Churchill, Winston Leonard Spencer, Sir, 1874 - 1965 (Knight, statesman and historian)
Person
Dates
- Existence: 1874 - 1965
Found in 73 Collections and/or Records:
File
Speeches: House of Commons: Speech notes and source material., 25 Jun 1940 - 21 Nov 1941
File
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 9/173A-B
Scope and Contents
Speech notes for WSC's speech (25 June) entitled "The fall of France" on the capitulation of France, the surrender of the French fleet to Germany and his visit to see [Paul] Reynaud [Prime Minister of France]. Published: Complete Speeches VI, pp 6239-41.Statement by WSC (4 July) on the British destruction of the French fleet at Oran [Algeria]. Source material includes notes on the co-ordination of intelligence, the role of the Commander-in-Chief of the Home Forces [General Sir Alan Brooke,...
Dates:
25 Jun 1940 - 21 Nov 1941
Conditions Governing Access:
Open
File
Speeches: House of Commons: Speech notes and source material., 05 Sep 1940 - 08 Oct 1940
File
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 9/174A-C
Scope and Contents
Statement by WSC (5 September) on the war situation and an agreement with the United States over destroyers and defence bases, events in Romania, the achievements of the RAF, damage through bombing and the insurance scheme, evacuation, air raid warnings and other Home Front issues. Source material includes: notes and correspondence from Air Marshal Sir Richard Peirse [Vice-Chief of Air Staff], Norman Brook [later 1st Lord Normanbrook] (2), Arthur Cary [Assistant Principal, Air Ministry] (4),...
Dates:
05 Sep 1940 - 08 Oct 1940
Conditions Governing Access:
Open
File
Speeches: House of Commons: Speech notes and source material., 30 Sep 1941 - 11 Dec 1941
File
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 9/180A-B
Scope and Contents
Speech notes for statement by WSC (30 September) on the war situation including: the threat posed by Hitler, WSC's intention not to publish shipping losses to U-Boats, food and rations, the strength of the United States and the Soviet Union, Germany's attack on the Soviet Union, the army and Bomber Command, and events and operations in Persia [Iran]. Also includes correspondence from 1st Lord Woolton [earlier Frederick Marquis] Minister of Food, Frank Wood, and Major-General Bernard Paget,...
Dates:
30 Sep 1941 - 11 Dec 1941
Conditions Governing Access:
Open
File
Speeches: House of Commons: Speech notes and source material., 23 Apr 1942 - 02 Jun 1942
File
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 9/184A-C
Scope and Contents
Speech notes for WSC's speech (23 April) in secret session on the war situation including: Japan's entry into the war; setbacks including battleship losses; defence of the Admiralty over the escape of the German battlecruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau; events and operations in the Far East, the Middle East and the Soviet Union; air battles including the bombing of Germany; and aircraft and ship production. Also includes correspondence from: Maurice Dean [Assistant Under Secretary of State,...
Dates:
23 Apr 1942 - 02 Jun 1942
Conditions Governing Access:
Open
File
Speeches: House of Commons: Speech notes and source material., 08 Nov 1942 - 10 Dec 1942
File
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 9/187A-B
Scope and Contents
Speech notes for WSC's speech (11 November) on the war situation including: successes in Egypt and the second battle of El Alamein; armaments supplied by the United States; agreements with Stalin; operations in the Mediterranean and changes in command in the Middle East; instructions to General Sir Harold Alexander [Commander in Chief Middle East] and General Sir Bernard Montgomery [General Officer Commanding the 8th Army]; tank tactics and the successes of the RAF. Also includes...
Dates:
08 Nov 1942 - 10 Dec 1942
Conditions Governing Access:
Open
File
Speeches: House of Commons: Speech notes and source material., 27 Jul 1943 - 13 Oct 1943
File
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 9/192A-C
Scope and Contents
Speech notes for WSC's speech (27 July) on the fall of Mussolini including an assessment of his regime and the principles to be used in negotiations with Italy; and also on events and operations in the Soviet Union and the bombing of Germany. Also includes correspondence from 1st Lord Halifax [earlier Edward Wood and Lord Irwin, British Ambassador to the United States]; Francis Keenlyside [Assistant Secretary in charge of Shipping Policy]; Sir Edward Bridges [Secretary to the Cabinet]; and...
Dates:
27 Jul 1943 - 13 Oct 1943
Conditions Governing Access:
Open
File
Speeches: House of Commons: Speech notes and source material., 18 Feb 1944 - 22 Mar 1944
File
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 9/197A-C
Scope and Contents
Speech notes for WSC's speech (22 February) on the progress of the war and the international situation including: the strength of the forces of Germany; successes in the Soviet Union and through bombing attacks on Germany; the importance of the role played by the Royal Navy and the RAF; a prediction of increased attack in 1944; events and operations in Italy, Yugoslavia [later Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, and Slovenia] and Greece; the...
Dates:
18 Feb 1944 - 22 Mar 1944
Conditions Governing Access:
Open
File
Speeches: House of Commons: Speech notes and source material., 03 May 1944 - 06 Jul 1944
File
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 9/199A-D
Scope and Contents
Speech notes for WSC's speech (24 May) on the foreign affairs debate entitled "The world situation" including: a meeting of the Dominion Prime Ministers; the unity of empire; discontinuation of arms to Turkey; the fall of Mussolini and the position of Italy; relations with and events in Spain, Greece, Yugoslavia [later Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, and Slovenia], the Soviet Union and Poland. Also includes correspondence from: Anthony Eden...
Dates:
03 May 1944 - 06 Jul 1944
Conditions Governing Access:
Open
File
Speeches: House of Commons: Speech notes and source material., 19 Jul 1944 - 08 Aug 1944
File
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 9/200A-B
Scope and Contents
Speech notes for WSC's statement (2 August) on the war situation including: successes against Germany and Japan world-wide including the Far East; decisions made at the Quebec [Canada] conference; the Normandy landings; RAF losses; the tanks supplied by the United States and praise for the Sherman and Churchill tanks; the progress of General Sir Harold Alexander [Commander in Chief of the Allied Armies in Italy]; his hopes of victory; flying bombs and the evacuation of London; improved...
Dates:
19 Jul 1944 - 08 Aug 1944
Conditions Governing Access:
Open
File
Speeches: House of Commons: Speech notes and source material., 31 Oct 1944 - 30 Nov 1944
File
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 9/202A-B
Scope and Contents
Speech notes for WSC's speech (31 October) on the death of Princess Beatrice. Also includes Hansard report of speech. Published: Complete Speeches VII, pp 7019.Speech notes for WSC's speech (31 October) on the prolongation of Parliament in which he stresses the need to maintain the coalition government until the end of the war. Also includes: Hansard report of the speech; correspondence and source material from "Archie" [Sir Archibald Sinclair, later 1st Lord Thurso] Secretary of State for...
Dates:
31 Oct 1944 - 30 Nov 1944
Conditions Governing Access:
Open
File
Speeches: Non House of Commons: Speech notes and source material., 09 Jan 1941 - 27 Apr 1941
File
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 9/181A-B
Scope and Contents
Speech notes for WSC's speech (9 January, Pilgrim's Society Luncheon, Savoy Hotel, London) entitled "United States co-operation" proposing a toast to Lord Halifax [earlier Edward Wood and Lord Irwin] on his appointment as British Ambassador to the United States and on the death of [11th] Lord Lothian [earlier Philip Kerr]. Published: Complete Speeches VI, pp 6327-9.BBC broadcast by WSC (9 February) entitled "Give us the tools" on the war situation including: the repulsion of the threat of...
Dates:
09 Jan 1941 - 27 Apr 1941
Conditions Governing Access:
Open
File
Speeches: Non House of Commons: Speech notes and source material., 15 Feb 1942 - 15 Mar 1942
File
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 9/188A-B
Scope and Contents
Speech notes for WSC's broadcast (15 February) on the fall of Singapore and reviewing the war. Subjects covered include: the Atlantic Charter and assistance provided by the United States; operations in the Soviet Union; the entry of Japan into the war; the Home Front and difficulties of food supply; and the strength of China. Also includes correspondence from James Stuart [Government Chief Whip]; Sir Archibald Sinclair [later 1st Lord Thurso, Secretary of State for Air]; [General Wladyslaw]...
Dates:
15 Feb 1942 - 15 Mar 1942
Conditions Governing Access:
Open
File
Speeches: Non House of Commons: Speech notes and source material., 11 May 1943 - 30 Jun 1943
File
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 9/194A-B
Scope and Contents
Press cuttings of WSC's broadcast from Washington, United States (14 May) on the Home Guard in which he pays tribute to the members of the Home Guard. Also includes correspondence from Sydney Redman [Principal Private Secretary to the Secretary of State for War]; Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Thomas Moore [Chairman of the Home Guard Joint Parliamentary Committee] (3); Robert Gransden; George Anderson, Principal Officer Eastern civil defence region (2); telegrams from the Ministry of Information;...
Dates:
11 May 1943 - 30 Jun 1943
Conditions Governing Access:
Open
File
Speeches: Non House of Commons: Speech notes and source material., 07 Jul 1943 - 31 Aug 1943
File
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 9/195
Scope and Contents
Broadcast by WSC (14 July) to the Polish forces on the death of General [Wladyslaw] Sikorski, former Prime Minister of Poland. Also includes correspondence from Sir Owen O'Malley, British Ambassador to Poland; Anthony Eden [later 1st Lord Avon, Foreign Secretary] and notes and copies of correspondence from Francis Brown [Assistant Private Secretary to WSC], John Peck [Assistant Private Secretary to WSC] and John Martin [Private Secretary to WSC]. Published: Complete Speeches VII, pp...
Dates:
07 Jul 1943 - 31 Aug 1943
Conditions Governing Access:
Open
File
Speeches: Non House of Commons: Speech notes and source material., 15 Mar 1945 - 13 May 1945
File
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 9/207A-B
Scope and Contents
Speech notes for WSC's broadcast (15 March, Conservative Party Conference) including: the absence of party politics during the war; thanks for support of government policy in Greece; the likelihood of a general election; post-war reconstruction including rebuilding, agriculture and education; and the importance of continuing the war against Japan. Includes the phrase "When I became Prime Minister I promised nothing but blood, toil, tears and sweat". Also includes correspondence from: Basil...
Dates:
15 Mar 1945 - 13 May 1945
Conditions Governing Access:
Open
File
Speeches: Non House of Commons: Speech notes, newspaper cuttings and source material., 19 May 1940 - 23 Dec 1940
File
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 9/176A-B
Scope and Contents
BBC broadcast by WSC (19 May) entitled "Arm yourselves and be ye men of valour" on the war situation in France and the formation of the coalition government. Source material includes notes from Andrew Stewart. Published: Complete Speeches VI, pp 6220-23.BBC broadcast by WSC (17 June) entitled "The news from France is very bad" on the capitulation of France. Published: Complete Speeches VI, p 6231.BBC broadcast by WSC (14 July) entitled "War of the unknown warriors" on the disabling of the...
Dates:
19 May 1940 - 23 Dec 1940
Conditions Governing Access:
Open
File
Speeches: speech notes and other material., 09 Oct 1940 - 24 Dec 1940
File
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 9/145
Scope and Contents
Notes for WSC's speech (9 October, [Caxton Hall, London]) on his leadership of the Conservative Party and the retirement of Neville Chamberlain. Published: Complete Speeches VI, pp 6294-6.Notes for WSC's broadcast (21 October, BBC) to the people of France entitled "Dieu protege la France". Also includes French translation of WSC's broadcast. Published: Complete Speeches VI, pp 6296-8.Notes for WSC's speech (9 November, Mansion House [London]) entitled "A long road to tread" on the illness of...
Dates:
09 Oct 1940 - 24 Dec 1940
Conditions Governing Access:
Open
File
Speeches: speech notes and other material., 09 Jan 1941 - 27 Apr 1941
File
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 9/150A-B
Scope and Contents
Notes for WSC's speech (9 January, Pilgrim's Society Luncheon, Savoy Hotel, London) entitled "United States co-operation" proposing a toast to Lord Halifax [earlier Edward Wood and Lord Irwin] on his appointment as British Ambassador to the United States and on the death of [11th] Lord Lothian [earlier Philip Kerr]. Also includes cutting from the Times reporting WSC's speech. Published: Complete Speeches VI, pp 6327-9. Various cuttings reporting WSC's speech (17 January, Glasgow [Scotland])...
Dates:
09 Jan 1941 - 27 Apr 1941
Conditions Governing Access:
Open
File
Speeches: speech notes and other material., 14 Jul 1941 - 11 Nov 1941
File
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 9/152A-B
Scope and Contents
Notes for WSC's speech (14 July, County Hall, London) entitled the "Grit and Stamina of London" on the German bombing of London, the prospects for the future, and British bombing of Germany. Published: Complete Speeches VI, pp 6448-52.Brief notes for WSC's speech (14 July, Civil Defence Review, Hyde Park, London). Published: Complete Speeches VI, pp 6447-8.Also includes cuttings from the Yorkshire Post and the Glasgow Herald reporting the above two speeches.Cutting from the Times on the...
Dates:
14 Jul 1941 - 11 Nov 1941
Conditions Governing Access:
Open
File
Speeches: speech notes (some by WSC as First Lord of the Admiralty) and other material., 30 Mar 1940 - 01 Oct 1940
File
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 9/144
Scope and Contents
Notes for WSC's broadcast (30 March, BBC) entitled "A hideous state of alarm and menace" on the fate of the neutral nations, German atrocities, particularly in Poland, and wishing to avoid conflict with the Soviet Union. Also includes various cuttings reporting the speech. Part published: Complete Speeches VI, pp 6199-201.Notes for WSC's broadcast (19 May, BBC) entitled "Arm yourselves and be ye men of valour" on the war situation in France and the formation of the coalition government,...
Dates:
30 Mar 1940 - 01 Oct 1940
Conditions Governing Access:
Open
Item
(Untitled), 01 May 1945 - 31 May 1945
Item
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/209/5
Scope and Contents
Prime Minister's printed personal minutes, May 1945. Includes texts of minutes from WSC (annotated with additional printed information) to: senior civil servants, including Sir Edward Bridges [Secretary to the War Cabinet]; the Chief Whip [James Stuart]; members of the Cabinet and other government ministers; General Sir Hastings Ismay [Chief of Staff to the Minister of Defence]; the Chiefs of Staff; "C" [Major General Sir Stewart Menzies, Head of Britain's Secret Intelligence Service]....
Dates:
01 May 1945 - 31 May 1945
Conditions Governing Access:
Open, except for minutes M 497/5 and C 42/5, which are closed on Cabinet Office instructions under S23 of the Freedom of Information Act. Review 2032.
Item
(Untitled), 19 Aug 1942
Item
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/87/61
Scope and Contents
Telegram from WSC [Cairo, Egypt] to the Chief of the Air Staff [Air Chief Marshal Sir Charles Portal] marked "most secret and personal" regarding heavy night bombing raids on Berlin [Germany] Annotated, probably during writing of WSC's "The Second World War" c1948-1954.
Dates:
19 Aug 1942
Conditions Governing Access:
From the Fonds:
The Churchill Papers are made available to researchers using Churchill Archives Centre and worldwide in digital format. The digital edition of the Churchill Papers is published by Bloomsbury Academic and is available online to subscribing institutions at churchillarchive.com. The Churchill archive is freely available in our reading rooms and onsite at Churchill College (via the Churchill College wireless network). Researchers can download images of documents directly from churchillarchive.com and so are encouraged to consider bringing a laptop or other device for this purpose. For conservation reasons, the fragile originals are no longer issued to researchers.
This digital edition is open to researchers unless otherwise marked in the catalogue. Some material has been closed by the Cabinet Office or by Churchill Archives Centre in accordance with data protection legislation.
Unknown
"Wars are not won by evacuations", 04 Jun 1940
Unknown
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 9/140A/9-28
Scope and Contents
Typescript copy of notes for WSC's speech on the fall of Belgium and surrender of King [Leopold] of Belgium; the evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force from Dunkirk [France]; the successes of the RAF; losses of men and weaponry; military development and the possibility of German invasion. Speech includes the phrase "We shall fight on the beaches . . . We shall never surrender".Carbon typescript copy with some manuscript annotations in ink [not by WSC] laid out in "psalm style" apart...
Dates:
04 Jun 1940
Conditions Governing Access:
Open