| The Lovers | |
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| winston Spencer Churchill
(1874-1965) was born at Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire, son of Lord Randolph Churchill and Jennie Jerome. Educated at Harrow, he served in the army in India and Sudan, then went to South Africa as a war correspondent to cover the Boer War. In 1904 he joined the Liberal Party (returning to the Conservatives 20 years later); and in 1908 married Clementine Hozier. Churchill held many high offices of state, including home secretary (1910), first lord of the Admiralty (1911 and 1939), and chancellor of the exchequer (1924-29). He spent the 1930's in political obscurity, but became prime minister of a coalition government during World War II, rising to greatness and becoming a symbol of the indomitable will to triumph over Nazi Germany. Defeated in the General Election of 1945, he was again elected prime minister in 1951. He wrote extensively, and in 1953 won the Nobel Prize for Literature. He died in 1965, at age 90. |
Clementine Hozier
(1885-1977) was born into an upper-class family, but experienced much unhappiness as a young girl when her parents separated. Despite a lack of money, she made a strong impression in social circles with her beauty, intelligence, and charm. In 1908, she married Winston Churchill. She kept their home, bore him five children and proved a loyal support and wise counsel during his very long political career. By nature Clementine was shy and passionate, though she maintained a seemingly cool public persona. In the years of World War II, she undertook the important work of chairing the Red Cross Aid to Russia Appeal, helping to run the Fulmer Chase Maternity Home, and raising funds for the Y.M.C.A. In 1965, she took the title of Baroness Spencer-Churchill of Chartwell. Ill health dogged her old age, but she retained her elegance, independence of mind, and love of family and friends until her death in 1977, at age 92. |
