August 16, 2013

Finest Hour 118, Spring 2003

Page 46

BY NEIL H. COATES

Timeline: Milestones in the Life of Winston S. Churchill

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With the encouragement of many on our internet Listserv, I have developed this prototype timeline of Winston Churchill’s life, an ongoing project: what you see here is the first draft.

Ideally I wanted to record a similar date for each office Churchill held, but the varying methods of appointment for different offices and changing parliamentary procedures prevent this. The only consistent dates that can be quoted are the resignations of Prime Ministers, whereupon the old government goes into caretaker mode, and when the monarch commissions the leader of a party to form a new government. I have elected to sacrifice consistency for added accuracy and detail.

Some of the dates listed here differ from those in “Ampersand” in Finest Hour 114, page 46, and I would like to explain why. (References to the official biography are “BV” for biographic volumes, “CV” for companion ; volumes. “BV5” means Biographic Volume 5; “CV2/2” means Companion to Volume 2, Part 2.)

UNDERSECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES

On 9 December 1905, Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman assured WSC of his appointment, which was announced on the 13th (CV2/2: 107). Also on the 13th, Colonial Secretary Lord Elgin wrote to WSC, “I had the pleasure this afternoon of signing the paper which I believe completes your appointment.” (CV2/2: 413.)

PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE

On 8 April 1908, Herbert Asquith kissed hands with the King in Biarritz and wrote to WSC: “With the King’s approval, I have the great pleasure of offering you the post of President of the Board of Trade in the new Administration.” (BV2: 244). Churchill took his place at the Cabinet table on April 9th. (Gilbert: Churchill, A Life, paperback edition: 135.)

DEFEATED IN MANCHESTER NORTHWEST

The polls closed on 23 April 1908. Churchill’s opponent, Joynson-Hicks, was declared elected on the 24th (BV2: 257). I question whether Churchill could have theoretically held his Cabinet post without a seat in Parliament. If that was the case, he was out of office from 23 April to 9 May 1908, when the poll in Dundee declared him the winner. (BV2: 264.)

HOME SECRETARY

“The election results were announced on 15 February 1910….On the day the election results were announced Churchill became Home Secretary.” (Gilbert: Churchill, A Life, paperback: 147.)

FIRST LORD OF THE ADMIRALTY

On 25 May 1915, WSC was “waiting at the Admiralty to be formally relieved of his office…” (BV3: 469.)

CHANCELLOR OF THE DUCHY OF LANCASTER

On the morning of Thursday, 27 May 1915, Churchill went to Buckingham Palace, where “he was received in separate audience by the King, who handed him the Seal of the Duchy of Lancaster.” (BV3: 473.)

SECREATRY OF STATE FOR WAR AND AIR

The new cabinet was not finally decided upon until 9 January 1919. (BV4: 179.)

EDITOR’S NOTE

We are pleased to bring Neil Coates’s work to the attention of readers who do not use our Internet Listserv because we think its usefulness is potentially considerable, not the least on our own website.

This timeline can easily be linked to appropriate articles and tables of data in other parts of the website whereby students or researchers can quickly arrive at the relevant facts. Even clicking, say, “Labour” could lead the user to “British Political Parties During Churchill’s Time” (Ampersand, FH 113:46). Sovereigns and Prime Ministers could easily be linked to brief biographies and the major Churchill entries to articles or papers on those topics. Indeed, the web applications are limited only by the imagination.

For many issues now “Ampersand” has been devoted to compiling brief facts and glossaries of information that will eventually be published in a pocket-sized folding reader’s guide which can be slipped into the book you are reading and serve as a ready reference. The first installment (“All the Elections Churchill Ever Contested”) appeared in FH 103, and nearly every issue since has carried further chapters. If there is an area of ready facts which you think we have not covered, please contact the editor, as we are quickly running out of the original subjects, suggested by Suzanne Sigman. RML 

Australian Engineeer Neil Coates has been a member of The Churchill Centre since 1997. He welcomes input on his developing timeline and may be reached by email ([email protected]) or post to 65 East Derwent Highway, Rose Bay, Tasmania, Australia 7015.