Winston Churchill
Born 1874 · Age 151
British statesman, soldier, writer and orator; Prime Minister 1940–1945 and 1951–1955; Nobel Prize in Literature 1953; MP 1900–1964 representing five constituencies; led Britain in WWII.
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Life & Career Timeline
Birth at Blenheim Palace
Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill born at Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire, eldest son of Lord Randolph Churchill and Jennie Jerome.
Entered St George's School, Ascot
Sent to boarding school at St George's near Ascot aged seven.
Entered Harrow School
Passed entrance exam and began at Harrow School; later placed in army form for final years.
Entered Royal Military College, Sandhurst
Accepted as a cavalry cadet at Sandhurst after previous unsuccessful attempts.
Commissioned into 4th Queen's Own Hussars
Gazetted as second lieutenant in the 4th Queen's Own Hussars, beginning active military career.
War correspondent in Cuba
Traveled to Cuba during the War of Independence, acted as an observer and correspondent for the Daily Graphic.
Posted to India with his regiment
Served in India (Bangalore) and embarked on campaigns on the North West Frontier.
Joined Malakand Field Force
Volunteered for Bindon Blood's Malakand expedition; began writing career (despatches later expanded into a book).
Published The Story of the Malakand Field Force
First book published (dispatches from the frontier), establishing him as an author and public figure.
Fought at Battle of Omdurman
Attached to 21st Lancers for Kitchener's Nile expedition; participated in the cavalry charge at Omdurman.
Resigned commission to enter politics & writing
Decided to leave the army to pursue a career in politics and authorship.
Captured by Boers (POW)
Captured after an ambush near Chieveley while serving as correspondent in the Second Boer War.
Escaped Boer POW camp
Dramatic escape from a Pretoria prison camp; gained major publicity and fame.
Published novel Savrola and other works
Published his only novel Savrola (Feb 1900) and subsequently other books from Boer War dispatches.
Elected Member of Parliament (Oldham)
Elected Conservative MP for Oldham in the 1900 general election, beginning long parliamentary career.
Maiden speech in the House of Commons
Gave his first major speech in Parliament, attracting public attention.
Crossed the floor to the Liberal Party
Left the Conservative Party to sit as a Liberal MP, reflecting his free-trade and reformist positions.
Appointed Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies
Entered government as Under-Secretary in Campbell-Bannerman's Liberal administration.
Made Privy Councillor
Sworn of the Privy Council, a senior advisory body to the Crown.
Appointed President of the Board of Trade (Cabinet)
Joined Asquith's Cabinet at age 33; advanced labour and social reforms (trade boards, labour exchanges).
Defeated at ministerial by-election (Manchester North West)
Lost the by-election required after his Cabinet appointment; subsequently sought another seat.
Elected MP for Dundee
Returned to Parliament in the safe Liberal seat of Dundee.
Married Clementine Hozier
Married Clementine Hozier at St Margaret's, Westminster; marriage provided a stable personal partnership.
Appointed Home Secretary
Promoted to Home Secretary; pursued prison reform and faced industrial unrest responsibilities.
Appointed First Lord of the Admiralty
Took civilian charge of the Royal Navy; pushed for naval readiness and creation of a naval war staff.
Dardanelles/Gallipoli campaign initiated
Advocated naval and military action in the Dardanelles in 1915 — later a major political setback.
Resigned as First Lord of the Admiralty
Demoted after Gallipoli failures; became Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster briefly thereafter.
Resigned from government and joined troops on Western Front
Left government and served with Grenadier Guards and later commanded 6th Battalion Royal Scots Fusiliers.
Appointed Minister of Munitions
Returned to government under Lloyd George during WWI overseeing munitions production.
Secretary of State for War and Air
Took the War and Air portfolios after WWI; continued to serve in senior government positions.
Secretary of State for the Colonies
Appointed Colonial Secretary; chaired Cairo Conference and influenced Middle East policy and borders.
Helped negotiate Anglo-Irish Treaty
Played a part in negotiations creating the Irish Free State (Anglo-Irish Treaty signed 6 Dec 1921).
Purchased Chartwell Manor
Bought Chartwell in Kent (purchase price reported at £5,000; later spent more on renovations), his long-term country home.
Defeated at Dundee — out of Parliament
Lost his seat at Dundee in the 1922 general election and spent two years out of Parliament.
Elected MP for Epping
Returned to Parliament as Constitutionalist/Conservative for Epping, holding seat thereafter until 1945.
Appointed Chancellor of the Exchequer
Joined Stanley Baldwin's Cabinet as Chancellor; major fiscal responsibility and policy maker.
Return sterling to Gold Standard
As Chancellor, returned sterling to the gold standard at prewar parity in 1925 — a controversial decision.
Edited The British Gazette during General Strike
Edited the government's paper The British Gazette during the General Strike (5–13 May 1926).
Left government — beginning 'wilderness years'
Resigned as Chancellor after Conservative defeat; entered a period largely out of office through the 1930s.
Published autobiography My Early Life
Published My Early Life (A Roving Commission in the USA), which boosted income and public profile.
Gave first sustained public warnings about German rearmament
During the 'wilderness years' repeatedly warned Parliament and public about the Nazi threat and called for rearmament.
Re-appointed First Lord of the Admiralty
At outbreak of WWII, returned to government as First Lord of the Admiralty (3 Sep 1939).
Became Prime Minister and Minister of Defence
Succeeded Neville Chamberlain to form a national coalition government; led Britain in WWII.
First wartime speech: 'Blood, toil, tears and sweat'
Delivered his first speech as PM to the Commons, famously promising 'blood, toil, tears and sweat'.
Delivered 'We shall fight on the beaches' speech
Addressed the House after Dunkirk evacuation (4 June 1940), rallying British morale.
Delivered 'Their Finest Hour' speech
Gave famous 'Their Finest Hour' speech to the Commons during crisis in 1940.
Signed Atlantic Charter with Roosevelt
Met FDR aboard ships at Placentia Bay (9–12 Aug 1941) and co-authored the Atlantic Charter guiding Allied aims.
Attended Tehran Conference (Big Three)
Met Roosevelt and Stalin for high-level Allied strategy discussions (28 Nov–1 Dec 1943).
D-Day / Normandy landings (oversaw Allied operations)
Oversaw Allied strategy leading to the Normandy landings; visited Normandy beaches on 12 June 1944.
Victory in Europe (VE Day)
Announced the end of war in Europe; coalition dissolved shortly afterwards and he led caretaker government into election.
Defeated in 1945 General Election
Conservatives lost to Clement Attlee's Labour; Churchill became Leader of the Opposition.
Delivered 'Iron Curtain' speech (Sinews of Peace)
Spoke at Fulton, Missouri warning about Soviet influence, coining the 'iron curtain' phrase and championing European unity.
Published first volume of The Second World War
Began publication of his six-volume memoir/analysis of WWII (The Gathering Storm and subsequent volumes through 1953/54).
Returned as Prime Minister (second term)
Led Conservatives back to power and became PM again (26 Oct 1951); domestic focus included housebuilding programme.
Awarded Nobel Prize in Literature
Received the Nobel Prize for his many published works, particularly his historical and war writings.
Invested as Knight of the Garter / Received insignia
Queen Elizabeth II conferred the Order of the Garter and he was invested with insignia in 1953.
Resigned as Prime Minister (health declining)
Stepped down in April 1955 due to ill health, remaining an MP until 1964.
Published History of the English-Speaking Peoples
Published the multi-volume History of the English-Speaking Peoples (1956–58), a major postwar historical work.
Became Father of the House of Commons
Recognized as the longest continuously serving MP (Father of the House, 8 Oct 1959 – 25 Sep 1964).
Awarded Honorary US Citizenship
President John F. Kennedy conferred honorary US citizenship on Churchill in 1963 — one of few so honoured.
Left Parliament (retired)
Retired from the House of Commons after more than six decades as an MP (service 1900–1964).
Death
Died at Hyde Park Gate, London on 24 January 1965; subsequently given a state funeral on 30 January 1965.
State funeral
Received a state funeral on 30 January 1965, one of the largest state funerals in modern British history.
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