Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, (30 November 1874 - 24 January 1965) was a British politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1940 to 1945 and again from 1951 to 1955. He led Britain to victory over Nazi Germany during WWII. Churchill was also a non-academic historian and a writer, winning the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1953. Named the Greatest Briton of all time in a 2002 poll, Churchill is among the most influential people in British history.
Churchill was born into the family of the Dukes of Marlborough, a branch of the Spencer family. His father, Lord Randolph Churchill, was a charismatic politician who served as Chancellor of the Exchequer; his mother, Jennie Jerome, was an American socialite. As a young army officer, he saw action in British India, the Anglo–Sudan War, and the Second Boer War. During the WWI, he continued as First Lord of the Admiralty until the disastrous Gallipoli Campaign caused his departure from government.
In 1920s he ocupied various functions, but during the 1930s was politically "in the wilderness" because of his opinions. At the outbreak of the WWII, he was again appointed First Lord of the Admiralty, and following the resignation of Neville Chamberlain on 10 May 1940, became Prime Minister. His speeches inspired British resistance, especially during the difficult days of 1940-1941 when the British Commonwealth and Empire stood almost alone in its opposition to Adolf Hitler.
"I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat,” Churchill told the House of Commons in his first speech as prime minister. “We have before us many, many long months of struggle and of suffering. You ask, what is our policy? I can say: It is to wage war, by sea, land and air, with all our might and with all the strength that God can give us; to wage war against a monstrous tyranny, never surpassed in the dark, lamentable catalogue of human crime. That is our policy. You ask, what is our aim? I can answer in one word: It is victory, victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory, however long and hard the road may be; for without victory, there is no survival."
After the Conservative Party suffered a defeat in 1945, Churchill became Leader of the Opposition. As a vehement anti-communist, he publicly warned of an "Iron Curtain" of Soviet influence in Europe and promoted European unity. In 1951, Churchill again became Prime Minister. He suffered a serious stroke in 1953 and retired as Prime Minister in 1955, although he remained a Member of Parliament until 1964. Upon his death, Elizabeth II granted him the honour of a state funeral, which saw one of the largest assemblies of world statesmen in history.
According to Allen Packwood, director of the Churchill Archives Centre, Churchill was an "incredibly complex, contradictory and larger-than-life human being," who frequently wrestled with those contradictions. Very well known for his physical and emotional resilience, but also for the fact that cigars, chocolates and cognac were always present in his daily life, he is often remembered for his replies acid and humorous.
About the stamps
The first stamp is part of the series dedicated to David Bowie Special Stamps, issued on March 14, 2017, and featuring six iconic album covers from throughout Bowie’s career. Like the Pink Floyd Special Stamps, each one has a ‘vinyl’ breakout detail.
• Hunky Dory, 1971 (1st Class)
• Aladdin Sane, 1973 (1st Class)
• "Heroes", 1977 (1st Class) - It's on the postcard 3101
• Let’s Dance, 1983 (1.52 GBP)
• Earthling, 1997 (1.52 GBP)
• Blackstar, 2016 (1.52 GBP)
David Robert Jones (8 January 1947 - 10 January 2016), known professionally as David Bowie was an English singer, songwriter and actor. He was a figure in popular music for over five decades, becoming acclaimed by critics and other musicians for his innovative work. His career was marked by reinvention and visual presentation, his music and stagecraft significantly influencing popular music. In the UK, he was awarded nine platinum album certifications, eleven gold and eight silver, releasing eleven number-one albums. In the US, he received five platinum and seven gold certifications. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996.
The last stamp is part of the definitive series about which I wrote here.
References
Winston Churchill - Wikipedia
Character Traits of Winston Churchill - Ben Morehead’s Home Page
Winston Churchill - Biography
Sender: Diana Tenea (direct swap)
Sent from London (England / United Kingdom), on 04.05.2017
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