Beschreibung:

CHURCHILL, Winston Spencer (1874-1965). Two typescript speeches, including significant autograph revisions and corrections, a speech to the House of Commons and a radio broadcast on the death of Queen Mary, given at the House of Commons and at the BBC, 25 March 1953. 6 pages in total, 240 x 190mm, emendations in red and blue ink, tag holes, two endorsement notes on Prime Ministerial stationery in Jock Colville’s hand. [With:] a carbon copy of the speech to the Commons, the text in Churchill’s customary ‘Speech Form’, a couple of emendations in another hand. 6 pages, 202 x 127mm. Provenance : Sir John ‘Jock’ Colville (1915-1987), Joint Principal Private Secretary to Churchill, 1951-55; by descent. Churchill delivers two stirring addresses, to the House of Commons and to the British people, eulogising Queen Mary. Churchill paints a picture of a well-loved Queen, an unfaltering source of support to George V, who overcame challenges and personal sorrow to discharge her duties and devote herself to the public. Juxtaposing the era in which she grew up with the almost unrecognisable present day, he stresses the adaptability and lack of prejudice that so endeared her to the public. The significant revisions made both to the speech to the House of Lords and to the radio broadcast illustrate the delicacy of such a composition, pitched to capture the public sentiments towards the late Queen without trespassing on the royal dignity: in one case, ‘respected’ is replaced with ‘adored’, this in turn changed to ‘honoured’.