First Lady

by Sonia Purnell

  Many former members of the Churchills’ staff were supremely helpful in painting a picture of Clementine and I loved meeting them. I would like to express my warmest thanks to Heather White-Smith, Lady Williams, Doreen Pugh, Jill Burridge, Chips Gemmell and Shelagh Montague Browne for their fond and insightful memories. The Countess of Avon, John Julius Norwich and David Montgomery were also thrilling to interview.

  I am indebted to Lord Stanley of Alderley and his family, not least for the chance to peruse the family photograph album for hitherto unpublished pictures of Clementine, to Lady Bonham Carter for her time and permission to quote extracts from her family papers held at the Bodleian Library in Oxford, and to the librarians for pointing me in the right direction.

  Thanks must also go to John Forster, archivist at Blenheim Palace, Alan Brown at Lloyd’s of London, and the volunteers and staff at Chartwell, who have all gone out of their way to be helpful. I am also grateful to Nvard Chalikyan for her translation from the Russian.

  The author Michael Shelden was very generous in allowing me to draw on his excellent account of the lead-up to the Great War in his commendable book on Winston Churchill, entitled Young Titan.

  Lesley Koulouris at Berkhamsted High was a wonderful guide through the school archives and I am grateful to the headmaster and staff at Summer Fields School. Kevin Gordon of the Seaford Historical Society and Anthony Woodhead from Winston Churchill’s former constituency of Woodford, were both extremely generous with their knowledge and time and I thank them both profusely.

  Joe Cooper and Briony Peters provided timely and important help in researching and I wish them all the success in their future careers. My heartfelt thanks too to Neil Sherlock, Frances Goodhart, Alison Ramsey, Jean Purnell, Sue Purnell, Eve Waldron, Paul Larcey, Cybele Hay, Tom Barry, Anthony Marks and Sally Barnes, Richard Courtain and David Savva for support of various sorts, and to Paul Marston and British Airways for their help with my flights.

  I have been fortunate indeed to have had Sam Harrison as my wise and erudite editor and Heather Holden Brown has once again proved herself a redoubtable agent. My warmest thanks also go to Melissa Smith, Jessica Axe, Liz Somers, Lucy Warburton and Charlotte Coulthard at Aurum Press for all their patience, commitment and help and Steve Gove for his tireless copy-editing. The wonderful London Library has been very accommodating.

  For the many more who have helped me on my way to understanding a great and complex figure, I pass on my thanks. My family most of all.

  Sonia Purnell

  Index

  CC indicates Clementine Churchill.

  WC indicates Winston Churchill.

  Abingdon Villas, London ref1, ref2

  Admiral Graf Spee ref1

  Admiralty ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7, ref8, ref9, ref10, ref11, ref12, ref13, ref14, ref15, ref16, ref17, ref18, ref19, ref20, ref21, ref22, ref23, ref24, ref25, ref26, ref27, ref28, ref29, ref30, ref31, ref32, ref33, ref34, ref35

  Admiralty House, London ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7, ref8, ref9, ref10, ref11

  Agnelli, Gianni ref1

  Airlie Castle, Scotland ref1

  Airlie, Dowager Countess of (grandmother) ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7

  Airlie, Earl of ref1, ref2

  Aitken, Gladys ref1

  Aitken, Sir Max see Beaverbrook, Lord

  Alderley Park, Cheshire ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5

  Alexander, General ref1, ref2

  Amery, Leo ref1

  Anderson, General Frederick ref1, ref2

  Anderson, Sir John ref1

  Anschluss, 1938 ref1

  Asquith, Herbert Henry ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7, ref8, ref9, ref10, ref11, ref12, ref13, ref14, ref15, ref16, ref17, ref18, ref19, ref20, ref21, ref22, ref23, ref24, ref25, ref26, ref27, ref28, ref29, ref30, ref31, ref32

  Asquith, Lady Cynthia ref1, ref2

  Asquith, Margot ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7, ref8, ref9, ref10, ref11, ref12, ref13, ref14

  Asquith, Violet ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7, ref8, ref9, ref10, ref11, ref12, ref13, ref14, ref15, ref16, ref17, ref18, ref19, ref20, ref21, ref22, ref23, ref24, ref25, ref26, ref27, ref28, ref29, ref30, ref31, ref32, ref33

  Astor, Nancy ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5

  Atlantic Charter, 1941 ref1

  Attlee, Clement ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7, ref8, ref9, ref10, ref11

  Attlee, Violet ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4

  Audley, Baron Henry ref1

  Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS) ref1, ref2

  Bailey, John ref1

  Baldwin, Lucy ref1

  Baldwin, Stanley ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7, ref8

  Balfour, Arthur ref1, ref2

  Balmoral, Scotland ref1, ref2

  Barbarossa, Operation, 1941 ref1

  Barrymore, Ethel ref1, ref2

  Baruch, Bernard ref1

  Battle of Britain, 1940 ref1, ref2, ref3

  Beaton, Cecil ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7, ref8, ref9

  Beatty, Admiral David ref1, ref2

  Beauchamp, Antony ref1

  Beaverbrook, Lord ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7, ref8, ref9, ref10, ref11, ref12, ref13, ref14, ref15, ref16, ref17, ref18, ref19, ref20, ref21

  Belgium ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7, ref8

  Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5

  Berkhamsted High School for Girls ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7, ref8, ref9

  Bessborough, Earl of ref1

  Bevan, Aneurin ref1

  Bevin, Ernest ref1, ref2

  Birrell, Augustine ref1

  Blair, Cherie ref1

  Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7, ref8, ref9, ref10, ref11, ref12

  Bletchley Park, Milton Keynes ref1, ref2, ref3

  Blitz, the, 1940–1 ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4

  Blunt, Wilfred Scawen ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4

  Board of Trade ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5

  Boer War, 1899–1902 ref1, ref2, ref3

  Bolshevism ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4

  Bolton Street, London ref1, ref2

  Bonar Law, Andrew ref1

  Bonham Carter, Maurice ref1

  Bonham Carter, Violet ref1

  Boothby, Robert ref1, ref2

  Boothe Luce, Clare ref1

  Boulestin, Marcel ref1

  Bracken, Brendan ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7, ref8, ref9, ref10, ref11, ref12, ref13, ref14

  Bridges, Robert ref1

  Bridges, Sir Edward ref1

  Britannia ref1

  British Expeditionary Force (BEF) ref1, ref2

  British Union of Fascists ref1, ref2

  Brook Street, Mayfair ref1

  Brooke, Chief of the General Staff, Alan ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5

  Broughton, Vera ref1, ref2

  Brown, Capability ref1, ref2

  Browne, Anthony Montague ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4

  Browne, Shelagh Montague ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6

  Buckingham Palace, London ref1, ref2, ref3

  Bystander ref1

  Cabinet ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7, ref8, ref9, ref10, ref11, ref12, ref13, ref14, ref15, ref16, ref17, ref18, ref19, ref20, ref21, ref22, ref23, ref24, ref25, ref26, ref27, ref28, ref29, ref30, ref31, ref32, ref33, ref34, ref35

  Callaghan, Admiral Sir George ref1

  Callaghan, James ref1

  Campbell, Mrs Patrick ref1

  Carson, Sir Edward ref1

  Cartland, Barbara ref1, ref2, ref3

  Casablanca Conference, 1943 ref1

  Cassel, Edwina ref1

  Cassel, Sir Ernest ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5

  Cecil, Lord Hugh ref1

  Central War Rooms, London ref1

  Chamberlain, Neville ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7, ref8, ref9, ref10, ref11, ref12, ref13, ref14

  Chanel, Coco ref1

  Channon, Henry ‘Chips’ ref1,
ref2, ref3

  Chaplin, Charlie ref1, ref2

  Chapman, Nonie ref1

  Charteris, Hugo ref1

  Chartwell, Kent ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7, ref8, ref9, ref10, ref11, ref12, ref13, ref14, ref15, ref16, ref17, ref18, ref19, ref20, ref21, ref22, ref23, ref24, ref25, ref26, ref27, ref28, ref29, ref30, ref31, ref32, ref33, ref34, ref35, ref36

  Chavasse, Noel ref1

  Chequers, Buckinghamshire ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7, ref8, ref9, ref10, ref11, ref12, ref13, ref14, ref15, ref16, ref17, ref18, ref19, ref20, ref21, ref22

  Chichele-Plowden, Sir Trevor ref1

  Christina ref1

  Churchill Club, London ref1

  Churchill College, Cambridge ref1

  Churchill, Arabella (granddaughter) ref1, ref2

  Churchill, Clarissa (niece) ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7, ref8

  Churchill, Clementine:

  abdication crisis, 1936 and ref1

  appearance and style ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7, ref8, ref9, ref10, ref11, ref12, ref13, ref14, ref15, ref16, ref17, ref18, ref19, ref20, ref21, ref22, ref23, ref24, ref25, ref26, ref27, ref28, ref29, ref30

  birth ref1

  breakdown, 1914 ref1, ref2, ref3

  CBE ref1

  childhood ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7

  children and ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7, ref8, ref9, ref10, ref11, ref12, ref13, ref14, ref15, ref16, ref17, ref18, ref19, ref20, ref21, ref22, ref23, ref24, ref25, ref26, ref27, ref28, ref29, ref30, ref31, ref32, ref33, ref34, ref35, ref36, ref37, ref38, ref39, ref40, ref41, ref42, ref43, ref44, ref45, ref46, ref47, ref48, ref49, ref50, ref51, ref52 see also under individual child name

  class, views on ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5

  cleanliness/hygiene, stickler for ref1, ref2

  Communism, WC’s fears of and ref1, ref2, ref3

  confidence ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7, ref8, ref9, ref10

  cooking ref1, ref2

  Conservative Party and ref1

  contraception and ref1

  coronation of George V and ref1

  coronation of George VI and ref1

  coronation of Queen Elizabeth and ref1, ref2

  courtship of, WC’s ref1

  Dame, made a ref1

  Dardanelles campaign and ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7, ref8, ref9, ref10, ref11, ref12, ref13, ref14, ref15, ref16

  death ref1

  death of brother and ref1

  death of daughter and ref1, ref2, ref3

  death of mother and ref1

  death of sister ref1

  death of WC and ref1

  depression ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6

  devotion to WC ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7, ref8, ref9, ref10

  diet and exercise regime ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4

  disapproves of WC’s friends ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6

  divorce from WC, considers ref1

  Doctorate of Civil Law at Oxford University, receives ref1

  domestic staff and ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6

  doubts over marriage ref1, ref2, ref3

  East Indies, cruise to, 1934 ref1

  engagement to WC ref1

  fame ref1, ref2

  finances ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7, ref8, ref9, ref10, ref11, ref12, ref13, ref14, ref15, ref16, ref17, ref18, ref19, ref20, ref21, ref22, ref23, ref24, ref25, ref26, ref27, ref28

  first meets WC ref1, ref2

  First World War and ref1, ref2, ref3

  France/Dieppe, life in ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7, ref8, ref9, ref10, ref11

  French lessons, gives ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5

  friends, small number of ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7, ref8, ref9, ref10, ref11, ref12, ref13, ref14, ref15, ref16

  galleries, visits to ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5

  gambling, hatred of ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7, ref8, ref9, ref10

  general elections and see general elections

  grandchildren and ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4

  health ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7, ref8, ref9, ref10, ref11, ref12, ref13, ref14, ref15, ref16, ref17, ref18, ref19, ref20

  homes with WC ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7, ref8, ref9, ref10, ref11, ref12, ref13, ref14, ref15, ref16, ref17, ref18, ref19, ref20, ref21, ref22, ref23, ref24, ref25, ref26, ref27 see also under individual home name

  honeymoon ref1

  honorary degree from Glasgow University ref1

  hostess ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7, ref8, ref9, ref10, ref11, ref12, ref13, ref14, ref15

  House of Commons, attends ref1, ref2

  hunting ref1, ref2

  intelligence ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7, ref8, ref9

  Ireland, visits with WC ref1

  jealousy ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7, ref8, ref9, ref10, ref11

  laughter ref1

  launches ships ref1, ref2

  liberal sensibility ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6

  life peer as Baroness Spencer-Churchill, made a ref1

  love for WC ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7, ref8, ref9, ref10, ref11, ref12, ref13

  loyalty to WC ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5

  ‘managing’ of WC ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6

  marriage proposal, WC’s ref1

  miscarriage ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5

  moral code ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6

  mother-in-law and see Churchill, Jennie

  New Hall, Cambridge, building of and ref1

  Order of the Red Banner of Labour ref1

  paintings of ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7, ref8, ref9, ref10

  parents and see Hozier, Lady Blance and Hozier, Colonel Henry

  paternity, doubts over ref1, ref2, ref3

  photographs of ref1

  politics, interest in ref1, ref2, ref3

  popular appeal/public image ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7, ref8, ref9, ref10, ref11, ref12

  pregnancies ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7, ref8, ref9, ref10, ref11, ref12, ref13, ref14, ref15, ref16

  press conferences, ref1, ref2

  protects WC ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4

  Quebec conferences, attends ref1, ref2

  reading ref1, ref2

  rehabilitation of WC after Dardanelles campaign, role in engineering ref1, ref2, ref3

  religion and ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4

  reserve ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7, ref8, ref9, ref10, ref11

  Roosevelts and see Roosevelt, Franklin D. and Roosevelt, Eleanor

  rows with WC ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6

  saves WC’s life ref1

  schooldays ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7, ref8

  Second World War and see Second World War

  separations from WC, frequent ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7, ref8, ref9, ref10, ref11, ref12, ref13, ref14, ref15, ref16, ref17, ref18, ref19, ref20, ref21, ref22

  seventieth birthday ref1

  sex life ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4

  similarities to WC ref1

  skiing ref1, ref2

  social reform and ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4

  Soviet Red Cross Distinguished Service Medal ref1

  Soviet Red Cross invites to visits Soviet Union, 1945 ref1

  speeches ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7, ref8

  Stalin, meets ref1

  suitors ref1, ref2

  temper ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7, ref8, ref9

  tennis playing ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7, ref8, ref9

  Terence Philip, falls in love with ref1

  Tito, meets ref1

  travel/holidays with WC ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6

  travel/holidays without WC ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7

  United States of America and see United States of America


  Wall Street Crash and ref1

  wartime work, First World War ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4

  wartime work, Second World War ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7, ref8, ref9, ref10, ref11, ref12

  WC’s Black Dog and ref1, ref2, ref3

  WC’s eightieth birthday and ref1

  WC’s funeral and ref1

  WC’s gambling and ref1, ref2, ref3

  WC’s loss of power, 1945 and ref1

  WC’s ninetieth birthday and ref1

  WC’s reputation, as guardian of ref1

  WC’s retirement as PM and ref1, ref2, ref3

  WC’s speeches and ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7, ref8, ref9, ref10, ref11, ref12, ref13

  WC’s ‘wilderness’ years and ref1

  wedding ref1, ref2, ref3

  wedding anniversaries vi, ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6

  West Indies, visits ref1

  widow, life as ref1

  women’s rights, support for ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7, ref8, ref9, ref10, ref11

  working classes/poor and ref1, ref2, ref3

  World Refugee Year and ref1

  YWCA’s and see YWCA

  Churchill, Diana see Sandys, Diana

  Churchill, Gwendoline ‘Goonie’ (sister-in-law) ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7, ref8, ref9, ref10, ref11, ref12, ref13, ref14

  Churchill, Jack (brother-in-law) ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7, ref8, ref9

  Churchill, Johnny (nephew) ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5

  Churchill, (née Osborne) (daughter-in-law), June ref1

  Churchill, Lady Jennie (mother-in-law) ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7, ref8, ref9, ref10, ref11, ref12, ref13, ref14, ref15, ref16, ref17, ref18, ref19, ref20, ref21, ref22, ref23

  Churchill, Lord Randolph (father-in-law) ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7, ref8, ref9, ref10, ref11

  Churchill, Marigold (daughter) ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7, ref8, ref9, ref10

  Churchill, Mary see Soames, Mary

  Churchill, Peregrine (nephew) ref1, ref2, ref3

  Churchill, Randolph (son) ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7, ref8, ref9, ref10, ref11, ref12, ref13, ref14, ref15, ref16, ref17, ref18, ref19, ref20, ref21, ref22, ref23, ref24, ref25, ref26, ref27, ref28, ref29, ref30, ref31, ref32, ref33, ref34, ref35, ref36, ref37, ref38, ref39, ref40, ref41, ref42, ref43, ref44, ref45, ref46, ref47, ref48, ref49, ref50, ref51, ref52, ref53, ref54, ref55, ref56, ref57, ref58, ref59, ref60, ref61, ref62, ref63, ref64, ref65, ref66, ref67