Churchill Archive Trivia

Things you never knew about the 20th century's greatest political leaders...

• Churchill liked the odd adrenalin rush and flew aeroplanes, steeplechased, played polo and climbed a mountain.
• Clementine Churchill was the 4th girl Churchill proposed to.
• Churchill thought he could communicate telepathically with one of his pet sheep, whom he called "Friendly".
• Churchill once appeared before the American President, Franklin Roosevelt, in the nude.
• Churchill served as Prime Minister twice, Chancellor of the Exchequer and Home Secretary.
• Churchill went on the run as an escaped prisoner-of-war during the Boer War.
• Some of Churchill's papers held in the Archives Centre have cigar burns and peck marks from his pet budgerigar.
• Churchill wanted Churchill College to be built in a neo-classical style - he would probably have disapproved of the College's architecture!
• Churchill was a card-carrying member of the Ancient Order of Druids and the brick-layer's union (the Amalgamated Union of Building Trade Workers).

Back to top