Where Did 'From Pompey Hill" Go To?

I've made a decision today, to delete my second blog From Pompey Hill to Wall Street, about the life and times of Leonard Jerome, Winston Churchill's maternal grandfather.   The blog format wasn't working well for the concept.

Instead, I will tell his story in Web site form.   It'll be easier to describe the various periods of Leonard's life in a Web site, page by page--such as what I've done in my site about Civil War General Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain.   And I'll be able to add special-interest pages alongside the basic biography, such as Leonard's interest in thoroughbred horse-racing, and being a co-founder of the American Jockey Club.

When I get the Jerome site going, I'll post the URL.   Keep watching this space.  

Thanks.

Better Late Than Never: Day Three of My Hyde Park Adventure

I do apologize for the 'late' entry here: procrastination got the better of me for the last month, and I haven't concluded recounting my 'excellent' adventure in Hyde Park, New York, in November 2011.   But I'm doing that right now...

Day Three, 10 November 2011, dawned bright with unseasonable warmth.   I slept OK overnight, except for a case of 'twitchy legs'.   I hate those....!   I waited to finish packing up until I had breakfast at the Roosevelt Inn: more bagels and cream cheese, with a banana and orange juice.   After I completed packing, and loaded my things into the car, I went to the office to pay my bill.   As I approached the office door, I noticed a Welsh Corgi on the other side, barking at me.   This was "Minna", the canine 'desk clerk': the Inn's manager, a lovely lady from Finland, encouraged me to come in.

Minna, as it turned out, loves the Inn's guests.   She let me pet her, and got very excited when I made a fuss over her (photo left).   Minna's mistress has run the Roosevelt Inn for over thirty years: she told me her German-born husband had recently passed away: he had been born in East Prussia--the part of Germany that was given to Poland after Germany's defeat in the Second World War.   I mentioned that my mother's family was also from Germany, but in the western part of the country.

Minna, for her part, was so excited by all the attention, she wouldn't look at me, while I tried to take her photo.   The one at the left is one of the best.

Before I left, I assured Minna's mistress that I would be back in Hyde Park again, and staying at the Roosevelt Inn: I enjoyed the hospitality, and said I would recommend the Inn to others.   After giving Minna one last scratch on the head, I was on my way.

The night before, I had decided to take the more 'scenic route' home.   I decided against going back on the New York State Thruway because it is an incredibly boring drive at high-speed.   I decided to take US Route 9 north to near Albany, and then go US Route 20 west.   It would take a longer time, yes--but there's a change in road speeds, along with changes of scenery.

Before leaving Hyde Park, I returned to the Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site, and retrace the path that Allen Packwood and I had trod the day before--but at a more leisurely pace.   The ground was damp from overnight dew--but there were few people about, except staff working on the restoration project at the FDR Presidential Library building.

Behind the Library, I noticed three large sculpture busts standing all alone: two were of President Roosevelt--and one was of British Prime Minister Winston Churchill (photo right).   Normally, they would be standing within the Library building.   But during the restoration work, they were moved outside, a few feet from the rear entrance.   Needless to say, I was surprised to see these: I wish Allen and I had found them the day before!

Doing some research after the trip, I discovered this bust was created by the same sculptor who did a similar Churchill bust at Churchill College in Cambridge, England.   I saw that particular sculpture in November 2010, when I first met Allen at his office at the Churchill Archives Centre.   This Hyde Park bust shows both Churchill's strength and determination.

Retracing my steps to the nearby Rose Garden, I took a couple more photos of the Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt graves--and the grave of Roosevelt's Scottie, 'Fala'.   On a nearby National Park Service marker, I found an interesting and sad photo of Eleanor Roosevelt accompanying Churchill on a visit to Franklin Roosevelt's grave in March 1946 (photo left).   Churchill looks utterly sad, as he gazes at the grave of his wartime colleague.   He must have been devastated, when he first received the news of Roosevelt's untimely death in April 1945.

Near the Rose Garden is the main house, Springwood, where Franklin Roosevelt was born.   During his presidency, he used this house as a summer home, and a retreat from wartime stress.   Just before the Second World War broke out, the Roosevelts invited Britain's King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, to a picnic at nearby Top Cottage.  It was here that the King and Queen tried American hot dogs for the first time!

Springwood itself is also undergoing some restoration work.   Most of it appears to be happening at the rear of the house.   The view from the sweeping front drive is beautiful: it must have been a hive of activity when the Roosevelts and their children were in residence.   And poor Eleanor had to deal with her husband's overprotective and domineering mother, Sara Delano Roosevelt.

The views of the Hudson River Valley, behind Springwood, are spectacular.   And even though the leaves were mostly off the trees, it was still a beautiful thing to behold.

I made my way slowly back to the Wallace Educational Center, next door to the Library.   I wanted to see if the gift shop was open--but, alas, I was too early.   It didn't open until 10 am, and it was just after 9 am when I arrived.   I did, however, do some wandering about outside, and got some photos of a really nice dual sculpture of Eleanor and Franklin Roosevelt, seated on a terrace outside the Center (photo right).  

There's even a spot for visitors to sit next to the President, to have their photos taken.   On the Roosevelt Inn's Web site, little Minna had her chance to sit next to Franklin Roosevelt!

Going back inside the Center, I found the sculpture of "Fala" that sits next to the Visitor Information desk.   Allen had pointed it out to me the day before, but I was unable to get a photo of it then.   So I took the opportunity to get one this time around (photo left).  

If there was a poll asking people who the most famous White House pet was (or is), I am sure many people would pick "Fala".   His master spoke of him often enough!

Right after I took this photo, I left the park.   But before I left Hyde Park itself, I made a couple more photo stops.   One was at The Eveready Diner, where Allen and I had lunch the day before.   I'll never forget their very filling dinners from Tuesday and Wednesday evening!    A must-stop for any future Hyde Park visit.

My final Hyde Park stop was at the St James Episcopal Church (photo left), where the Roosevelts worshiped during their stays at Springwood.   It was consecrated in October 1811, as the only Protestant Episcopal congregation north of Poughkeepsie, and south of Hudson, New York.   The first congregational meeting was held in March 1812.   Many of the prominent families in the Hyde Park area were members of St James' congregation--including the Livingston and Lewis families.   Many members of these families were buried in the cemetery behind the church--including one Robert Livingston, who was a drafter (but not a signer) of the Declaration of Independence.

My main reason for stopping at the St James Church cemetery was to see if Sara Delano Roosevelt was buried there.   She died in Hyde Park in September 1941, and her funeral was held at St James.   Sadly, I could not find her grave, if it was there.   I did see some rather impressive mausoleums of the 'local gentry', however--including that of the above-mentioned Robert Livingston.

I also saw a very poignant memorial marker (photo left), for Paul E. Tegtmaier, a former member of the Hyde Park Fire Department.   He had moved to New York City and joined the FDNY--only to perish in the World Trade Center's North Tower, on 11 September 2001.   No trace of this young man was ever found.

The cemetery itself was very quiet, except for lawn-mowing being done by a groundskeeper.   The leaves beneath my feet crunched, as I walked along the graveyard's paths.   Then: lo and behold, I saw something moving between two of the mausoleums: it was a large deer: it looked like a buck, but I couldn't be sure.   We looked at each other for a long time, and I stepped forward, one step at a time, to try and get a good photo.   The deer snorted a little, but made no initial attempt to run away.   Eventually, it scampered off to my left, amongst the gravestones, and towards busy US Route 9.

I hope the creature was able to cross the road safely.   I didn't see it again once I left the church grounds.

Soon, it was time to get back on the road.   I had a wonderful drive through some beautiful and historic Hudson Valley towns, like Rhinebeck.   I love seeing the farmland, and all the wonderful old buildings.  And it was hard to leave such a wonderful area like the Hudson Valley.   Especially when I reached Albany, the state capital of New York.   Driving through that city's not for the faint of heart, or the 'directionally-challenged'!

After i crossed the Hudson River, I found myself at the foot of one of Albany's more monstrous building sites: the Empire State Plaza, where many state Government offices are located.   I was looking for the way to US Route 20, and had to drive through some congested streets to get there.   I followed a set of signs to Route 20--only to have them disappear from sight, on a narrow side street lined with restored old town-houses.   Good thing I decided not to get off this particular street, because eventually I found my way out of Albany proper--and right onto US Route 20.

The sun stayed out all during my drive north on US Route 9.   Until I left the Albany city limits, that is.  Then, the skies darkened, and the rain came pouring down--all while I'm literally driving up-hill-and-down-dale on Route 20.   I must confess it is a very scenic roadway, full of historic towns and villages, and incredible scenery.   But it was probably not a good choice, for driving in the rain, and the darkening skies!

Eventually, the rain ended as I reached the village of Manlius, just outside Syracuse.   It was dry as I arrived home around 4 pm....but no sooner did I get the car unloaded and my baggage brought inside, but the heavens opened with another heavy downpour!

All in all: my Hyde Park visit was a great success.   It was a pleasure to see Allen again, nearly a year since our visit in Cambridge.    And he was happy with what I had found about Leonard Jerome, for use in next year's Churchill exhibition at the Morgan Library in New York City.   That alone made it all worthwhile.

A Tale of Two Cemeteries

This past Tuesday, I decided to take advantage of the drier weather outside, and resume my search for Winston Churchill's maternal ancestors in Pompey Hill, New York.   It ended up being 'a tale of two cemeteries': one alone and abandoned; the other, better maintained and fruitful.

My first stop was on Henneberry Road, in the town of Pompey: a long road leading from the hamlet of Pompey Hill into wooded hill country.   I passed by homes nestled in the woods, plus a farm or two.  I was in search of Sweet Cemetery, where Leonard Jerome's grandfather, Aaron, was said to be buried.   In the event, the cemetery was so small, I passed right by it; I had to turn around and look closely, as it was surrounded by old and gnarly trees.    Not only that: the ground inside was overgrown, with broken gravestones.  

With those challenges in mind, I was still determined to see what I could find in the cemetery.   Getting out of the car, I crossed the road, and discovered the gate would not open.   It was almost rusted shut, and the only way in was through a broken part of the encircling stone wall.   I gingerly climbed through the hole--the wall was just past my knees--and stepped round the loose stones and a huge tree root, and entered the cemetery grounds.

I didn't see a gravestone for Aaron Jerome among the few markers I found.   They were quite old: probably dating back to the American Revolution, or just afterwards.   A couple of them had been tipped over by vandals.   I also found a more recent burial: a local woman who loved gardening.   But the garden at her grave was sadly neglected: there was a bronze marker, with a small bouquet next to it.   Needless to say, I was most disappointed in what I found.   It was as if Aaron Jerome had been buried in an unmarked grave, aged only 37.

I retraced my steps out through the stone wall, and went back to my car.   I only took the one photograph (above left).   I drove back to Pompey Hill, and decided to visit the Jerome family plots in the larger, and better-maintained, Pompey Hill Cemetery across US Route 20.   On a previous visit last year, I did find two Jerome family plots in that cemetery.

I couldn't remember exactly where the Jerome plots were, so I spent more than a few minutes wandering about.   It was a sunny but cool day: there was a bit of a breeze, as I wandered amongst the gravestones, and reading the inscriptions.   Eventually, I found what I was looking for.

In the first Jerome family plot, I found the grave of one Miss Jennie A. Jerome (photo right).   She was the third cousin of Winston Churchill's mother, Jennie, Lady Randolph Churchill, and she spent her whole life in Pompey Hill.   She died in 1947: right around the time that Mr. Churchill sent twelve signed photographs of himself, to be raffled off and raise money for the rebuilding of the Pompey Presbyterian Church, which had been destroyed by fire in 1946.   Churchill referred to his cousin's death, in a letter written from his country home at Chartwell, in Kent, in August 1947:

Chartwell,
Westerham
Kent


August 30, 1947


Dear Mr. Durston:
Thank you for your letters of August 23 and 25.    I am indeed sorry to learn of the death of Miss Jennie Jerome, my mother's third cousin.   It is good of you to let me know about it.


I am glad to know that the photographs have arrived safely, and to think that they will be of some help in raising funds for the restoration of the Pompey church.


It would certainly interest me to visit the graves of Lieutenant Murray {possibly the father of Leonard's mother, Aurora Murray Jerome} and others of my forebears as you suggest.  Should an opportunity present itself, it would be a pleasure to me to come to Pompey and Syracuse, where I feel I have so many family and friendly connections.


Yours sincerely,
Winston S. Churchill
And in a handwritten postscript below his signature, Churchill writes:
Pray let me know how the photos go.


The "Mr. Durston" is one E.C. Durston.   I will have to find out some information on him; I found several letters he had written, in the Jerome family files at the Onondaga Historical Association.

It was really wonderful, to find Miss Jerome's grave, and connect her to her famous British cousin.   A fruitful visit to Pompey Hill Cemetery.

A Gift to the Citizens of Pompey Hill--From Winston Churchill

This past Saturday, I paid a visit to the Onondaga Historical Association in Syracuse, New York.   It was for the purpose of research, to discover more about Sir Winston Churchill's maternal grandfather, Leonard Jerome, and Churchill's family ties to Upstate New York.

When I arrived at the OHA's Research Center, I found two small boxes, and one large box, of Jerome family archives waiting for me.   In the first small box, I found typewritten genealogical records of the Jerome family dating back to the first Jerome to settle in Central New York: Timothy Jerome.   He was born c. 1688, on the Isle of Wight, off the coast of southern England.   He died in Wallingford, CT on February 3, 1749/50 (why there are two different years I'm not sure).   This explained why there was only a memorial stone to Timothy, in Pompey Hill Cemetery.

Timothy's son, Samuel Jerome, was born in Saratoga County, but moved to Genesee County in western New York, in 1789.  In 1791, Samuel visited the salt springs near present-day Syracuse, along Onondaga Lake.   His descendants say he died in Canada.

Samuel's son, Aaron, was born in Wallingford, CT, on December 4, 1764, and died in Pompey, NY, on August 14, 1802, at the age of only 37.   He is buried in the Sweet Cemetery, near Pompey.   That will be one of my next stops: to find Aaron's grave, and get a photo of it.

Aaron's son Isaac, was born in Charlton, Saratoga County, NY, on October 26, 1786.   He died in Syracuse, NY, on July 20, 1866.   He married Aurora Murray (born in Chatham, NY, on January 18, 1785) in New York City, on April 6, 1867.   They are both buried in Oakwood Cemetery, Syracuse.   During the War of 1812, Isaac was a Lieutenant of Grenadiers, 98th Regiment, Onondaga County Militia (1815).   He was made Captain in 1816.

Leonard is one of Isaac Jerome's children.

With that family background in mind, here is 'the rest of the story':

In 1946, the citizens of Pompey Hill lost a big part of their history, when the Pompey Presbyterian Church burnt down.   It was quite likely that this was the Jerome family's home church.   One of Churchill's cousins, Miss Lillian Jerome, wrote a letter to him in 1946, inquiring whether Churchill would be interested in sending a donation, to aid in the rebuilding effort.   Here is what Churchill wrote in reply:

"Chartwell,
Westerham,
Kent
April 10, 1947


"My dear Miss Lillian Jerome:


"I had hoped to be able to write to you long ago and to send you a subscription to the restoration fund of the Church at Pompey.   But alas, the matter did not prove so simple as I had thought.   As I felt some publicity might be given to this matter, I deemed it wise to obtain permission from the Treasury before sending my donation, and now, after some months of correspondence on the subject, my application has been refused.


"It has however occurred to me that you might like to have twelve signed photographs of myself that would-be subscribers might care to purchase as souvenirs and as a contribution to the admirable work of rebuilding Pompey Church.  Pray let me know if you think this is a good idea.


"I wish you all success in your campaign for the restoration fund.


Yours sincerely,
Winston S. Churchill"

And Churchill did just that, with this photo (left).   I can only imagine the excitement Miss Jerome must have felt, when she received these photographs.   I do wonder why the British Government at the time would not let Churchill send a donation--particularly since he was not Prime Minister at the time?

The resulting sale of these twelve signed photos netted a total of $400 towards the church's rebuilding.   I even found a list of those lucky people who won the raffle!

Wouldn't it be a great thing, if any of those photos are still in the hands of the families who won them?   I am sure they would be worth a lot of money, just for Churchill's signature alone.

And here is Churchill's signature, which appeared at the bottom of the photograph (photo left).

During my OHA visit, I also discovered this bit of news: Churchill was invited several times during his life, to visit his Jerome relatives in Pompey Hill, while visiting the United States.   One early visit was preempted by his serious run-in with a New York City taxi in the 1930s; during the 1940s, his wartime meetings with President Roosevelt made such personal visits impossible.

In July 1955, however, Churchill's daughter Sarah did pay a visit to Pompey Hill, while appearing in a summer stock play in nearby Fayetteville, New York: No Time For Comedy, which co-starred one Butterfly McQueen, of Gone With the Wind fame!

From the newspaper reports I found, Sarah enjoyed her visit with her Jerome cousins very much--particularly the cool hilltop breezes, in the heat of summer!   She visited the site of her great-grandfather Leonard's home, and even pumped some spring water for a drink!

This won't be my only visit to the Onondaga Historical Association.   There will be more in the near future.   Can't wait to go back.

An Amazing Opportunity

I see where I've not written a new post in a long time.   I've been busy with editing the posts about my UK/Europe adventure of November 2010, tweaking here and there for possible self-publication.   It's taken longer than I thought it would have!

But now, I want to write and share about a wonderful upcoming opportunity.   During my UK visit, I met with a gentleman named Allen Packwood, who is the Chief Archivist of the Winston Churchill Archives Centre at Churchill College--which is part of the University of Cambridge, in England.   He showed me some of the treasures in the Churchill Archives: letters, family photos, and copies of some of Churchill's own speeches.   It was a rare chance to see some well-known photos of young Winston, his brother John, and his parents Lord and Lady Randolph Churchill.

During the chat Allen and I had in his office, he shared with me about an upcoming exhibition that the Churchill Archives is involved in.   It is about Churchill and his American ancestors; Churchill's mother, the former Jennie Jerome (photo right), was the daughter of a Wall Street financier named Leonard Jerome, who was born in the hamlet of Pompey Hill, New York, in the country south of Syracuse.

Leonard's wife, Clarissa Hall, was born in the Western New York village of Palmyra.  Palmyra is also where Leonard met and married Clarissa, and where they lived briefly after their marriage--before their social ambitions and Leonard's work took them to New York City.

This exhibition will be held at the Morgan Library (photo left) in New York City, in June 2012.   And Allen has asked for my assistance, in finding any photos, documents, etc., that are related to Leonard and Clarissa Jerome, for inclusion in the exhibition.   And Allen has also asked if I can assist in the actual design for the exhibition!   He already has a principal designer--a staff member at the Morgan Library, I would imagine.   But he is also asking for my input, as the planning goes on.

Of course, I am more than happy to search for any of the documents and such.   There are historical societies in Pompey and Palmyra, that are well within driving distance to do research.   But to actually assist in the exhibition's design?!?   This is mind-boggling to me: I am just an ordinary person, with no university education or experience in such things!   It's very humbling to assist in this way.

Allen told me in a recent conversation that he will be making more visits to the US, as the exhibition draws closer.   And I invited him to come visit the Pompey Hill area, if possible.   I'd be more than happy to act as tour guide, and show the beautiful area where Leonard Jerome (photo left) was born.

I hope I am up to the design task.    I can definitely research.   But I am fighting self-doubts about the design part.   Time will tell how it all pans out.

Day Fifteen, Part One: Monday, 15 November 2010

A new week has begun--and today, I am off to Cambridge, to a meeting with Mr. Allen Packwood, the Chief Archivist, to see the Winston Churchill Archives at Churchill College.   I was really looking forward to meeting Mr. Packwood, and viewing some of Mr. Churchill's letters, photos and other documents.

It was a bright and sunny November morning: a far cry from the damp and chill of Remembrance Sunday.   I had a round-trip ticket to Cambridge, and would leave around 10 am, so I had a little time to walk about and see some London sights.

I slept like a baby overnight (after all the walking about I did on Sunday), and woke up around 7 am.   After showering and dressing, I decided to walk to the 'other end' of Buckingham Gate, which led me to the front of Buckingham Palace.

The walk was really interesting: I noticed a number of the older buildings had been converted into small businesses--but kept the lovely exteriors.   The area directly in front of the Palace, around the Queen Victoria Memorial, is closed to vehicular traffic--probably for security reasons.   But it's great that one doesn't have to dodge cars around the Memorial any longer.   A few tourists were about, snapping photos.  But most of the foot traffic was made up of commuters walking to work in London.

After I took a few photos of the Palace, I crossed St James's Park to Birdcage Walk, where I heard and saw a military band playing and marching about behind a tall metal fence (photo left).   The bandsmen wore bearskin hats and camouflage uniforms (an interesting combination!).

I also saw soldiers in camouflage, and wearing military berets, near them--and took photos of both through the fence.

I am not entirely sure what unit these soldiers are serving in, but I believe it's the Life Guards (photo right).  

The building behind them is their London HQ, and it holds an excellent Guards Museum.   All these men are serving British military personnel.   I wonder if these fellows were deploying to, or returning from, Afghanistan....

By now, I was feeling very hungry, as I'd not eaten breakfast at the hotel.   I made my way back to Victoria Street, and to Victoria Station, where I'd catch the Underground to Kings Cross Station, and the train to Cambridge.   Near Victoria Station, I found a natural-foods shop called "Pret A Manger" (more about them later!), and went in and ordered a tomato-mozzarella-basil sandwich with tea.   The shop was full of morning commuters, but I did find a place to sit and eat.   The sandwich was excellent!!   And the tea hit the spot, too: enough to take the edge off my hunger.   I then went back outside, and into the heaving mass leaving Victoria Station and heading into central London.

I found the Underground station at Victoria, and arrived at the platform in time to catch the next Tube to Kings Cross.   I stood the whole time, for the short trip to Kings Cross; most of the British passengers were quietly reading the newspaper, or lost in their own thoughts--but two young American women were seated nearby, and they would not stop talking!   I assumed they were probably university students on a semester-long International Studies stay.   And they didn't stop talking when they left the Tube, either!

The Tube finally arrived at Kings Cross, and I got off and walked yet another long corridor out of the Tube station (thank heaven I was only carrying the backpack this day).    In the train station at Kings Cross, I noticed the Express train for Cambridge, and what platform it was leaving from, and made a dash for it--only to discover it was really leaving from a different platform some ways away!   So my fellow passengers and I dashed to the other side of the platform, and got on the right train.   I was out of breath from the dash, and I collapsed into my window seat.

This train had only one stop to make: at Cambridge.   It took around an hour or so, I figured.   The sun shone brightly on the scenery: bare fields and small hills, mostly.   Not as many animals, as I saw on the way to Worcester, however: just a few horses, and the usual 'puffy' sheep.

Before we knew it, the train was rolling into the Cambridge train station.   I was surprised at how small the station was, for such an important city as Cambridge: home to one of Britain's oldest, and best-known, universities.

I hailed a cab outside the station, and asked to be driven to the Provost's House at Churchill College.   The cab driver was a really nice fellow; he told me he'd been a Cambridge cab driver for over 30 years, and never tired of showing his passengers the sights: the various historic colleges that make up the University of Cambridge.   He said that Peterhouse College, for instance, is the oldest Cambridge college, founded in the year 1284.

As we rode along Queen's Road, the cab driver told me to look to my right.   And when I did, I saw the most gorgeous sight: the King's College Chapel, where the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols has been held every Christmas Eve since 1918.   I've seen many photos of the Chapel, but nothing compares to seeing it 'in the flesh', right before your eyes.   I made a mental note to go visit the Chapel afterwards.

It was around 11 am or so, and my appointment with Mr. Packwood wouldn't be until 12 noon--so I had a little time to wander about and explore the main building at the College.  I didn't go too far afield, however, as I didn't want to get lost.   Just after noon, I went to the Provost's Office (photo left), and asked to see Mr. Packwood.   The gentleman in the Office rang up Mr. Packwood's assistant, and she gave him directions as to where I should go.   I then went into Jock Colville Hall, which houses the Churchill Archives, and almost literally crashed into Mr. Packwood's assistant, who showed me into his office.   And there he was.   He warmly shook my hand, and invited me to sit down.

After the introductions, Mr. Packwood (he invited me to call him Allen) inquired about my UK/Europe travels so far, so I described my wreath-laying 'duty' in Ypres on Armistice Day, and my breakfast meeting in London with Sir Martin Gilbert.   Turns out Allen knows Sir Martin well, and I noticed one of Sir Martin's books on Churchill on a shelf in his office.

Allen then asked me about my research on Leonard Jerome, Winston Churchill's maternal grandfather, and what I had planned to do with what I found.  I said that I was planning to create a Web site about Leonard Jerome's life, and its connections in Upstate New York.

Allen took a few notes, and then said something extraordinary: he'd told me in our pre-visit correspondence that the Archives was sponsoring a major Exhibition on Churchill and his American ancestry, to be held at the Morgan Library in New York City in 2012.   He asked if I would be interested in being a contributor in some way, in assisting the Churchill Archives with any information I might find in historical societies near me (Leonard Jerome was born in the hamlet of Pompey Hill, New York, in the hill country south of Syracuse, and also lived for a time in the Western New York village of Palmyra, and in Rochester, before moving to New York City).   Allen also said he would like to link the Archives site with my Leonard Jerome Web site.

Of course, I was absolutely gobsmacked!   I said it would be an honor, and would do whatever I could to assist the Archives' efforts.   I am still working on the basic Leonard Jerome biography.   Thankfully, the Exhibition is not until 2012, so I still have time....but it'll certainly go by fast!

After this chat, Allen took me on a short tour.   As we left the Archives, we came to an open area between campus buildings, and he pointed out a very large oak tree.   But it's not just any oak tree: it was planted by Sir Winston himself in 1957, as the College was getting on its feet.   It's absolutely huge now (photo left).

To the left of this tree, and close to the building, is a row of more-recently planted younger trees.  And one of them was planted by Sir Winston's youngest--and sole surviving--daughter, Lady Mary Soames, who is an Honorary Fellow (or Faculty member) of the College.   Allen said she wanted to plant it here, so it would stand in the shadow of her father's tree.

On the way back to the Provost's Lodge, Allen told me he had been interviewed for a Canadian documentary, in reference to Sir Martin Gilbert's book Churchill and the Jews.   Allen said he'd been interviewed for quite some time.   But, as things in television usually go, the interview will probably be cut down to a 30-second sound bite!

Allen then led the way into the building behind the tree: the main Administrative building of Churchill College, where staff offices and the Dining Halls are located.   On a stairway near the Dining Halls is a very good sculpted bust of Sir Winston, and Allen asked if I'd like my picture taken next to it.   I agreed, so he took my camera and did so.   I must say it's not a bad photo--more so for the Churchill bust than for me!

Doesn't it look like Sir Winston is pensively getting ready to listen to me (photo left)?

Then, it was up the stairs we went to the Dining Halls, as it was almost lunchtime.   There are a couple of Dining Halls in this building: one for the students, and one for more formal meetings of College officials and their guests.   The students' Dining Hall was quite spacious, and didn't feel like a school cafeteria.  I think the brickwork on the walls, and the extensive woodwork, made it feel much warmer and inviting.

Before we went into the main Dining Hall for lunch, Allen showed me something really exciting: a chair once owned, and sat upon, by Sir Winston himself!   It was nicely padded, with some interesting woodwork on the arms and legs; above it stood a bust of Churchill by the celebrated British sculptor Sir Jacob Epstein.   Allen asked if I'd like to sit in it myself--and, after some hesitation, I agreed!   He asked me to look 'lost in important thought' as I sat down, and he took my photo.   So I can say that I sat my bum on the very same chair that Sir Winston sat upon!   Never thought I'd ever get to do THAT...!

And the proof is the photo at right!  

On the opposite wall from the "Churchill Chair" was a wonderful painting of a younger Winston Churchill done around 1915--the time of the Dardanelles/Gallipoli fiasco in Turkey, during the First World War.  Allen told me it was one of Clementine Churchill's favorite portraits of her husband.   I wish I had gotten the artist's name, and a photo of the painting.

We then arrived back at the Dining Hall for lunch.   Allen graciously paid for the meal: everything looked quite delicious!  I chose lamb with Yorkshire pudding (never had the latter before), zucchini in tomato sauce, and two small desserts: fruit crumble, and one with custard on top.   We found places at the Fellows' Table: the one the Faculty uses!   We sat down and had a wonderful chat about many topics.  One would never have guessed we'd only just met that day.

After lunch, Allen then took me to visit the Archives itself.   As we climbed one staircase, I noticed a large portrait on the wall; Allen told me it was of none other than Professor Barnes Wallace, of The Dam Busters fame.  He is the scientist who created the 'bouncing bombs' which 617 Squadron of the RAF (thereafter known as 'The Dam Busters Squadron') used to destroy several hydroelectric dams in Germany's Ruhr Valley, in May 1942.   Allen told me Barnes Wallace became a Fellow of Churchill College after the war.   And the Barnes Wallace family coat-of-arms includes a picture of the 'bouncing bomb'.

Allen told me the College is doing much work to make the Churchill Archives more accessible to researchers; it has contracted with a company to digitize the documents for online research.   Much of what the Archives currently holds is on microfilm.   And the room where researchers can work was also being renovated.   Eventually, it'll be turned into two huge rooms, where visiting researchers can bring their laptops to work.   Of course, there will also be a whole lot of security measures in place.

The Churchill Archives themselves are stored in a climate-controlled and very secure area.   There is low humidity within, and it was a bit chilly to boot.   Right now, the documents and photos are kept in boxes stored in closed, safe-like shelves--and Allen knows what's in every one of those boxes!   He had brought a few of them out, to show me specific items.

First of all, he showed me several of young Winston's first letters from his boarding school, which were written in huge, well-formed script.   Most of these were written to his mother, Lady Randolph Churchill  (the former Jennie Jerome), but there was also one written to his father, Lord Randolph Churchill.   As Winston got a bit older, he wrote letters from Harrow School that were virtually pleading for his parents to come visit.   In one of those, he pleaded with his parents to send instead his nanny, Mrs. Elizabeth Anne Everest (whom young Winston called "Old Woom")--and she eventually did come to visit.   It is sad that Winston's parents didn't come to see him while in school.  He had to have been a very lonely child.

In another box, Allen showed me letters to Jennie, from Winston as a young man.   There was one written from New York City, where Winston was staying with an American friend, Bourke Cochran; from Cuba in 1895, where Winston was covering the country's rebellion against Spain for a British newspaper; and from South Africa in 1899, where Winston was a journalist covering the Second Boer War.   At this time, his handwriting was much smaller, and not quite as easy to read.

Next, Allen got out of another box a typed copy of now-Prime Minister Winston Churchill's 1941 Christmas Eve broadcast to the American people.   At that time, he was visiting President Franklin D. Roosevelt and staying at the White House.   The copy was double-spaced, with corrections written in Churchill's own hand.   In the same box was a copy of the speech Churchill gave to a joint session of the US Congress, where he refers to Jennie's American birth.   Accompanying this speech was a handwritten insert from Churchill, which said he felt that Jennie would have been proud of what he had accomplished in his life!

Allen told me that Churchill would normally have had dictated these particular speeches to one of his female secretaries.   But on this American visit, he brought along a male shorthand writer, Patrick Kinna, because he felt that crossing the Atlantic with the Nazi U-boat menace in place was much too risky for the women.   Mr. Kinna, by the way, passed away in March of 2009, aged 95.

One of the other US-related documents Allen showed me was a letter from President Roosevelt in 1942, in which FDR quoted a line by the American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow: 'Sail on, O Ship of State....'  Churchill had this letter framed, and placed it on the wall at Chartwell, his country house in Kent.   He even saved the envelope, in which FDR addressed Churchill as a 'certain Naval person'--referring to Churchill's service as First Lord of the British Admiralty during the First World War.   Churchill and Roosevelt had actually met once before: in London in the 1920s, when FDR was US Secretary of the Navy. At the time, Roosevelt didn't think much of Churchill as a person.

The next box Allen got out was huge, and it contained something really special: one of Churchill's personal photo albums.   In this one I found several photos of Churchill as a child, that I'd seen in several other books: one of him with his mother and his younger brother, Jack.   And there were the original formal photos of Lord Randolph and Jennie I'd also seen in books.

Also in this album were photos of Winston in military uniform in India and South Africa; on the political stump after the Boer War; and with his wife Clementine.   I noticed some empty spaces, with tear-marks: Allen said it was most likely done by Clementine, who often didn't like her own photos.   (I can relate to her on that!)   Allen didn't show all the photos in this album, as the binding was showing some signs of wear.   He didn't want to put extra stress on it, especially the album's spine.

The Churchill College Archives not only contain Winston Churchill's public and private papers.  It now also holds the papers of Second World War Field Marshal William Slim (who mainly served in the South-East Asia and Burma campaigns), and former UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.   The latter were the most recent donations to the Archives, and can't be revealed yet for some time.   But Allen did show me something interesting: the handbag that Mrs. Thatcher used while Prime Minister!   It had a note with it, in her own hand.   And I was able to touch the bag with my own hands!   I think it was made of alligator skin.

There was also another fascinating Thatcher-related display: two British flags and an Argentinian flag, from the Falkland Islands.   One British flag was rather battered: it was from the islands' capital, Stanley, and had seen hard service during the Falklands War between the UK and Argentina, from April to June 1982.   The other British flag was from the Royal Navy ship leading the Task Force that liberated the Falklands from the Argentinians; the widow of the ship's commander donated the flag to Mrs. Thatcher.   I suppose the Argie flag was a war trophy....?

By now, it was early afternoon, and Allen led me back out of the Archives, and back to his office.   He gave me a signed copy of the brochure done for a Churchill exhibit in Washington DC (and it was one of only a handful of brochures left!), and a map of Cambridge itself, in case I wanted to go see any of the other historic Colleges.   He led me out to the entrance of the Provost's Office and shook my hand and thanked me for coming.   In turn, I thanked him profusely for his time, and for lunch and the awesome visit to the Churchill Archives.

I had such a memorable time here!   I hope I can make a return visit soon.

It was a beautiful day for a walk, so I decided not to hail a taxi or take a bus back into Cambridge.   My next destination: King's College Chapel, which will be the subject of Part Two!

Fun In the Snow with David, Leenie and Gromit

Yes--winter is here to stay in Upstate New York!   And one way to cope with it is to have as much fun as one possibly can, as demonstrated by the YouTube video below:

Just before Thanksgiving, my sister Joanne and her husband, David, and their two dogs, "Leenie" and "Gromit" (who, BTW, are my 'canine editorial helpers'), moved out to the hill country south of Syracuse.   They live in a lovely home overlooking a spectacular valley near the village of Tully--which means they'll be getting a whole bunch of snow!

As an historical footnote: their home is also located not far from Pompey Hill -- the birthplace of Winston Churchill's maternal grandfather, Leonard Jerome.   Leonard's family owned land just east of David and Joanne's property, and there are a couple of still-existing homes that were in the Jerome family.   During a recent visit, Joanne mentioned there was an old cemetery very close to them, which just might contain graves of Leonard Jerome's ancestors.   I will check that out in the near future!

The other day, Joanne sent me this YouTube video that David made with his iPhone, while he was chasing and playing with the dogs.   Obviously, both Leenie and Gromit LOVE romping about in the snow--and David appears to be enjoying filming their antics as well.

Don't know what it is about dogs and snow--but they sure love bouncing around and eating it!   David has entitled this video "Who Let the Dogs Out?", after that reggae song from a few years ago.   Thank you, David and Joanne, for sharing this with me!

My First Thoughts On Creating A Blog

Well, here I am--better late than never to the blogosphere! Now that I'm here, how do I start? Let me say that I am someone who loves history--I've been that way since my childhood, when my parents, sisters and I would watch all sorts of historical programs on TV. I got my introduction to the history of the Second World War at that time; I particularly remember a series about Winston Churchill entitled "The Valiant Years". If anyone out there knows where there might be a DVD copy of this series, please let me know?

As I was saying: my interests tend to the military side of history. Besides the Second World War, I've become fascinated by the story of the American Civil War and the First World War--particularly the latter most recently, as my mother's family lived in Germany at that time, and she was just a little girl of around a year old when the Armistice was signed. I've read a little about the famine sweeping Germany at the time, and am amazed that she and her family (parents, one brother and two other sisters) survived that terrible time. In fact, during a visit to Germany in 1990, I saw the house where my mother and her family lived, in Oggersheim, in the Ruhr Valley. I was amazed that the house was still standing, in spite of heavy Allied bombing of the nearby cities of Ludwigshafen and Mannheim.

Besides military history, I enjoy reading European history, from the Middle Ages to today. It's my dream to visit the UK in the near future, to meet several of my online correspondents--including (if I may be so bold as to drop a famous name) Sir Martin Gilbert, Winston Churchill's official biographer. I would love to see the places that Mr. Churchill knew, and lived in.

I also have an interest in Jewish history (even though I am a 'gentile'); I traveled to Israel nine times in 12 years, from 1977 to 1989. The subject has always fascinated me! I can remember first learning about The Shoah ("Holocaust" in Hebrew--I prefer using the Hebrew term because the word "holocaust" is being used very cavalierly by too many groups and individuals today) in fifth grade, and wondering WHY?? What was it that Hitler hated so much about the Jewish people that he had six million of them murdered?? When I visited Yad Vashem--Israel's memorial to the Six Million--there were no words I could use to describe how I felt, at what I saw and read.

There are almost too many other subjects I could talk about--but this is enough for a first blog entry. As time goes on, I plan on posting my thoughts on various issues related to history, and to Christianity and Judaism, and current events. I invite you to come along for the ride.