residence of the President of Ireland).[5][6]

Winston's earliest attempts at education occurred in Dublin. A governess tried teaching him reading, writing and arithmetic. His first reading book was called 'Reading Without Tears'. His Nanny 'Mrs' Everest was his confidante, nurse and mother and they spent many happy hours playing in the [7]

Blenheim Palace, the Churchill family home.

Independent and rebellious by nature, Churchill generally did poorly in school, for which he was punished. He was educated at three independent schools: St. George's School, Ascot, Berkshire, followed by Brunswick School in Hove, near Brighton (the school has since been renamed Stoke Brunswick School and relocated to Ashurst Wood in West Sussex) and then at Harrow Rifle Corps.[8] He earned high marks in English and History and was the school's fencing champion.

He was rarely visited by his mother (then known as Lady Randolph Churchill) and wrote letters begging her to either come to the school or to allow him to come home. His relationship with his father was a distant one; he once remarked that they barely spoke to each other.[9] Because of the lack of parental contact, he became very close to his nanny, Elizabeth Anne Everest, whom he used to call "Old Woom".[10] His father died on 24 January 1895, aged 45, leaving Churchill with the conviction that he too would die young and so should be quick about making his mark on the world.[11]

Speech impediment