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Winston Churchill

Prime Minister 1940 – 1945 and 1951 – 1955

Question: What nationality was Winston Churchill’s mother?

Answer: American (USA) Her maiden name was Jennie Jerome.

Question: Who was Winston Churchill’s famous ancestor who commanded the British Army during the War of Spanish Succession?

Answer: John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough 

Question: For which constituency was Winston Churchill the Member of Parliament during the Second World War?

Answer: Epping (in Essex) At the 1945 General Election this constituency was divided and Winston Churchill became MP for Woodford, an area that had previously been in the Epping Constituency.

Question: Which Department of state did Winston Churchill create on becoming Prime Minister in 1940?

Answer: The Ministry of Defence  Up to that time there had been separate Ministries for the various armed services – the Admiralty, the War Department (for the army) and the Air Ministry. Churchill’s experience of Gallipoli in WW1 meant that he was convinced that they needed unifying into one operation.

Question: From 1940 to 1945, which other Government post did Winston Churchill hold whilst also being Prime Minister?

Answer: Secretary of State for Defence 

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Click here for Churchill’s Speeches

Listen to clips of the Famous Sections of Churchill’s Legendary Wartime Speeches including:

  • Blood, Toil, Tears & Sweat;
  • Fight Them on the Beaches;
  • Their Finest Hour;
  • The Few;
  • British & American People Shall Walk Together;
  • The End of the Beginning; and
  • The Iron Curtain.

Question: Who was Winston Churchill’s father who held various government posts including Chancellor of the Exchequer?

Answer: Lord Randolph Churchill  He was the third son of the 7th Duke of Marlborough.

Question: Who lived with Winston and his wife Clementine at No 10 Downing Street for much of the Second World War?

Answer: His brother – Jack Churchill  Jack had been widowed and his house destroyed in the Blitz.

Question: What title did Winston Churchill decline in 1955 when stepping down as Prime Minister for the second time?

Answer: Duke of London 

Question: How old was Winston Churchill when he first became a cabinet minister?

Answer: 33 Having crossed the floor of the House from Conservative to Liberal, Churchill was appointed President of the Board of Trade in 1908 by Herbert Asquith following the Liberal Party’s landslide victory in that election.

Question: With whom did Winston Churchill supposedly have an affair during the 1930’s?

Answer: Doris Delevingne, usually better known as Doris Castlerosse having married Valentine Browne, known by his title of Viscount Castlerosse. 

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Click here for Questions on the British Home Front in World War Two

Includes clips of actual soundtracks from the war including:

  • The News on the BBC;
  • Wartime Radio Programmes;
  • Popular wartime songs;