June 18, 2008

Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill’s ancestors were both British and American. Winston’s father was the British Lord Randolph Churchill, the youngest son of John, the 7th Duke of Marlborough. Lord Randolph’s ancestor John Churchill made history by winning many successful military campaigns in Europe for Queen Anne almost 200 years earlier. His mother was the American Jennie Jerome. The Jeromes fought for the independence of the American colonies in George Washington’s armies. Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill was born on November 30, 1874, at the Duke of Marlborough’s large palace, Blenheim.

Lady Randolph hired Mrs. Elizabeth Everest as a nanny to care for Winston. Winston fondly called Mrs. Everest “Woomany.” Later Winston Churchill would say that “My nurse was my confidante. Mrs. Everest it was who looked after me and tended all my wants. It was to her that I poured out all my many troubles…” Schooling 1882-1888 Winston attended St. George’s School, Ascot, from 1882 through 1884. Of school Winston would write, “It appears that I was to go away from home for many weeks at a stretch in order to do lessons under masters… After all I was only seven, and I had been so happy in my nursery with all my toys. I had such wonderful toys: a real steam engine, a magic lantern, and a collection of soldiers already nearly a thousand strong. Now it was to be all lessons…” From 1884-1888, Winston attended The Misses Thompson’s Preparatory School where he learned things that interested him such as French, history, poetry, riding a horse and swimming.