The Subterranean Secret Lair of Britain’s Second World War Leaders.

The Cabinet War Rooms

It’s been a long, long time since I last went to the Churchill War Rooms but after numerous visits to London in recent months where I’ve walked past it and said “I really must go back there”, I finally got around to it. It’s the second recent visit I’ve made to a place affiliated with Winston Churchill in the past month; the first having of course been Blenheim Palace which was the feature of another recent blog, and it is perhaps rather apt given that this year marks the 50^th anniversary of his death.

Having first become operational at the end of August 1939, it’s always struck me as a bit odd that the War Rooms remained largely intact immediately after the war, never having been fully dismantled or turned back into the stores and offices they had once been.  An odd view for a proponent of heritage to have perhaps, but also somewhat redundant as we know this didn’t happened.  It was as if someone knew how much of interest they would be in the future, for most of the important rooms have remained preserved and untouched for some 70 years since the end of the Second World War.

Visitor Feedback built into the exhibition

The War Room’s caretaker, Rance, stayed on post- war and after a 1948 press conference revealed the secrets of the Rooms, he began giving tours, enlightening visitors to what had once gone on there. This marked the beginning of a surge in interest in the War Rooms over the next thirty years, resulting in the Imperial War Museum being asked to restore the site and open it as a museum to the public, which it did in 1984. Ever since it’s commanded worldwide interest and remains a highly popular attraction with tourists visiting London – you only have to look at the admissions queue for evidence of this!

They may date from 1939, but it is under the leadership of Prime Minister Churchill, whose term in office began in 1940, that the War Rooms really began being used and with whom they will undoubtedly, forever be associated and remembered.  It was from these rooms that Churchill commanded the war effort of Britain and it’s Empire; held important meetings, as the Blitz raged on overhead; in which he contemplated and planned for the anticipated Nazi invasion; and into the adjacent map room that he brought some of his most important visitors to demonstrate the thorough and high-tech charting of the war. This subterranean network has some fascinating stories to tell, many of which are unveiled on a visit.

The War Rooms consist of a series of rooms connected by a network of narrow passages – what you’d expect really from an underground HQ. But as a visitor what this means is on a busy day it’s a bit claustrophobic and the day I visited, it was very, very busy. A lot of people were tripping over each other to get around and have a good look and I felt a bit harassed at the beginning, it has to be said. However, what I was immediately struck by was the sense of authenticity embodied here. The War Rooms really evoke the ‘sense of place’, that can really entice a visitor to connect with their experience.

Many of the rooms are still ‘dressed’ as they were left and it is like peering into a window in time. It’s not a museum in an abstract setting, the information being told here relates directly to events that went on within those exact rooms; that table is where the Cabinet met and made decisions, Churchill spoke on that telephone, and Mrs Churchill slept in that bed. These things are fact – ok they could be replicas - I’m pretty sure they weren’t but they could be - but you get my point. On the whole, this is a genuine piece of history, a snapshot in time, and in overhearing other visitors’ comments on this aspect; I would conclude that the War Rooms are successful in capturing interest on this very basis.

One of the Rooms occupied during the war

I was actually surprised at how much there was too see and how much has remained untouched; the map room being particularly impressive. The walls are still covered with wartime maps, each of which is punctuated by thousands of tiny pin holes, charting the movements of naval and military conveys across the world. There is even a key pinned to one wooden post providing an indication of which country is represented by each colour. It’s kind of eerie in a way, knowing that most of what occurred in the war would have been fed back into this very room. It sort of bought home the enormity of it all again, just in a different way.

One of the many maps still in situ.

In terms of transmitting information the War Rooms depend on visitors using an audio guide, each room having been designated a number which you then type in to hear the information. I was always a bit anti-audio guide, I much prefer making my own way around and not being dependent on a device to gain information, but in this context audio guides seem to be the best option. Realistically there is little space for information panels or guides and if there were, given how many people you’re battling your way around, I suspect they would be difficult to access and read. Having the audio guide means you can tuck yourself in a corner and have a listen at your convenience, either before, after, or while viewing the rooms it’s talking about. It’s also very helpful in finding your way around, signalling which way to go!

An artefact that particularly stood out for me was the map of Europe which proposed how Germany would be divided up in zones of occupation after the end of the war and which had been used by Churchill at the Potsdam Conference in July 1945. World War Two was the focus of most of my pre university history education in one way or another, so I knew at a conceptual level that this happened, but to see the actual map which had been drawn on, shaded in and annotated really bought it home.

What I hadn’t realised was that the War Rooms also contain the Churchill Museum, a dedicated sub-museum to the man some claim is ‘Britain’s greatest politician and historical figure’ (1) and I was very interested to read in the guidebook after my visit, the intention of this museum. Here’s the passage I found particularly insightful:

Winston Churchill, has become a two dimensional and slightly unreal character. His reputation rests largely on superficial knowledge, constantly replayed images and on one brief –albeit momentous – period of his life. The Churchill Museum has taken on the difficult task: a ‘personality museum’ could so easily slip into the pitfalls of dullness or hagiography. There was a clear need for a museum which could explore the complex nature of Churchill’s life and his long political career…

One they further outline would challenge the existing narrative and reveal aspects of his life and personality that were otherwise unknown or forgotten (2). And what a way to do it. The exhibition puts into perspective his whole life, focusing on five key areas; his childhood, early political career, ‘Wilderness years’, War Leader and Cold War Statesmen. And I have to say, I came away having learnt a great deal, because I too was guilty of having this ‘two dimensional’ view of Churchill that did only really concentrate on his role as a war time leader.

As you enter the Churchill Museum, the introductory panels explain at the outset how ‘This exhibition explores the real man behind the icon’, so early on you are being challenged to reconsider any existing knowledge you may already have. This was something my friend had mentioned to me when we were at Blenheim, and something she argued the War Rooms explored more directly than at the former. I just hadn’t realised how head on they really do deal with it. I dare say they could have taken it even further, but as it stands they have pushed those preconceived ideas we have as a society about Churchill, and even more impressively, have done so without alienating themselves from more traditional 'thinkers' in the process. I didn’t feel like the museum had ruined by perception of Churchill, just encouraged me to reconsider it and I did leave feeling as though I’d been given a more rounded perspective of him; one that included his odd habits and more controversial politics.

Interactive Screens challenge what you know or
understand about Churchill, in this case his views on the Empire

The use of touch screens was also particularly helpful in encouraging visitors to engage with this idea. Through this medium visitors are asked quite thought provoking questions about some of Churchill’s more controversial politics. For example, one screen poses the view ‘Churchill’s views on India were based on race’ and you’re invited to cast your vote (Strongly Disagree, Disagree, Not Sure, Agree or Strongly Agree). You’d then be offered access to further information - primary sources and research that you could read and continue to take further until you’re asked again if you'd like to reconsider your original response. Once you’ve made that decision you are then shown the rest of the results and can see what other visitors have thought when doing the same activity. I think it’s a really well done element, tackling something quite challenging. It wasn’t lecturing or pushing a view point on you. Each screen offered you further information upon which to draw your own conclusion – museum visitors doing their very own history - what can be better?!

A large interactive map provides the museum's 'centre-piece'
and allows visitors to interact with far more archive material than could
otherwise be displayed.

A display of personal family photos
and letters between Winston
and Clementine

The techniques used by the Churchill Museum are broad and varied across the space and offer visitors an experience which is something of an assault on the senses which I liked, but also found to be a bit over whelming. A high level of modern technology has been used to make it interactive. There were sound effects, video excerpts, photographs and objects; all exhibited in designated areas that focused on a particular period of his life, with each segment being centred on a large interactive table offering visitors a platform through which to engage with a more extensive range of the museums archive material about Churchill’s life and career. There is really a sense that the museum wants to project a rounded image of Churchill to the public, but also to arm them with as much material as possible to draw their own conclusions and move beyond this overriding image and understanding we have of him as the War Time leader.    

One of many interactive screens - this one picking out
Churchill's famous and lesser known quotes.

I have a vague memory of visiting the war rooms when I was younger but this recent visit has been really thought provoking and has really challenged my pre-existing understanding and knowledge of Winston Churchill. I think the Churchill War Rooms offer visitors a chance to engage dynamically with this area of history, offering a good balance of good ‘academic’ history, as provided by the Churchill Museum, and good ‘popular’ history, as provided by the War rooms. It was a great day out and one I would certainly recommend - I’m very glad I finally got around to spending my afternoon there!

P.S....

....There always seems to be a wild/exotic animal trade/gifting link in the unlikely of places! 

(1)    Churchill War Rooms Guidebook.
(2)   Churchill War Rooms Guidebook.

Blenheim Palace: Two opinions are better than one!

Bloggers Unite!

Blenheim Palace is one of those places that I expect is on a regular driving route for many people and every time you pass it, you probably think as I do, “I really must go and see what it’s like”. Other than this vague notion that it was Churchill’s family home, I had no idea what it was like or what to expect, only that the word palace evoked this sense of grandeur in my mind.

How about you Katy?

As a local, I visited Blenheim Palace as a small child on a school trip. I recall a grand house with many paintings but little else had stayed with me. Like Elle, it was on my 'places to visit list' despite being so close!

Well a few weeks ago we ended up making a visit. It was a lovely sunny day, if a bit windy, we packed a picnic and off we went to investigate. So, what exactly did we two public historians make of this historic house?

First Impressions:

Katy: My immediate reaction upon seeing Blenheim was surprise at how large the building and the surrounding grounds were. When you return to places visited as a child, they are usually much smaller than you remember and so I was stunned at how much land there was in the estate! It is an impressive, aesthetically -pleasing building which deserves the title palace rather than house. We noticed straight away that the car parks were already very full and I was keen to get inside and have a look around!

Blenheim Palace

Elle: As soon as we drove up the driveway and the Palace came into view I was impressed. It’s an amazing looking building, although not quite what I had imagined. It seemed more continental than I’d perhaps envisaged, the yellowish brick work reminding me more of the Palace of Versailles than other English aristocratic houses and ‘palaces’. I was also amazed at how many people had already arrived, I mean we were early but it was already a hive of activity, and that certainly added to my anticipation about what was in store.

What does Blenheim Offer:

We chose to start the day by upgrading our day tickets to an annual pass which is a free upgrade. A lot of heritage institutions are doing this now and while I’m always a little sceptical that I will revisit within the year it’s always worth doing I think, if for no other reason that it gives you the option. However, it was while upgrading our tickets that our attention was drawn to the WW2 memorabilia that was around, including a Winston Churchill look-a-like and military personnel walking around the site. It was explained to us that the day we’d chosen to visit marked the anniversary of the D-Day Landings and several things would be going on to mark this occasion. But had we not been told this, the presence of a spitfire in the courtyard and fly pass would have been bewildering. As it was there was no real attempt to explain this, I think it was pure chance our attendant had been so chatty and told us about it. So that was a little baffling. Anyway…

Spitfire on Display in the Courtyard

Winston Churchill enjoying a refreshment on the Water Terraces.

Our first stop was to head into the Palace itself. Groups are held in the foyer area and given an explanation of the layout, before being invited to join one of the regular tours that are given of the state rooms. There appeared to be plenty of staff/volunteers around, each of whom came across as very approachable and well informed. You can’t help but overhear sometimes and I noticed how captivated the audience were with the stories and anecdotes they’re being told by their enthusiastic guides, and the sheer size of the groups for that matter.

A Collection of Winston's Own Art work on display

We opted to make our own way around, first doing the Winston Churchill Gallery, then the State Rooms and finally the Untold Story gallery. The Winston Churchill exhibit has recently been redone to coincide with the 50^th Anniversary of his death. It’s very nicely done and it well presented. A lot of family photographs have been used and objects – I particularly like the inclusion of Churchill’s own artwork for I hadn’t realised he was such a talented and keen painter. The curators have really emphasis certain periods of Winston’s life and his abilities – his childhood and romantic life are featured heavily, his time as a wartime leader and state funeral also receive notable attention, as do his skills as an orator, and some of his famous quotes are printed on blank wall space and onto window coverings.

There are notable omissions however; Churchill’s mental health, his career before being Prime Minister and his less palatable views towards those within the British Empire were not included. I think we would both recommend visiting the Churchill War rooms in London for a more detailed understanding of Churchill’s life and personality. Although they did an excellent job of going through Churchill’s main achievements in a physically small space, the information glorified Winston instead of presenting a more balanced portrait of one of Britain’s best loved leaders.

The Library

What can be said about state rooms? Well they’re much like any other really, with the exception that they feel more lived in. When we were in the dining room for example, a member of staff was cleaning the glasses and laying the table, we suspected, for an upcoming dinner at the Palace. It’s an occupied residence and you actually get a sense of that, unlike at Windsor Castle for example. Family photographs are strewn about the place and you get a real sense of the people that lived and, still live there. It has a recent history, as well as a historic one.

The Column of Victory

And that just leaves The Untold Story for gallery’s in the main Palace – however I suspect that it was both of our favourite bits, or at least something that really stood out, so might leave that for us to discuss later on. We then opted for lunch in the grounds, overlooking the lake with a commentary of a rowing competition going on in the background. It was noticeably busy, with a huge demographic of visitors – it’s clearly a popular destination. After lunch we took a stroll to the Column of Victory, a memorial to the 1^st Duke of Marlborough, and then went for a wander around the gardens, which are beautifully landscaped and provide a nice scenic route for a stroll on a sunny day.

We also came across The Temple of Diana, which we’d earlier learnt was the location for Winston’s proposal to Clementine and the Water Terraces where we stopped for an afternoon refreshment. Talk about a wedge of cake. The day really did fly by, but we made a last ditch effort to head over to the pleasure grounds which would appear to cater for family groups of visitors, with a butterfly garden and hedge maze.

Katy stood by the Temple of Diana

It really was a jammed packed day and actually I can now see why they offer an annual ticket. We did a lot, but there’s still things left for us to return and see.

So what was your favourite part:

A shot of The Untold Story Gallery

Elle: By far my favourite part was the The Untold Story gallery. I don’t think I’ve ever experienced anything like it. It did really fit into the ‘edutainment’ category of being more like a feature in an amusement park than a historic house, but at the same time I thought it was brilliant. Katy commented on the day how state rooms can all begin to merge together and I couldn’t agree more. However beautiful they are, after a while they all become a bit samey and you don’t really remember specific details. However, The Untold Story really bucked this trend and offers something much more memorable.

The combined use of reconstruction, mechanics and digital technologies that moved the visitor through a time line and series of experiences and encounters was hugely effective. It was also interspersed with more traditional galleries with text panels, objects on display and screens to interact with – the only drawback being that you didn’t really get a great deal of time to read this material before you were encouraged to move on, everything being timed. I suppose we could have gone around again, but the ‘wow’ factor might have worn off if we only wanted to read the more traditional bits and there was still so much to see. Also, given that much of Blenheim Palace is still an occupied private residence, this method is advantageous in that it presents a fair chunk of the Palace’s timeline in smaller space and doesn’t depend on access to authentic and original rooms. I’m not sure I’d be a fan of historic houses always opting for this approach, but it will certainly make Blenheim stand out in my memory and did add to my overall visitor experience.

As a side note, I also want to mention how much I loved the gardens - especially the fact that the huge lake and cascades are manmade and part of a design by Capability Brown, who was also responsible for much of the landscape at Longleat. The whole site, palace and gardens, made for a great experience as a visitor – there was so much to see both indoors and out, I loved it!



View looking back down the Avenue from the Column of Victory

Katy: I totally agree with Elle – The Untold Story was excellent! It really helped to explain the family’s history through the ages and worked well for Blenheim given the limited space. If you are slightly wary of live actors and the forced interaction that often occurs, this approach allowed you to be addressed directly and immerse in the time period without the pressure of bantering with the actors. I wish there had been more time to enjoy the interactive sections as they provided additional information about the family and the times, which was fascinating. Unfortunately, it would be difficult to achieve given the strict timing needed for the experience to run smoothly. I found it refreshing that the flaws and quirks of the various family members were acknowledged and explored, rather than presenting them as faultless heroes.  If you are visiting the Palace, I would encourage you to make sure to include this section in your itinerary for its unique approach to discovering the family’s history!

Did you find anything particularly surprising?

We don’t know if surprising is the right word or not, but we certainly hadn’t realised that Blenheim Palace wasn’t Winston Churchill’s family home, but rather was the ancestral home of the Churchill family as the Dukes of Marlborough. It took visiting Blenheim for us to piece together his family history and how it was his uncle who inherited the title of the 9^th Duke – we hadn’t quite worked out that Winston was a cousin of the direct line and not part of it.

Did anything else particularly stand out?

Katy: The grounds were particularly beautiful and I am tempted to return in order to spend the day exploring the secrets gardens, water features and temples at a much more leisurely pace than we did!



The Cascades

Elle: Yes, I suppose so. I was quite struck by how homely and warm it felt – there were lots of personal items, photographs and the like around which made it feel quite different from other stately homes I’ve been too. And I also hadn’t realised that Winston had trained as an Officer at Sandhurst (just down the road from me) and that he’d seen active service as a cavalry officer in the Queen’s Own Hussars. I have to admit this led me to admire him that little bit more, knowing he’d been a soldier (all be it an officer and war correspondent) because I suspect this later influenced his decisions as a wartime leader. It might not have, but I can’t see how that sort of experience wouldn’t influence you in some way.



There were lots of photographs all around the Palace

What was lacking?:

Elle: I’m not sure anything in particular was lacking, as a visitor I had a really good experience. Although, I suspect I agree with Katy here, that there needed to perhaps be a more balanced exhibit on Churchill, moving away from that narrative of him as the Great War Leader. It’s great they include his childhood and show the room in which he was born and romance with Clementine, but at the same time there’s a lot more that could have been said and challenged. I think it was safe, when it could have been more forward thinking in terms of the Winston Churchill story.

Katy: What Elle said. It would be great if they allowed people to move beyond the heroic image of Churchill; I have a deeper understanding and a cautious respect towards Winston thanks to the Churchill War rooms’ honest approach. I was a little disappointed that the history of the Palace being used during the Second World War was not emphasised more as that could be a really interesting way to engage the public beyond Winston as a leader.  Also, the oral history films of those who have lived or worked at the Palace are fascinating, and it would be great if these were made more obvious!

And most importantly, how was the cake? Well it wouldn’t be a public history outing without sampling the cuisine…

Katy: It was extremely delicious and the generous portion was excellent value for money. I would recommend sharing it...

Elle: Never thought I’d say it, but that wedge of cake defeated me!

So would we recommend it?

Both: It’s definitely worth a visit!

We'll be back...!

Everything Comes Full Circle: The journey from family history to a PhD.

To most 24 year old’s a Sunday spent in a cemetery looking for the grave of a close relative you’ve only very recently learnt existed, wouldn’t be the most favourable option. But not me.  And this is exactly what I found myself doing a few weeks ago – the most recent development in a journey that for me began a decade ago. “If it hadn’t been for you and that initial letter 10 years ago, this wouldn’t have been a possibility” – a fact I was reminded of as we sat and had lunch at a family gathering last month. It was only in that moment I was reminded of where it all began and how long ago. All of a sudden I felt very reflective. Everything had come full circle.

My Grandad died 10 years ago this year and it was hearing his eulogy at the funeral that left me with a lot of unanswered questions, many of which I wished I’d had opportunity to ask him when he was alive. He was quiet and reserved man and so I suspect my questions would have gone unanswered. But all of a sudden he felt like a stranger to me, not my Grandad - a man who’d led an extraordinary life and yet one that I knew very little about. So my way of grieving and of fixing that became to find out as much about him as possible, from those who had known him better than I did; those who could recall his childhood, his military service and work.

Cue a flurried exchanging of letters with members of my family from all across the world, some of whom I’ve since had chance to meet and get to know; trips to archives where I would have my first on site researching experiences; and hours spent hours poring over census records, birth marriage and death certificates and all manner of other things, to find whatever it was I was looking for. It soon became about more than piecing together my Grandad’s life and I was charting the entire family history – on both my paternal and maternal side! A mammoth task and not typical teenage behaviour it has to be said!

I had entered into a world that completely enthralled me. I’ve probably said before that the study of history is much more than a hobby for me and this is exactly why. It’s become part of who I am and has helped me to understand where I come from and the people I’ve descended from. What began as shear curiosity and a desire for answers has blossomed into this incurable thirst for knowledge about the past; to learn about the lives people led and to understand the times in which they lived, whether my family or not.  

But at times, the personal nature of my family history research has been difficult and has led to some shocking discoveries and rather difficult questions. Every family has its skeletons I know, but you’d be amazed how many more appear when you start enquiring and poking around. I’d like to use recent events as one such example but it’s both a complicated story and a delicate one, so I will refrain from saying too much. Just that a recent effort to locate the grave of a close relative, a sibling of my cousin, bought to light the life of another sibling, one we had no knowledge of prior to that enquiry.

As the first person to be notified of this news I found it quite unsettling. It was as if I’d made an intrusion into a private family matter, I think because of the proximity. This all happened within living memory and that hadn’t happened too often with other aspects of the research. As you can imagine this ‘discovery’ has prompted many new questions and been surrounded with emotional responses, but where it goes from here is a decision for the immediate family. We did however go and find the grave and were able to I hope, offer my cousin some degree of closure and, in a way, re-acknowledge and re-claim the two children as members of our family.

My Dad has jokingly referred to me as “guardian of the family information” – and it sounds odd, but in way I do now feel a responsibility to make sure things are recorded and that everyone is remembered and talked about. Incidentally, this weekend marks the passing of my other Grandad and in a conversation with my Grandma about the difficulty of talking about passed loved ones I was struck by her remark that “to not talk about them is to deny them and we mustn’t do that”. And we mustn’t; death really shouldn’t be a taboo subject- we should talk about people that have passed and remember them as often as we can. But I digress.

I wanted to draw on this example because what made this whole experience more poignant for me was that it coincided almost day for day with the news that I would be doing my PhD come September. It’s been a decade since I began on this ‘journey’ (I know the word is so over used but I don’t know what else to call it) and I’m so grateful for where it’s bought me so far. Not only have the discoveries and the knowledge I’ve gained through my family history research helped to give me roots and to construct my identity, but they’ve given me a hobby and, I hope, the beginnings of an career doing something that I really enjoy. It’s therefore been hard to separate these two threads as it’s because of the family history research that I’m on the road to becoming a historian. And so everything seems to have come full circle.

I’m sorry for the reflective nature of this blog – it’s not as entertaining, I suspect, as some of the others which usually offer reviews or rants, as I suspect some would describe them. I just thought I’d share this rather emotional and somewhat exceptional journey with you – one that’s headed into a new chapter and one that I am sure, will only continue to unfold.