Charting Churchill: The Marlborough Room, Royal Military College, Sandhurst

Marlborough Room, Royal Military College, Sandhurst 2014

At the beginning of 1929, Winston Churchill’s political career appeared to be at its zenith. However, Stanley Baldwin’s government was defeated in May, and Churchill resigned as Chancellor of the Exchequer. Thus began his “Wilderness Years.” Throughout this period, he continued to represent Epping in the House of Commons, but not as a member of the governing party. From the spring of 1929 until the spring of 1939, Churchill would not hold a cabinet post.

In August 1929, Winston set out on a North American tour with his son Randolph, his brother Jack and his nephew Johnnie. The four travelled across Canada by train to Vancouver and Victoria. Churchill enjoyed the scenery en route and painted various sights, including Lake Louise. The group then travelled south to California. By the end of October, Churchill’s party had reached New York City where he observed the Wall Street Crash first hand. He himself lost £17,000, at a time when he could ill afford a financial set back.

Once again, Churchill would turn to writing as his main source of income. He received an advance of £20,000 for Marlborough, a book he wanted to write about his ancestor John Churchill, the 1st Duke of Marlborough. Winston had been born in Blenheim Palace, which was given to the 1st Duke of Marlborough in gratitude for his victory at the Battle of Blenheim in 1705.

Shown above is the Marlborough Room, Royal Military College, Sandhurst. This room, named after the 1st Duke, features a triptych on leather of the Battle of Blenheim, painted by Horensburg. Now the room is used as an officer cadet anteroom where one of the companies of cadets assembles. Winston Churchill was a cavalry cadet at Sandhurst from September 1893 to December 1894.

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

Charting Churchill: Stable Court, Blenheim Palace

Stable Court, Blenheim Palace, Woodstock 2014

In 1895, the year he celebrated his twenty-first birthday, Winston Churchill completed his training as a cavalry cadet at Sandhurst, buried his father, was commissioned as an officer in the 4th Queen’s Own Hussars, buried his nanny, made his first trip overseas to the United States and Cuba, was posted to India, and fell in love. Winston had embarked upon a series of undertakings and exploits that would define the rest of his life.

Many of Churchill’s decisions were influenced by his love of horses, a love that began when he was a very young child. He first learned to ride while visiting with his grandparents at Blenheim Palace whose Stable Court is pictured above. Later, in his book My Early Life, Churchill described the cavalry training he underwent as a Recruit Officer after leaving Sandhurst: disciplined, demanding drill in the Riding-School, at the Stables and on the Barrack Square.

In the fall of 1896, Second Lieutenant Winston Churchill was posted to India. By now he had discovered his love for polo which he indulged in Bangalore and went on to play for decades. Later in his life, Churchill turned his interest to thoroughbred horses which he bred, bought, sold and raced. But of all his adventures connected with horses, perhaps the most dramatic was his participation in the charge of the 21st Lancers at Omdurman in Sudan, in September 1898. It has since been styled as the last great cavalry charge in history, and when he took part in it, Winston Churchill was only 23 years old.

To view more photographs, please visit Leslie’s website. lesliehossack.com

Charting Churchill: Old College, Royal Military College, Sandhurst

Portico, Old College, Royal Military College, Sandhurst 2014

On September 1st 1893, at the age of eighteen, Winston Churchill entered the Royal Military College at Sandhurst. Having failed on two occasions to pass the Sandhurst entrance examination, Winston had left Harrow School to study with the help of a crammer and passed the exam on his third attempt. In My Early Years, Churchill wrote: “At Sandhurst I had a new start. I was no longer handicapped by past neglect of Latin, French or Mathematics. We now had to learn fresh things and we all started equal. Tactics, Fortifications, Topography (mapmaking), Military Law and Military Administration formed the whole curriculum. In addition were Drill, Gymnastics and Riding.”

Winston thoroughly enjoyed his three terms as a gentleman cadet at Sandhurst, and he made several lasting friendships there. He was eager to participate in his military education, and he particularly enjoyed training at the riding-school.

The building above was completed in 1812. Located inside this massive structure is the cadet dining room where Winston Churchill took his meals. Another room in the Old College building is the Marlborough Room, named after John Churchill, the 1st Duke of Marlborough. He is regarded as one of Britain’s greatest soldiers. In recognition of his victories in Europe in the early 1700s, he was given Blenheim Palace where Winston Churchill was born.

To view more photographs, please visit Leslie’s website. lesliehossack.com

Charting Churchill: 2 Connaught Place, London

2 Connaught Place, London 2014

In 1882, at the age of eight, Winston and his younger brother Jack moved with their parents, Lord & Lady Randolph Churchill, to a townhouse at 2 Connaught Place in London. This was to be their family home for ten years. It backed onto Hyde Park, and this photograph shows the rear of those townhouses today. Winston, Jack and their nanny, Mrs. Everest, were ensconced on the top floor and would have looked out over the back garden and wall onto Hyde Park. Winston enjoyed this house, and later wrote to his mother: “I look back with regret to the old days at Connaught Place when fortune smiled.”

While at Connaught Place, Winston’s collection of toy soldiers grew to nearly 1500. In My Early Life, he describes an event that took place while playing with the soldiers. “The day came when my father himself paid a formal visit of inspection. All the troops were arranged in the correct formation of attack. He spent twenty minutes studying the scene – which was really impressive – with a keen eye and captivating smile. At the end he asked me if I would like to go into the Army. I thought it would be splendid to command an Army, so I said ‘Yes’ at once: and immediately I was taken at my word… the toy soldiers turned the current of my life. Henceforward all my education was directed to passing into Sandhurst, and afterwards to the technical details of the profession of arms.”

To view more photographs, please visit Leslie’s website. lesliehossack.com

Charting Churchill: Head Master’s House, Harrow School

Head Master’s House, Harrow School, Harrow on the Hill 2014

In 1888, Winston Spencer-Churchill, age 13, entered Harrow School where he studied until 1892, leaving at the age of 18. He won prizes for history, for reciting 1200 lines of poetry, and for a poem he wrote; he took part in debates and joined the Rifle Corps; he competed in swim meets and won the Public Schools’ Fencing Championship; he tobogganed and skated on the lake; he rode his bicycle, collected stamps and shot rounds on the rifle range; he took part in mock battles and signed up for drawing lessons; he played the cello and enjoyed singing; he was reported at various times for unpunctuality, slovenliness, cutting school, disobedience and impertinence; he suffered several illnesses and missed his parents; he collected autographs and sold his own parents’ autographs; he attended lectures by many famous visitors; he took the special Army Class for boys intending to go on to Woolwich or Sandhurst; and in his final term, beginning in September 1892, Winston shared his room at Harrow with his brother Jack.

The photograph above shows the Head Master’s House, one of many at Harrow. Pupils board in one of the houses and it becomes the focus of their school life. Winston was first assigned to Garlands House and then moved to Head Master’s House in May 1889.

To view more photographs, please visit Leslie’s website. lesliehossack.com