Monday, 19 January 2015

50 years on from Churchills death as his 24 January 1965 anniversary approaches

Born in 1874, on the 30 November, Churchill had a parliamentary career spanning sixty-four years. He was a soldier, writer and countryman who excelled at so much. In a political career of highs and massive lows he represented several constituencies, and served under thirteen Prime Ministers, including himself. 
WSC giving his final address in the 1945 election campaign at Walthamstow StadiumChurchill represented Oldham in 1900-06, briefly in Manchester, and then was MP for Dundee for over fourteen years, before losing both his seat, and his appendix, in the bitter fought election of 1922. He was out of the House of Commons and written off, but returned in 1924; he was adopted as the "Independent Constitutionalist anti-Socialist" candidate for Epping, which effectively remained his constituency for the rest of his political career.
The wartime quotes are well known but I prefer some of the wiser assessments of life and the difficulties he overcome.



I have just read Boris Johnson's short biography of Churchill = The Churchill Factor. It is a great read. Make sure you buy it at an independent bookshop, not on Amazon!
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