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Answers to Readers' Questions on Biographies:
Churchill
The following 31 comments and questions have been sent in. They are listed according to date.
List of first 10 items
- Wants to know if related to Churchill
- Great grandfather helped Churchill in Boer War
- Who were Winston Churchill's mentors?
- Quote from Sir Winston Churchill on wedding
- Also a Hosier
- Why was Churchill defeated after WWII?
- Wants info on Churchill's nanny
- Child development and depression
- Story completely false
- Why did winston chirchill go into politics
Wants to know if related to Churchill
Question
May 31, 2008
How can we find a family tree....My husband is a Churchill and he is from Canada. we have always heard that he was an ancestor but would like to know for sure.
Terrie - USA
16014
Answer
Some websites on the genealogy of Winston Churchill include:
http://marthachurchill.com/family/t-churchil.htm
http://genforum.genealogy.com/churchill/
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~dav4is/ODTs/CHURCHILL.shtml
You still may have to do some research, but this should give you a start.
Great grandfather helped Churchill in Boer War
Question
October 14, 2007
My great grandfather Charles Henry Wagner, a civillian train driver during the South African Boer War was driving Winston Churchill and British troops and they were ambushed by the boers at Chieveley, near Estcourt. Three carriages were thrown off the line. Even though severely wounded in the head Charles drove Winston Churchill, together with 50 or 60 persons on the engine and its tender, to safety. For this act of bravery 10 years later Charles Henry Wagner was awarded the First Class Albert Medal from King George V. Churchill left the train before they reached Estcourt and was captured at that point but later escaped via Mozambique.
According to a newspaper report (Natal Witness January 18, 1965) Sir Winston Churchill continued to correspond with Charles Henry Wagner for many years until his death in old age. In one letter he said he hoped to visit Charles Henry Wagner in Pietermaritzburg but alas this never took place.
I am wondering if any of these letters are still around. I live in Canada now so am unable to do any more searching in South Africa.
Shirley - Canada
14538
Answer
That certainly is an interesting story. The letters your great-grandfather sent to Churchill may be in some historical archive in the UK, provided he kept the letters. But the letters he sent to your great-grandfather should still be with someone in your family. Perhaps they were handed down to his children (your grandparents). Hopefully no one threw them away. If you haven't already, it would be good to do some detective work among your relatives.
Best wishes in finding more about your great-grandfather.
Who were Winston Churchill's mentors?
Question
April 16, 2007
who were Winston Churchill mentors
Nick - Australia
13583
Answer
His family was well-connected in British politics. His father was Lord Randolph Churchill. Winston also went to the best schools, so he made many useful connections.
Quote from Sir Winston Churchill on wedding
Question
April 10, 2006
I am getting married in a couple of weeks and I found a wedding album with a quote from Sir Winston Churchill. I believe it was a letter to his wife, I can not find the quote anywhere. Can you help me?
Kelley - USA
10805
Answer
You might find the quote in:
http://www.quotedb.com/authors/winston-churchill
Best wishes in your wedding.
Also a Hosier
Question
October 29, 2005
i am also a hosier i was bought up in london with my parents and can recollect there parents too, my grandfather is hosier although he has now passed over, if i can help i shall as all i know is the side of hte family orriginated from red american indians, hope this helps await email
sharon - netherlands
8739
Answer
If you have some information on the Hosier family, I would be glad to include it with the Churchill biography.
Why was Churchill defeated after WWII?
Question
September 28, 2005
Hello my name is marcelo diaz, and i am doing the IB, in history i chose to my internal essay about why was it that churchill lost the elections after WWII if he resulted to be a great war leader.
hope you can answer my question with enough information, or at least recomend my sites or books were to check.
thanks
Marcelo - Uruguay
8330
Answer
Although Churchill did a good job in leading the country through the war, many of his ideas for peacetime were against what the people wanted. For example, he was against public health care and better education for the majority of the population. Also, Churchill had made many political enemies during his career, so he had strong opposition to his continuing in office. He was soundly defeated in the election in 1945 to Clement Attlee and the Labour Party.
But he was later re-elected to be Prime Minister in 1951.
Wants info on Churchill's nanny
Question
July 10, 2005
Good day
I am writting my book on Winston Churchill and i am a big admirer of him. If you could suply me with any information on Nanny Everest i would be very grateful.
William - England
7514
Answer
You might look at "Rise and Fall of the British Nanny" by Jonathan Gathorne-Hardy for some material on Churchill's nanny. But I don't think there is much there on her background.
Best wishes in your book. Churchill was a fascinating man.
Child development and depression
Question
June 2, 2005
I'm doing an essay on Churchill and his upbringing. I have to see how he fits one (or more) of the theories on child (personality) development, the source of his depression, etc. I wondered if you could help me with any leads on this.
Philip - Australia
7153
Answer
Tendency of depression is often inherited. I don't think child development was a source for Churchill's fits of depression.
Story completely false
Question
May 27, 2005
The story about Winston Churchill and Alexander Fleming is completely fictional. Apart from the fact that Winston Churchill was not given penicillin to save his life, he was give a drug called M&B for Bacteriological pneumonia as pencillin did not work. You really should check with The Churchil Centre before writing such drivel especially if you're are trying to educate. The story was first published in 1950 in a religious book called Worship for Juniors and has no place in truth.
I really get tired of "cute" anecdotes that have no bearing on reality.
Anthony - USA
7103
Answer
Note that I have a comment questioning whether this story is true or not. I will add that it probably is not true.
Also note that the Churchill Centre is listed as a reference and resource.
There are many stories about Churchill that are not true, as well as many quotes attributed to him that he never said.
Why did winston chirchill go into politics
Question
April 14, 2005
why did winston chirchill go into politics and what inspiered him
niomi - UK
6650
Answer
His father had been in politics and he was interested in getting involved. But was also interested in writing and journalism.
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