Island Life Magazine Ltd August/September 2015 | Page 55
OUT & ABOUT
Island connections
A new sensational book on the Island and
its connections with Winston Churchill
T
his book focuses on the Island and
its contacts with Winston and his
family. Winston’s great grandson
Randolph Churchill writes: “With pleasure
I write about ‘Winston’s Island’, a book
illuminating an almost unresearched
closeness between the family - the
Churchills, Spencer-Churchills, Jeromes,
the Dukes of Marlborough - and the
Isle of Wight. Here are episodes of
conjecture and fact unexplored by many
biographers. Here are detailed the first
meeting of Winston’s mother and father,
his early holidays, his visits to palaces
and prisons, and the growing number
of contacts between the family and
the Isle of Wight, only now thoroughly
researched. Who even on the Isle of
Wight knows where to find ‘Churchill
Chine’, or knows the story of Winston
building sandcastles on a beach? Author
Anthony Churchill has even proposed
that Winston’s mother’s ancestors might
have come from the Island.”
“Racing yachts here and living on the
Island, our author noted an anniversary
of Lord Randolph Churchill meeting
the American beauty Jennie Jerome
off Cowes in 1873, and of his romantic
proposal there two days later, followed by
marriage and Winston’s birth in 1874.”
“He asked me and my family to
attend a Gala Dinner on the Island
on the 140th Anniversary. We had
an unforgettable time. Anthony, with
vigour and enthusiasm, has turned over
every stone and pebble on the Island to
discover so much extraordinary history.
If Lord Randolph had not met Jennie
Jerome, there would have been no
Winston Churchill. I would not be here
and nor would many others. This book is
a fine tribute to Churchill’s parents and
to the turn of fate that started on the
beautiful Isle of Wight and ended with
Churchill leading a nation to victory and
safeguarding freedoms and liberties for
a future generation – a generation that
should enjoy this book.”
“I hope we will be back in 2023 for a
celebration of the 150th Anniversary.”
‘Winston’s Island’ has a print run of
only 950, available September, with
a launch at the Isle of Wight Literary
Festival, Northwood House, Cowes, on
the opening date Thursday October
15 at 6 pm with slides, a talk, and a
book signing by the author at nearby
St Mary’s Church. Hardback, in extra
large landscape format with a page size
larger than A4, with over 100 pages,
90 in full colour, and 200 photographs,
the cost reflects its large size, decorative
binding, hand finishing, and limited
print run. Fifty copies are reserved for
the Churchill family.
At £40, postage is an additional £5.25.
Cheques to J.A.Churchill at 11 Altofts
Gardens, Ventnor, PO38 1DT. The book
website is www.winstonsisland.co.uk
where you may order through PayPal. The
contact mobile is 07785 552163, and
email [email protected].
www.visitilife.com
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