Sir Winston Churchill’s Birth Room, Blenheim Palace, Woodstock, 2014
© Leslie Hossack
Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill was born 140 years ago at Blenheim Palace on the 30th of November 1874. His father, Randolph Henry Spencer Churchill, was the Member of Parliament for Woodstock, and his mother was American Jennie Jerome.
When Winston was born, his parents were visiting his grandparents. Winston’s grandfather was the 7th Duke of Marlborough; Blenheim Palace had been built to honour the 1st Duke of Marlborough’s victory over the French in 1704.
Blenheim Palace had an enormous influence on Sir Winston Churchill during his long and remarkable life. In 1951 he wrote: “I am proud to be born at Blenheim.”
The image above shows Winston Churchill’s birth room at Blenheim Palace. It is the first in a series of photographs by Leslie Hossack that examines the extraordinary life of Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill, from his birth in 1874 until his death in 1965.
Churchill became Prime Minister on May 10th, 1940, and he is widely regarded as the resolute, inspirational leader who saved western civilization from Nazi tyranny. He also achieved fame as a soldier, writer, orator and parliamentarian. In addition, he is known as a man who loved his family and the life of luxury.
The image featured above is part of the limited edition collector’s portfolio created by Leslie Hossack to mark the 50th anniversary of the death of Sir Winston Churchill. She presents locations that chart Churchill’s personal and political life, from his birth at Blenheim Palace in 1874 until his death in London in 1965. THE CHURCHILL PHOTOGRAPHS are part of Hossack’s larger body of work that explores Nazi architecture in Berlin, Stalinist structures in Moscow, contested sites in Jerusalem, a Cold War bunker in Ottawa, NATO’s Headquarter Camp in Kosovo, and buildings linked to the Japanese Canadian internment during World War II.
To view more photographs, please visit Leslie’s website. lesliehossack.com
HAUTE VITRINE 
Hi Leslie,
Good to see you following another line of historical mischief. ’Twill be interesting to see how you capture a non-institutional setting, and of course throw a different light on Winston Churchill.
Also nice was to re-view the distinctive Nazi sensibility, dare on say ‘feel’, of Karlshorst both exterior and interior shots. Something in the design of the lighting fixtures, that tried to be both modern and traditional but resulted in something completely cold, stark and totalitarian. I have experienced this feel transplanted to Canada in certain homes.
Regardless the Karlshorst Museum is a must when I return to Berlin.
Speaking of which, Phyllis Lambert gave a lecture at Nat Gal two weeks ago on Mies van der Rohe’s design of Seagram building in N.Y. She showed a pic of his first building, which one of our excursion leaders took us to in 2006. The Goethe Institut offered a first rate Kultur Program along with excellent language training, which I’m sure Barbara must have mentioned.
Just in case you decide to tackle Deutsch for your return visit.
G.