Great Loves: Clementine and Winston
12/02/2012 § 1 Comment
In the month of February,
my mind always turns to great love stories…
Engagement photo of Winston Churchill and Clementine Hozier, 1908.
[12 August 1908]
Blenheim Palace
My dearest,
How are you? I send you my best love to salute you: & I am getting up at once in order if you like to walk to the rose garden after breakfast & pick a bunch before you start. You will have to leave here about 10:30 & I will come with you to Oxford.
Shall I not give you a letter for your Mother?
Always
W.
{Winston’s letter to Clementine the morning after she accepted his proposal. He inquires if he should write a letter of engagement to present to her mother.}
(The morning after my engagement August 1908)
Blenheim Palace
My dearest
I am very well – Yes please give me a letter to take to Mother– I should love to go to the rose garden.
Yours always
Clementine
During their 56 year marriage, Clementine and Winston wrote frequently to each other when they were apart — and even when they were home together — usually calling each other by pet names and including drawings.
He was her “pug,” she was his “cat”
15 September 1909 Kronprinz Hotel
Wurzburg
My darling, We have been out all day watching these great manoeuvres. . . .
I have a very nice horse from the Emperor’s stable, & am able to ride about wherever I chose with a suitable retinue. As I am supposed to be an ‘Excellency’ I get a vy good place. Freddie on the other hand is ill-used. These people are so amazingly routinière that anything the least out of the ordinary – anything they have not considered officially & for months–upsets them dreadfully….I saw the Emperor today & had a few mintues’ talk with him. He is vy sallow–but otherwise looks quite well. . . . .
We have had a banquet tonight at the Bavarian palace. A crowd of princes & princelets & the foreign officers of various countries. It began at 6 p.m. & was extremely dull. . . .
This army is a terrible engine. It marches sometimes 35 miles in a day. It is in number as the sands of the sea–& with all the modern conveniences. There is a complete divorce between the two sides of German life–the Imperialists & Socialist. Nothing unites them. They are two different nations. With us there are so many shades. Here it is all black & white (the Prussian colours). I think another 50 years will see a wiser & gentler world. But we shall not be spectators of it. Only the P.K. will glitter in a happier scene. How easily men could make things much better than they are–if only all tried together! Much as was attracts me & fascinates my mind with its tremendous situation–I feel more deeply every year–& can measure the feeling here in the midst of arms–what vile & wicked folly & barbarism it all is.
Sweet cat–I kiss your vision as it rises before my mind. Your dear heart throbs often in my own. God bless you darling keep you safe & sound.
Kiss the P.K. for me all over
With fondest love
W.
[drawing]
This is the galloping pug–for European travel.
{P.K. meant “puppy kitten” — their first child}
Your loving Puss Cat.
This is the cat…not so good as your dog, but her eyes are flashing so that she is obliged to turn her back.
Clem
Images via Life Archives, Library of Congress. Letters via Daily Mail, Library of Congress.
More great love stories:
Kate and Spencer
Joanne and Paul
Elizabeth and Richard
Marilyn and Joe
Bacall and Bogart
Quite Continental 
[…] L’amour FouTuesday 6 March, 2012 / Film / Comments { 0 } FB.Event.subscribe('edge.create', function(response) { _gaq.push(['_trackEvent','SocialSharing','Facebook – like button',unescape(String(response).replace(/+/g, " "))]); }); as i mentioned in my post a week ago Mariah blogs over at Quite Continental, and i was thrilled when she sent me this post because one of my favourite things to delve into at her blog are stories of great loves – you also need to read her post about Winston Churchill & Clementine Hozier. […]