Churchill, Winston S. (1874-1965)
Typed letter signed as Prime Minister to Major A. A. Stuart Black, 17th October 1941
Estimate: £1,000 - £1,500
Auction: 18 June 2025 from 10:00 BST
Description
Single sheet of 10 Downing Street stationery, with Churchill's autograph inscription ‘yours faithfully Winston S. Churchill’ at foot and his autograph salutation ‘My dear Sir’ to head, the letter reading ‘I thank you for your letter of October 12, and I am complimented by your wish to have a tablet placed on the wall of your house recording the fact that I made my first political speech at a garden party at Claverton Manor. I gladly consent to your proposal’, mounted, framed and glazed, mount aperture 22.5 x 18.5cm, verso with label comprising section of Claverton Manor letterhead inscribed ‘here Winston Spencer Churchill on July 26th 1897 made his first political speech’), punch-hole to upper left corner not affecting text
Provenance
By direct descent from the recipient Major Archibald Arrol Stuart Black (1877-1966). From Helensburgh, Major A. A. Stuart Black was educated at Fettes College in Edinburgh before joining the Queen's Own Royal Glasgow Yeomanry and seeing active service in the Boer War. In the Great War he served in France, Gallipoli and Egypt, afterwards becoming a partner in the family shipping firm John Black and Co.
Footnote
Churchill gave his maiden political speech at Claverton House near Bath (now the American Museum) while on leave from India, with the objective of establishing himself as a parliamentary candidate. Captain FitzRoy Stewart, secretary of Conservative Central Office, secured for him the opportunity to address a meeting of the Primrose League to be held at Claverton. Responding to the Workmen's Compensation Bill then before parliament, Churchill's speech focused on industrial relations and contained the assertion that ‘British workmen have more to hope for from the rising tide of Tory Democracy than from the dried-up drain-pipe of Radicalism’. Two years later Churchill was selected as the Conservative candidate in the Oldham by-election, though had to wait until the general election the following year before successfully entering parliament.