Winston Churchill's Illnesses, 1886-1965 by Allister Vale & John Scadding

Author:Allister Vale & John Scadding [Vale, Allister & Scadding, John]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Presidents & Heads of State, Great Britain, Europe, Biography & Autobiography, 20th Century, History, Medical (Incl. Patients)
ISBN: 9781526789495
Google: pqsSEAAAQBAJ
Goodreads: 55182834
Publisher: Frontline Books
Published: 2020-11-23T00:00:00+00:00

30 June 1955–15 August 1955: Visit of Dr AL Rowse and Further Assessments by Lord Moran

On 30 June 1955 Churchill wrote to Macmillan, ‘AMB [Montague Browne] is a great help to me in my official and semi-official aftermath.’16

Moran assessed Churchill again on 6 July 1955: ‘My mind works as well as ever, but I dislike the effort when I have to use it,’ Churchill told his doctor who thought this statement was ‘generous’.5 Churchill told Moran that he was spending 4 or 5 hours a day on corrections and alterations to the History.5 Moran noted in his records that he must ask Hodge whether this involved ‘mental effort’.5 As Moran was leaving Churchill told him that two of his fingers had gone numb before he went to bed.5 ‘It doesn’t mean anything, Charles? I’m not going to have another stroke … Tomorrow Henry Luce’s people will be here about business in connection with the book. I want to be in good form.’5

Rowse has written of an encounter with Churchill on 11 July 1955 at Chartwell.17

Before lunch I was summoned up to his bedroom, and there, and last, was the so familiar face, much aged: that of an old man who gone back to his baby looks. The eyes a cloudy blue, a little bloodshot, spectacles on snub nose, a large cigar rolled round in his mouth. He had been at work. ‘I like work’. Beside the bed a small aluminium pale for cigar-ash; before him, stretching right across the bed, a tray-desk on which were the long galleys of his History of the English-Speaking Peoples.17

Churchill welcomed Rowse with a touch of old-fashioned exaggerated courtesy as if the honour were his that the professional historian had come to see him. Rowse returned the compliment by stating that Churchill had beaten the professionals at their own game, that his Marlborough was an historical masterpiece along with Trevelyan’s England Under Queen Anne.17 Churchill said that now that he had some time, he was re-reading the History he had written before the war, but he wasn’t satisfied with it.17 Rowse then read the revised chapters on Henry VII and Henry VIII while Churchill got dressed. ‘The figure all the world knew then entered: striped blue zip suit, blue velvet slippers with WSC worked in gold braid, outwards, in case anybody did know who was approaching.’ Over lunch, Churchill told Rowse of the severe stroke he had suffered, so that he couldn’t feed himself – and yet managed to hold onto office.17 Having said his goodbyes, Rowse noted: ‘It was infinitely sad and touching. One may never see or hear him again. At any moment the last stroke may come.’17

On 13 July 1955 Churchill sent a specially designed silver V-sign to 113 former members of his staff and the establishment at 10 Downing Street, including the cleaners, electricians, telephonists, messengers and carpenters. The recipients also included Colville who wrote on 17 July 1955:

I treasure the silver V-sign, commemorating your Second Administration, and am placing it on my watch chain as an object to be very especially prized.

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