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THE CHURCHILLIAN Volume 1, Issue 1 Churchill Society of Tennessee Fall 2018

“”Give us the tools and we will finish the job”

Courtesy of and copyright © Michael Shane Neal

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

1 Randolph Churchill Oct 2nd Speech at Mansion House

2 Did Churchill suffer a heart attack by Dr. Allister Vale &

John W Scadding MD OBE

3 Lady Randolph Spencer Churchill Part 1 by Celia Lee

4 Churchill’s Scottish March

5 Clementine Churchill’s Tartan

6 President’s Letter

First Edition

Dear friends - Welcome to our CSOT newsletter “The

Churchillian”! I hope that you find it informative and

entertaining. Our nascent mission is to bring you quality

content in regular installments and to keep you informed

about the goings-on in the Churchill community.

As our newsletter matures, I hope that you will take the

opportunity offer contributions of your own to share with

us all. This is your newsletter!

Please feel free to make your comments and suggestions

through our website, email or by mail.

info@churchillsocietytn.org

jimdrury@bellsouth.net

Jim Drury

Churchill Society of Tennessee

PO Box 65, Franklin TN 37065

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The Horners Livery Dinner, Mansion House,

London, 2 October 2018, Speech By Randolph Churchill

Re-printed with the kind permission of Randolph Churchill

Master, Wardens, Lord Mayor Locum Tenens, Alderman, Sheriffs, Your Royal Highness, visiting Masters, Ladies and

Gentlemen.

This is a truly magnificent, uplifting and humbling occasion. I confess that I have never been to a White Tie Dinner

before but I must say that the challenge of being properly attired magnifies the extraordinary history of the Mansion House and the

heroes of years gone by who look down on us today.

My great-grandfather, Sir Winston Churchill, would have found tonight’s proceedings entirely agreeable. He often said:

“My tastes are simple: I am easily satisfied with the best” and we have certainly had that this evening. My thanks and

congratulations to our hosts!

Seeing the splendid array of glasses around us I remember a wonderful story from Chartwell where, in the 1950s,

Churchill had a visitor who happened to be a Mormon. Churchill offered his visitor a whisky and soda and his visitor said: "May

I have water, Sir Winston? Lions drink it." Churchill said: "Asses drink it too." The Mormon retorted: "Strong drink rageth and

stingeth like a serpent." Churchill replied: "I have long been looking for a drink like that."

The story of the Mansion House, and its close association with great events in our history, reminds me that in 1952

Churchill was at a small airfield called Heathrow to greet Queen Elizabeth as she returned from Kenya following the death of her

father. Churchill was the first of Queen Elizabeth’s Prime Ministers, the first of thirteen thus far. Our nation is truly b lessed by

the long and faithful service of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip. The more we look at some of the current leaders of the modern

world, the greater she shines.

Talking of longevity, I find it humbling that Churchill spoke no less than fifteen times here at the Mansion House, from

1917 to 1955, on every variety of subject, from the economy, to defence, international relations, and the role of Great Britain in

Europe. Doing my research I discovered that another speech he did here was a tribute to Clement Attlee when he received the

Freedom of the City of London on 20 November 1953. Attlee was a truly great Labour patriot and the backbone to Churchill

waging war. Churchill would never say a bad thing about him.

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However, as portrayed last year, in a film called Darkest Hour, Churchill made a passing remark - actually to President

Truman who said that Attlee seemed a modest man - to which Churchill replied with wit that he had “much to be modest about”!

As portrayed in that film, Churchill was disliked and distrusted by many in his own party and yet it was Attlee and his Labour

colleague, Arthur Greenwood, who threw their weight behind Churchill’s national administration and made his premiership

possible.

This is even more remarkable given that Churchill presided over the fiasco of the Dardanelles Campaign where Attlee

was a soldier and one of the last to leave the beaches. After Gallipoli, Churchill resigned from office and his wife Clementine

thought he would die of grief. Later Attlee commented that during the entirety of the Great War it was the only original plan to

avoid soldiers being chewed up on barbed wire or by machine gun. When Churchill died in January 1965 Attlee, who was now an

elderly man, asked Lady Churchill if he could be one of the pallbearers at his funeral. It was Attlee who called Churchill “the

greatest Englishman of our time” and “an instrument for freedom, for human life against tyranny”. I am certain we would not see

a political foe giving such a tribute in today’s divisive politics.

From those dark days of May 1940, as Churchill came to office, he not only had to deal with uncertainty in his own party

but also with the collapse of Belgium and French forces in the Dunkirk crisis and subsequent evacuation - in short order, the fall of

France. In his November 1940 speech here at the Mansion House he spoke of “the dark road ahead”.

But through his oratory he inspired the nation and he in turn was inspired, particularly by the young airmen of the RAF

who against huge odds defied the Luftwaffe during the Battle of Britain.

Churchill himself took to the cockpit in 1913, at a time when to do so was both pioneering and dangerous, allowing him

to address the officers of 615 Squadron at Biggin Hill in 1951, recounting his own near death experience when the aeroplane he

was learning to fly in crashed at Croydon in 1919.

In his early political life as First Lord of the Admiralty Churchill helped develop the Royal Naval Air Service, which was

to become part of the RAF. He urged the creation of a unified air force, to reconcile the competing demands of the two air

services. After his departure from the Admiralty, in 1915, Churchill advocated the formation of an Air Ministry, and submitted a

paper to that effect to Prime Minister Asquith. Nothing was done immediately, though an Air Ministry was eventually formed

within two years - and so, in 1918, was the unified Royal Air Force.

It therefore thrills me to see the long association between the Horners and 27 Squadron RAF in Odiham and their

associated ATC 1349. Long may it continue.

We must not forget that the first two years of Churchill’s premiership were marked by many disasters and tragedies such

as the fall of France, the loss of Greece, Pearl Harbor, the sinkings of HMS Repulse and HMS Prince of Wales, and the fall of

Hong Kong and Singapore. But in October 1942 the Eighth Army in North Africa under the command of Lieutenant General

Bernard Montgomery delivered a decisive blow, and Churchill was able to speak with great optimism here at the Mansion House

on 10 November 1942.

During his speech Churchill said: “I have never promised anything but blood, tears, toil and sweat. Now, however, we

have a new experience. We have victory. A memorable and definite victory. A bright gleam has caught the helmets of our

soldiers and warmed and cheered all our hearts.” He continued: “General Alexander with his brilliant comrade and lieutenant,

General Montgomery, has gained a glorious and decisive victory in what should be called the Battle of Egypt. Rommel’s army

has been defeated. It has been routed. It has been very largely destroyed as a fighting force… All the various elements in our

lines of battle played their part. Indian troops, Fighting French, Greeks, representatives of Czechoslovakia and others.

Americans rendered powerful and invaluable service in the air.”

I would like to express gratitude to your Master and his wife and the devotion they have given to the people and children

of Epping. Volunteering and public service such as theirs are great British values, and an aspect of life which needs to be fostered

for future generations.

Epping was, of course, my great-grandfather’s old constituency, and arguably the saviour of his career. In 1922 disaster

had struck for Churchill. Lloyd George’s Government fell, a General Election was called, Churchill was struck down with

appendicitis, his constituency turned against him and, in his own words: “In the twinkling of an eye I found myself without an

office, without a seat, without a party, and without an appendix”. It took two years to get back into parliament but it was Epping

that elected him as its MP in 1924. Churchill was right to express his relief. Victory in Epping marked the end of a tumultuous

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period of campaigning, and defeat here in Essex might have been the end of his political career. But Epping also marked the return

of Churchill to the Conservative Party after twenty years as a Liberal, allegedly prompting the remark: “Anyone can rat but it

takes a certain ingenuity to re-rat”.

Churchill was always looking to the future. He may have charged with the 21st Lancers at the Battle of Omdurman In

1898 in Sudan but he was always aware of the advantages of technological change. In the 1920s he debated with HG Wells, who

had first introduced the term “atomic bombs”, about such weapons - each “no bigger than an orange” but “able to blast a

township at a stroke”.

Then in the 1930s he had Albert Einstein visit him at Chartwell where they discussed heavy water and nuclear fusion.

But his interest was always practical, whether it was to help the war effort, or simply to see the fish in his ponds at Chartwell

better.

The Horners also have a distinguished history with origins going back to the 13th

Century and have devoted themselves in

the 20th

and 21st centuries to the fields of science and technology in areas such as plastics, polymers and human DNA. Education

is at the forefront of their charitable activity, especially science education, and I greatly commend them for that vital work.

This year is the centenary of the RAF but it is also the 75th

anniversary of those great airmen that participated in the

Dambusters raid. Those young men in Bomber Command were all heroes, taking to the skies knowing that their chance of

surviving a full tour was very low. 55,573 out of 125,000 perished during the Second World War, so I am delighted that in Hyde

Park in recent years they have been given their own proper memorial. But I have a real sense of sadness that these brave

participants were not honoured with their own campaign medal.

In conclusion I will quote the words used by Churchill at the unveiling of the Royal Navy Memorial in Horse Guards in

April 1925. Churchill said: “We are often tempted to ask ourselves what we have gained by the enormous sacrifice made by those

to whom this memorial is erected. But this was never the issue with those who marched away. No question of advantage

presented itself to their minds… They only saw the light shining clear on the path of duty. They never asked the question “What

shall we gain?” They only asked the question “Where lies the right?” It is thus that they marched away for ever.”

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Did Winston Churchill suffer a heart attack in the White House in

December 1941?

J Allister Vale MD and John W Scadding MD OBE

Allister Vale and John Scadding have written a large series of medical papers on Winston's Churchill's illnesses. This article is a

short, less referenced, account of this episode which has been published as a full paper in the Journal of the Royal Society of

Medicine.1 Professor Guy Scadding, John's father, was one of Churchill's physicians in Carthage.

2

Introduction

Immediately following the Pearl Harbour attack, Churchill made plans to travel to Washington to meet President Roosevelt to

review "the whole war plan". Sir Charles Wilson [later Lord Moran],

Churchill's personal physician from 1941, accompanied Churchill. Churchill

left London by night train on the evening of 12th December and reached

Gourock, on the Clyde, on the morning of 13th December. He was then taken

by boat to the Duke of York, sister ship of the Prince of Wales, which had

been sunk off Malaysia three days earlier. The Atlantic crossing was so rough

that passengers were confined below decks for much of the journey.

Churchill self-medicated with Mothersill's Seasick Remedy [hyoscine,

chlorobutanol, caffeine] twice on the first day.

The Duke of York dropped anchor off Hampton Roads just after 4 pm on the

22nd December. Roosevelt originally intended that Churchill and party

should transfer to a destroyer then steam up the Potomac to Washington, but

time was too short because of delays incurred during the sea voyage. The

Americans had therefore laid on a special train. However, Churchill was

impatient to end his journey after nearly ten days at sea, and arrangements

were then made to fly Churchill from Hampton Roads to Washington.

Churchill landed at Washington National Airport where the President was

waiting in his car. "I clasped his strong hand with comfort and pleasure,"

wrote Churchill.3 The party soon reached the White House where they were

"welcomed by Mrs Roosevelt, who thought of everything that could make

our stay agreeable."3

Christmas Eve

"Simple festivities marked our Christmas," wrote Churchill.3 The traditional

Christmas tree was set up in the White House garden having been moved

from Lafayette Park out of wartime caution. So, the President and he went on

to the White House's South Portico balcony for the traditional ceremony of lighting the tree. After singing carols, both made brief

speeches to crowds of some 20,000-30,000. Churchill's began, "I spend this anniversary and festival far from my own country, far

from my family, yet I cannot truthfully say I feel far from home…"4

After coming in from the balcony Churchill told Wilson that he had had palpitations during the ceremony and made Wilson take

his pulse.5 "What is it Charles?"

5 Wilson tried to be reassuring by saying, "Oh it's all right."

5 "But what is it? Churchill persisted.

5

On being told it was 105 per minute, Churchill responded, "It has all been very moving".5

Christmas Day

Churchill went with the President to the Foundry Methodist Church on 16th and P Streets. "I found peace in the simple service and

enjoyed singing the well-known hymns, and one, O little town of Bethlehem, I had never heard before. Certainly there was much

to fortify the faith of all who believe in the moral governance of the universe".3 After sharing in the Roosevelt family celebrations,

including the turkey dinner, at which the President carved, Churchill spent a good part of Christmas Day preparing his speech to

Congress.

26th December 1941 On the 26th December Churchill went to the Capitol and gave the now famous speech. Churchill began, "I feel greatly honoured

that you should have invited me to enter the United States Senate Chamber and address the representatives of both branches of

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Congress.4 The fact that my American forebears have for so many generations played their part in the life of the United States, and

that here I am, an Englishman, welcomed in your midst, makes this experience one of the most moving and thrilling in my life,

which is already long and has not been entirely uneventful. I wish indeed that my mother, whose memory I cherish across the vale

of years, could have been here to see. By the way, I cannot help reflecting that if my father had been American my mother British,

instead of the other way round, I might have got here on my own."4 Churchill spoke for 35 minutes but was so impressive that one

correspondent said it seemed like just five!

Chest pain

According to Wilson, Churchill told him that he had got up the previous night [Churchill himself wrote that this episode occurred

on the 3rd January 19426] to open a window as it was hot, but had to use considerable force to open it and became short of breath.

"I had a dull pain over

my heart. It went down my left arm. It didn't last very long, but it has never happened before. What is it?"5 Churchill indicated

that he had thought of calling Wilson at the time but the pain had passed off. Wilson examined his patient but found nothing

wrong.5 "I had no doubt…his symptoms were those of coronary insufficiency" wrote Wilson later.

5

Naturally, after Wilson had listened to his chest twice, Churchill enquired "Well is my heart all right?" Wilson replied, "There is

nothing serious. You have been overdoing things" Churchill was adamant. "Now Charles you're not going to tell me to rest. I can't.

I won't. No one else can do this job. I must." Churchill believed that he had strained one of his chest muscles when he tried to open

the window. "I used great force. I don't believe it was my heart at all." Wilson explained to Churchill, "Your circulation was a bit

sluggish. It is nothing serious. You needn't rest in the sense of lying up, but you mustn't do more than you can help in the way of

exertion for a little while."

Churchill described the episode: "The night before I started (for Florida) the air conditioning of my room in the White House

failed temporarily, the heat became oppressive, and in trying to open the window, I strained my heart slightly, causing unpleasant

sensations which continued for some days. Sir Charles Wilson, my medical adviser, however decided that the journey south

should not be put off."6

Irrespective of the date this pain occurred, Churchill carried on with his punishing schedule. This included seeing the President for

several hours every day, lunching with him and often with Harry Hopkins as a third. "We talked of nothing but business, and

reached a great measure of agreement on many points, both large and small".3

Ottawa

Churchill left Washington in Roosevelt's private railroad car for Ottawa on the 28th December at 2.15 pm. Churchill slept well on

the train and reached Ottawa on the morning of the 29th December and drove through streets banked with snow. After a hot bath,

he "seemed his usual self", Wilson noted. Churchill then lunched with the Canadian War Cabinet and in the evening attended a

reception and dinner at Government House. Spare moments were spent working on the speech he was to give the Canadian

Parliament.

The speech to the Canadian Parliament was delivered on 30th December, and on the morning of 31st December Churchill gave a

press conference at Government House before returning to Washington for further talks with Roosevelt. His train left Ottawa at 3

pm on 31st December reaching Washington at noon on 1 January 1942.4

1st-4th January 1942 Washington

On New Years Day, Roosevelt and Churchill sat together in George Washington's pew at Christ Church in Alexandria and sang

The Battle Hymn of the Republic.7 That evening at the White House, Roosevelt, Churchill and the Soviet and Chinese envoys

signed A Declaration by the United Nations, affirming that the Allies were fighting because they were convinced that "complete

victory over their enemies is essential to defend life, liberty, independence, and religious freedom".7

Florida

Churchill claimed his "American friends thought [he] was looking tired and ought to have a rest"6 and Edward Stettinius, Special

Assistant to the President, placed his small villa "in a seaside solitude near Palm Beach at my disposal and on 4 January [Gilbert8

and Martin9 both state it was on the 5th January] I flew down there"

6 to stay in the bungalow at Pompano, Florida. "Five days we

passed in the Stettinius villa, lying about in the shade or the sun, bathing in the pleasant waves, in spite of the appearance on one

occasion of quite a large shark. They said it was only a ground shark; but I was not wholly reassured. It is as bad to be eaten by a

ground shark as by any other. So I stayed in the shallows from then on".6 Wilson noted that "the blue ocean is so warm that

Winston basks half-submerged in the water like a hippopotamus in a swamp".5

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Although this was a time of much-needed relaxation, the work was considerable. Churchill dealt with papers flown down from

Washington, sometimes twice daily, telephoned his private office, and rewrote four papers on the future of the War in the light of

the decisions made in Washington. After five days at Pompano, the party returned to Washington by train on the 10th January.

Further meetings followed with Roosevelt and the combined Chiefs of Staff.

Home via Bermuda

Churchill flew to Bermuda from Norfolk, Virginia, on 14th January and for 20 minutes of the 4 hour flight took the controls of the

Being 314 flying boat RMA Berwick. The intent had been to return from Bermuda on the Duke of York but the worsening

situation in Malaysia persuaded Churchill to fly to England.

Sir Charles Wilson MC © Wellcome Collection

Assessment

Given that Parkinson had established with Evan Bedford the criteria for diagnosis of a

myocardial infarction, this opinion must be considered definitive. Parkinson was first consulted

by Wilson about Churchill on 6th February 1942. Wilson showed him two of Churchill's ECGs

(performed on 7th January 1941 and 6th February 1942). Parkinson examined Churchill with

Wilson in attendance on 10 February 1942 and went through the symptoms he had experienced

while in Washington. Parkinson found Churchill's pulse was 80/min, his blood pressure was

160/85 mmHg, the heart sounds were normal, and there were no murmurs. His abdomen was

normal to palpation. A further ECG undertaken was considered normal by Parkinson given

Churchill's build. Parkinson considered the new ECG was almost identical with the one recorded

on 7th January 1941 and gave no support for the diagnosis of myocardial infarction.

On radioscopy, Churchill's heart and aorta were of normal shape and size. Parkinson told

Churchill that he had not suffered a coronary thrombosis. There was no ECG evidence that

anything material had occurred a month previously. There might have been a temporary

embarrassment in the circulation of the heart in Washington, though there was no evidence to

prove this. Churchill was advised to avoid extreme tests and long journeys in the next two to

three months and even long walks on quays and inspections.

Sir John Parkinson © Elva Carey

What was the correct diagnosis?

Though Wilson did not document the precise location of the chest pain,5 the most obvious causes to be considered in a 67-year-old

man are myocardial infarction (heart attack), angina and musculoskeletal pain as Churchill himself favoured. Wilson had no doubt

that Churchill's symptoms were due to a "heart attack," a phrase he used twice.5

Although angina cannot be completely ruled out, the fact that Churchill never

suffered a further attack is strongly against this diagnosis. Oesophageal spasm and

gall bladder disease are also possible explanations, given Churchill's long history of

dyspepsia. Churchill's indigestion, which was often severe, often came on during the

night or when painting. Regardless of where in the chest the pain was experienced,

and whether or not it went down the left arm, it came on as considerable effort was

being expended and was associated with breathlessness. The latter, however, a later

recurring feature, may only be the effect of exertion on the "hippopotamus" that was

Churchill.

Three weeks after Churchill's return to the UK, Wilson arranged for Parkinson to

assess Churchill. After careful clinical, electrocardiographic and radiological

assessment, Parkinson was firmly of the opinion that Churchill had not suffered a

coronary thrombosis (myocardial infarction). It is surprising that Wilson's published

diary does not mention this opinion.

So what may be said of Wilson's management? Obtaining an ECG in the White House would certainly have been difficult without

drawing unwanted attention to Churchill’s health. Should he have sought the expert advice of a US-based cardiologist via the

British Embassy or even had Parkinson flown out to Washington? Wilson was in a quandary. If he did nothing and Churchill had

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another and more severe attack, it might be said that he had killed Churchill through not insisting on rest.5 At least six weeks bed

rest was standard treatment for myocardial infarction at the time. 5 "Right or wrong, it seemed plain that I must sit tight on what

had happened, whatever the consequences".5 To do otherwise would have meant "publishing to the world" that Churchill was "an

invalid with a crippled heart and a doubtful future".5 The effect "could only be disastrous." Wilson’s explanation to Churchill that

his "circulation was a bit sluggish. It is nothing serious" could be interpreted as being a less than full account of the episode but

Wilson was certain that, if told what he did not doubt was the correct diagnosis, Churchill's "work would suffer".5

Wilson considered that he had to balance political considerations, his own professional reputation and above all what was best for

his patient who considered rightly that no one but he could fulfil the role as Prime Minister, duties which he must continue to

undertake. Was he correct in doing so? Baron has written, "Moran took it on his own head to lie to Churchill about his heart attack

in Washington because this diagnosis would have crippled Churchill and wrecked American esteem of Britain as an ally. Did this

reason of state justify a physician concealing the truth from his patient and the public?"10

At a time of enormous importance in Anglo-American relationships and at a critical stage of the war, during which, in all respects,

Churchill wished to be seen and act as a strong and effective leader, Wilson's decision to play down the clinical importance clearly

carried some risk. It is obvious that Wilson agonised over this. "I felt that the effect of announcing that the PM had had a heart

attack could only be disastrous".5

Acknowledgements

We are most grateful to Mrs Elva Carey (daughter) and Dr John Phillips (grandson) for granting us permission to include parts of Sir John

Parkinson’s medical report on Winston Churchill and for allowing us to use the photograph of Sir John. The photograph used on the front cover

of the JRSM is by kind permission of IWM (NYP 54898)

References

1. Vale JA and Scadding JW. Did Winston Churchill suffer a myocardial infarction in the White House at Christmas 1941? J R Soc Med

2017; 110: 483-492.

2. Vale JA and Scadding JW. In Carthage ruins: the illness of Sir Winston Churchill at Carthage, December 1943. J R Coll Physicians Edinb

2017; 47: 288-295.

3. Churchill WS. Washington and Ottawa. The Grand Alliance, London: Penguin Books, 1985 Vol 3. pp.587-603.

4. Gilbert M. December 1941. The Churchill Documents. The Ever-Widening War 1941, Hillsdale, MI: Hillsdale College Press, 2011 Vol 16.

pp.1537-1718.

5. Moran. The new war. Winston Churchill: The Struggle for Survival 1940-1965, London: Constable & Company, 1966 pp.5-23.

6. Churchill WS. Anglo-American accords. The Grand Alliance, London: Penguin Books, 1985 Vol 3. pp.604-618.

7. Meacham J. A couple of emperors. Franklin and Winston: a Portrait of a Friendship, London: Granta Publications, 2003 pp.139-165.

8. Gilbert M. Three weeks in the new world. Road to Victory, London: Heinemann, 1986 pp.23-44.

9. Martin J. January 1942. Downing Street the War Years, London: Bloomsbury, 1991 pp.70-74.

10. Baron JH. Should we know about our leaders' health? Standpoint 2009; December.

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JENNIE, nee JEROME, LADY RANDOLPH SPENCER-CHURCHILL

Part 1

By Celia Lee

Jennie Jerome’s parents, Leonard and Clarissa Jerome were American. Clarissa’s maiden name was Hall, and the they married in

1849. Both were from well to do farming backgrounds. Clarissa bore 4 daughters: Clarita (known as Clara), who was born, April

1851; Jeannette (known as Jennie), born, 9th

January 1854; Camille who was born in November 1855, but died of a fever in 1863;

and Leonie, born 1859.

During the years after the financial panic of 1857, Leonard Jerome became a millionaire, through buying and selling shares on the

New York stock market. In 1859, he built a huge mansion on Madison Square, which was one of the first private palaces in New

York. In 1860, Jennie was 6 years old when the Jeromes moved into this huge house, where she was raised in fabulous wealth and

luxury. There was a ballroom and an adjacent theatre each of which could seat several hundred people. Jennie and her sisters had

a nanny and a governess, and were educated privately, with emphasis on the genteel arts — music, piano, drawing, French and

German. Their father owned racehorses and Jennie and her sisters could ride like the wind. He was now reputed to be worth $10

million, about $500 million today.

But Leonard had a passion for young opera singers and Mrs Jerome tired of her husband’s life style and his mistresses. In 1867,

when Jennie was aged 13, the Jeromes separated, and Clarissa took her three daughters and went to live in Paris in further luxury,

where they mingled with the court of Napoleon III and the Empress Eugenie. Husband and wife remained friends and Leonard

saw to it that his family were kept in comfort.

In 1873, when Jennie was 19 years old, Mrs Jerome took a house the Villa Rosetta, for the season on the Isle of Wight. She

received an invitation to a ball during Cowes Week aboard the royal yacht, HMS Ariadne. It was held in the presence of the

visiting, Russian, Imperial family, who were staying with Queen Victoria at Osborne House. The Prince of Wales attended, and

when Jennie entered the ballroom, attired in a white ball gown and diamonds, she saw Lord Randolph Churchill, the second son of

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the 7th

Duke and Duchess of Marlborough, standing, talking to the Prince. Their eyes met across the ballroom floor and it was

love at first sight. They were married on 15th

April 1874, in the chapel of the British Embassy in Paris.

The young couple arrived from honeymoon in Europe to live for a brief period at Blenheim Palace until Randolph’s father bought

them a house in fashionable Mayfair, London, paid for no doubt from the huge dowry Leonard had provided at the time of

Jennie’s betrothal. Jennie was now referred to as Lady Randolph Churchill. The world, however, that the 20-year-old entered in

Victorian England was one where aristocratic women were still a long way from liberation. Women wore full-length dresses or

skirts, and a hat and gloves, and she was not allowed to go out in public except with a chaperone.

Jennie was a beautiful, glamorous, and fashion-conscious you woman. She had thick, black, wavy hair, a peaches and cream

complexion, and her father’s magnetic, royal blue eyes that were grey at the centre. The modern equivalent today would be

Catherine Middleton who married Prince William of Wales and by historic co-incidence has the same birth date of 9th

January.

Jennie and Randolph were the golden couple of the season and were invited to parties and balls, and to the homes of the Prince

and Princess of Wales, and Princess Alexandra and Jennie played the piano together.

Jennie liked French perfume and the aroma of scent remains in the mind, and ever evokes the memory of the person who wore it.

When Jennie entered a room, there was an atmosphere about her of a combination of beauty, fashion, wit, humour, and alluring

perfume. She was clever, and was fun to be with, and the life and soul of any party. Viscount Edgar D’Abernon the British

Ambassador to Berlin saw her at a function in the Viceregal Lodge, Dublin, and described her thus:

Eyes were not turned on the Duke of Marlborough, standing on a raised dais but on a dark figure, radiant, translucent,

intense; a diamond star in her hair, its lustre dimmed by the flashing glory of her eyes; her courage not less great than her

husband’s – fit mother for descendants of the great Duke. Yet, with all these attributes of brilliancy, such kindliness and

high spirits - she was universally popular. Her desire to please, her delight in life, and the genuine wish that all should

share her joyous faith in it, made her the centre of a devoted circle.[Viscount Edgar D’Abernon; Ambassador to Berlin,

Portraits and Appreciations; pub. Hodder & Stoughton 1931].

Jennie gave birth to two sons; Winston Leonard born in Blenheim Palace, 30th

November 1874, and John Strange, born in Dublin,

4th

February 1880.

JENNIE’S WORK for THE COUNTESS OF DUFFERIN FUND

AWARDED THE ORDER OF THE CROWN OF INDIA MEDAL

In 1885, Lord Randolph became Secretary of State for India in Lord Salisbury’s Conservative government. It meant Randolph

had to stand again for election as MP for Woodstock. Jennie’s first taste of public work was when she went out electioneering for

Randolph and helped retain the seat for him. Accompanied by his sister, Georgaina, the two women rode around the constituency

on a horse-drawn carriage, sporting Randolph’s racing colours, pink and chocolate brown. There is a story that Jennie told that

when she went into a butcher’s shop to ask for his vote. His wife shouted up the stairs: ‘Come on down, Lady Churchill is here’.

He balled down the stairs: ‘Tell Lady Churchill to go to hell’! But Jennie wasn’t deterred, and when he did come down, she was

so charming and beautiful and so persuasive, he couldn’t refuse, and he pledged his vote for her husband.

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Aristocratic women were limited in the areas in which they could volunteer for work and it was not acceptable to receive payment

or wages of any kind. Queen Victoria was Empress of India, and the Viceroy was Lord Dufferin. Missionaries had already

established medical aid for Indian women, and Queen Victoria supported their cause. In 1885, Hariot, Lady Dufferin, who was

Vicereine, had set up the National Association for supplying Female Medical Aid to the Women of India. The association

recruited and trained women doctors, midwives, and nurses to improve the situation for Indian women in illness, and in

childbearing, and it involved a great deal of fund-raising. Lord Randolph dealt directly with the Viceroy and the India office, and

Jennie as his wife came into close contact with Hariot and was invited to take part. Jennie later wrote:

India and things Indian loomed largely in my eyes that winter, and I acquired more knowledge of the country and its

history than I had ever possessed before. I was called upon to help Lady Dufferin with the fund she was getting up in aid

of the Women of India. Besides giving employment to numbers of English female doctors, it opened a career for native

women, and alleviated some of the terrible sufferings of others. The Lord Mayor agreed to hold a meeting on Jennie’s

behalf to raise funds at the Mansion House, London.(From Reminiscences by Mrs Cornwallis West.)

In acknowledgement of her fundraising work, Queen Victoria sent for Jennie to come to Windsor Castle. The letter said: The

Queen wishes to personally confer the Insignia of the Order of the Crown of India on Lady Randolph Churchill on Friday next the

4th

December 1885 at 3 o’clock.’ Jennie also received a note from the Queen’s Lady in Waiting, Jane Ely, advising her of the

correct dress: ‘Bonnet and morning dress, and grey gloves’.

Jane Ely received Jennie in a small room, wherein stood the Queen draped in a long, white veil. Jennie curtsied to the Queen and

kissed her hand and the Queen pinned the medal on her left shoulder. Only miniatures of Jennie’s medals have survived and this

particular one is a pearl and turquoise cipher. The originals were stolen in a burglary at her house.

Next day, Jennie received a note from Jane Ely: ‘The Queen told me she thought you so handsome, and that it had all gone off so

well.’ Queen Victoria remarked in her Journal: ‘Lady Randolph (an American) is very handsome and very dark.’

Lady Dufferin wrote to Jennie from Government House, Calcutta, January 4th

1886, congratulating her on receiving the medal.

She went on to describe the work that was taking place for the women of India:

‘The great Durbungha is going to build and keep up a dispensary’, and I have been asked to lay the foundation stone. Sir

Walter de Souza has promised an annual subscription of 2,400 rupees for training women in Calcutta. Another dispensary

had been set up in Bengal.’

- Continued in next edition

The Churchillian Page 12

BAGPIPE TUNE “LTC CHRUCHILL 6TH RSF (1916)”

TUNE NOTES By Pipe Major Jim Drury

In 1916, then Lieutenant Colonel (LTC), Winston Churchill was officer commanding the 6th

(Service) Battalion, Royal Scots

Fusiliers (RSF). Churchill’s tenure with the battalion was short, only 125 days. However during that time he sought to procure the

best equipment and supplies available for his men. For this and his kind personal treatment of the common rank-and-file soldiers

under his command he was greatly revered. LTC Churchill undertook many patrols outside the trenches on the front lines as

commander of the 6th. He made a point of not ducking for cover when under fire. But he confided to his cousin, the 9th

Duke of

Marlborough that: “The only thing to dread is some really life wrecking wound which left one a cripple, an invalid or an idiot”.

Churchill left the battalion in May of 1916 to return to politics where he felt he could be more effective to the war effort. By then

he had proved himself to his men and the senior officers of the 9th

Scottish Division. “He loved soldiering,” recalled Capt. Gibb in

a book he wrote in the 1920s about Churchill’s time with the 6th

Battalion. “It lay very close to his heart and I think he would have

been a great soldier.” (From Churchill in the trenches.)

A musical pastiche - In writing this tune I wanted to portray a style of bagpipe music that would have been recognizable to people

of that era. The tune is in 4/4 time and contains musical motifs common to military music of the Great Highland Bagpipe. That is

to say it contains “Scottish Snap” also known a dot and cut in common musical terms. This provides lift and a more strident

presentation than some of the more rounded modern bagpipe tunes. There are two parts to the tune each part containing two lines

of music. This is standard fare and many 4/4 bagpipe marches are in two parts. A good example would be “Scotland the Brave”.

The tune “LTC Churchill 6th

RSF” was played for the first time in public at the Churchill Regional Conference held in Franklin

Tennessee on March 23, 2018. A framed copy of the music manuscript was presented to Randolph Churchill in gratitude for his

gracious participation at the same conference.

The Churchillian Page 13

Clementine Churchill

Tartan

The idea of a “Churchill Society” tartan came out of an email exchange between Randolph Churchill and me last summer. I had

inquired whether or not we had our own Churchill Society tartan. Randolph said we did not so I asked if he would mind if I put

together a design. He thought that was a good idea and felt it will need to include some marmalade color to reflect Dundee, a nod

to Clemmie & the Royal Scots Fusiliers.

As I set about the design I needed a theme. The first attempt was a blue/red scheme which Randolph did not care for too much. So

I went back to the drawing board. I then decided to consider all of the various elements of Churchill’s life. There are gray and

charcoal pinstripes for the business suit, Royal Navy blue and RAF blue and of course the marmalade for Clementine. Despite the

comparatively small amount of “marmalade”, it is one of the more dominant elements in the design. It then became obvious that

the tartan should be called Clementine Churchill. I can only hope that Clementine would approve. – Jim Drury

The Churchillian Page 14

From the President

Dear Fellow Churchillians,

I am honored to assume the presidency of the Churchill Society of Tennessee. I take up the mantle from Dr John Mather who has

done yeoman’s work in developing and expanding the CSOT and who’s shoes will be hard to fill.

I pledge that I will do my very best to continue this fine work. With your support and participation, we can only be successful.

In the coming months we plan to hold regular gatherings to share fellowship, discuss Churchill related topics, form new

friendships and have fun!

I encourage you all to share your ideas about how to make the CSOT an even more engaging and rewarding experience.

Please feel free to contact me or any board member with your suggestions or comments. This is your CSOT and we are at your

service.

Most Respectfully,

Jim Drury President, CSOT

The Churchillian Page 15

THE CHURCHILL SOCIETY OF TENNESSEE

The Churchillian Editor: Jim Drury

Board of Directors:

Executive Board

President: Jim Drury

Vice President: Robert Beck

Vice President Secretary: Robin Sinclair

Vice President Treasurer: Richard Knight

Comptroller Webmaster: The Earl of Eglinon & Winton

Without Portfolio:

Don Cusic

Beth Fisher

Michael Shane Neil

Archivist-Historian: Dr John Mather

Administrative officer: Lynne Siesser

Contact information:

info@churchillsocietytn.org

Churchill Society of Tennessee

PO Box 65, Franklin TN 37065

615-218-8340

The Churchillian Page 16

See you at the

Churchill Society of Tennessee

Banquet!

October 13th, Brentwood Country Club