Winston Churchill Biography - Part One

This is the first part of my Churchill biography. It covers Winston's life before he went into politics covering the years 1874 to 1899. This includes his early family life, schooling and military career in Cuba, India, The Sudan and The Boer War.

When was Churchill born?

Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill was born at Blenheim Palace on 30th November 1874. Queen Victoria was on the throne of the British Empire just as she would be by the time Churchill first took his seat in parliament 25 years later. Churchill, through his father , Lord Randolph Churchill, was descended from John Churchill the first Duke of Marlborough. Queen Anne had rewarded her faithful Captain General John Churchill with a Dukedom and with the Royal Manor of Woodstock in Oxfordshire. It is here that the first Duke built Blenheim palace (named after his famous battle.)

Churchill's mother and father

Largely raised in Paris, Jennie Jerome, Winston's mother was a beautiful American (her alluring beauty was said to be all the more exotic because of the rumoured native American Iroquois blood in her veins). She and Winston's father Lord Randolph Churchill were married at the British Embassy in Paris in April 1874. Lord Randolph was the younger son of the 7th Duke - and as such would not inherit the family estate of Blenheim, instead he made his living in politics being the member of parliament for Woodstock.

Young Winston

Even by upper class Victorian standards, Winston didn't see much of his parents. His father was heavily involved in the politics of the time and his mother lead a hectic social life. Instead Winston grew close to Mrs Everest his beloved nanny. Winston's early schooling was in Brighton on the South coast of England, to be followed by school at the highly prestigious Harrow School. There is a myth that Churchill was hopeless at school (though like most children he had some lessons he hated: maths and classics... and some he loved: English and history). In reality he was an average pupil - though he did excel at fencing, winning the public schools championships.

Churchill joins the army

After Harrow School, it took Winston 3 attempts to pass his entrance examination to The Royal Military Academy of Sandhurst. There was also some concern about the young Churchill's physical robustness - he had a rather puny chest measurement and was generally rather sickly. However the young Churchill did rather well at sandhurst, passing out with honours. In February 1895 Winston joined his cavalry regiment the 4th Hussars - one month after the death of his father. Every Churchill biography places significant emphasis on Winston's time in the army: the experiences he had shaped his later years greatly.

Churchill in Cuba

As a young officer, Churchill craved excitement and took the opportunity to travel to Cuba to get involved in the war going on there between rebels and the government. He came under fire for the first time on his 21st birthday. While in Cuba he developed 2 habits that were to last him the rest of his life: smoking Cuban cigars and taking regular siestas!

India

After Cuba Winston was posted to India, where life for a cavalry officer was none too taxing. During this period Winston expanded his education by reading widely on a variety of subjects and by playing his favorite sport polo. He also maintained a (usually) long distance relationship with the only other "romantic" girlfriend in his whole life other than his wife Clemmie, a Miss Pamela Plowden. In 1897, there was an uprising in the Malakand valley and the adrenalin junkie Winston applied to go along. However there was no vacancy - he therefore got a commission to go as a journalist and went anyway! When one of the British officers was killed the "journalist" took his place. He had many daring adventures in the Malakand and they formed the narrative of his first book: "The Malakand Field Force"

Sudan

Churchill had an insatiable taste for adventure and set about planning his next quest. This was to be to the Sudan, where general Kitchener was fighting the local Dervish tribesmen. Churchill went there, after some lobbying, as a cavalry officer and a journalist (he later wrote "The River War" based on his experiences). In September 1898 Churchill took part in a full cavalry charge against the Dervishes and survived unscathed.

Boer War

Realising after the success of his first 2 books that he could make a good living for writing, Winston left the army to pursue a career in politics. His first attempt to win a seat in parliament ended in failure in so he took a posting as a journalist covering the Boer conflict in south Africa. On the train to the front line in Natal, Winston and his companions (mainly soldiers) were ambushed by Boer fighters. Churchill quickly took charge brandishing his pistol (which as a non-combattant he should not have had) and ordering others to clear the wreckage of the damaged train. Winston's courageous actions allowed the train to escape but he himself was taken prisoner. Captured on the 15th November he escaped the POW camp on the 12th December - this daring escape guaranteed his fame!

He was offered another commission back into the military and this he took - whilst simultaneously being Britain's most highly paid war correspondent.

For Part Two of My Churchill biographyChurchill Biography 1900-1918.

To skip on to the third part Churchill Biography 1918-1939.

To read about the Second World war years Churchill Biography 1939-1945.

To read about the last 20 years of Sir Winston's life Churchill Biography 1945-1965.

To go back to the introductory Churchill biography page Winston Churchill Biography.

To return to Winston Churchill Leadership Home page.

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