Biography His father was the prominent Tory politician, Lord Randolph Churchill, the third son of the 7th Duke of Marlborough. His mother was Jennie Jerome, the daughter of an American millionaire. Churchill had one brother. Due to his independent and rebellious nature, Churchill did poorly at school and was regularly punished. He attended Harrow school from the age of 13 and gained high marks in English and history. He was also the school's fencing champion. Although he loved his mother and wrote letters to her to allow him to come home, she rarely visited him. His father was also very distant and so Churchill had a very lonely childhood apart from his nanny who was very close to him. Churchill attended Sandhurst Royal Military College before embarking on an army career. He saw action on the North West Frontier of India and in the Sudan. In India he led his regiment polo team to many prestigious tournament victories. While working as a war correspondent during the Boer War he was captured and made a prisoner-of-war before making a daring escape. In 1900 he published two books on the Boer war. He decided to enter politics and in 1900 (aged 26) became the Conservative member of parliament for Oldham but in 1904 he changed parties and joined the Liberals. Between 1903 and 1905 he wrote a two-volume biography of his father which was published in 1906 and received much critical acclaim. He married Clementine Hozier in 1908 and they had five children. The Liberals won the 1905 election and Churchill was appointed undersecretary at the Colonial Office. In 1908 (aged 34) he entered the Cabinet as president of the Board of Trade and became home secretary in 1910. The following year he became first lord of the Admiralty. He held this post in the first months of World War One but after the disastrous Dardanelles expedition, for which he was blamed, he resigned. He once again joined the army and served for a time on the Western Front. In 1917, he returned to government as minister of munitions. From 1919 to 1921 he was secretary of state for war and air and from 1924-1929 he was chancellor of the exchequer. The next decade were named his 'wilderness years', in which his opposition to Indian self-rule and his support for Edward VIII during the 'Abdication Crisis' made him unpopular and his warnings about the rise of Nazi Germany and the need for British rearmament were ignored. Churchill became first lord of the Admiralty when war broke out in 1939. In May 1940 (aged 65) he became prime minister when Neville Chamberlain resigned. He worked tirelessly throughout the war, building strong relations with US President Roosevelt while maintaining a sometimes difficult alliance with the Soviet Union and his refusal to surrender to Nazi Germany inspired the country. Churchill lost the 1945 post-war election but remained leader of the opposition and voiced apprehension about the Cold War (he popularised the term 'Iron Curtain') and encouraged European and trans-Atlantic unity. In 1951 he became prime minister again but he resigned in 1955 and remained an MP until shortly before his death. As well as his many political achievements, he won the 1953 Nobel Prize in Literature for his many books on English and world history. He was a prolific painter with over 570 paintings and two sculptures and he received a diploma from the Royal Academy of London. For much of his life he battled with depression which he called the ‘black dog’ and he had a speech impediment, but this did not seem to hinder him. His evocative and stirring rhetoric was employed in his many famed speeches and was essential to raising national morale during the war. In 1963 he was made an honorary citizen of the United States by John F. Kennedy. Churchill died as the result of a severe stroke on 24th January 1965 aged 90 at his home in London. His was the first state funeral for a non-royal family member since 1914 and attracted millions of mourners. Sir Winston Churchill was voted the greatest-ever Briton in the 2002 BBC poll of the 100 Greatest Britons.
Astrology - Winston Churchill was a complex character and this is indicated by the multiple aspect patterns seen in his chart.. He was both creative and a military leader so I would expect to see some Leo/Venus/Neptune/5th house for creativity and Mars/fire signs for the leadership qualities he displayed. The Ascendant or rising sign (your appearance, how you are seen) is in Libra and Churchill was well able to make use of his diplomacy and ability to manage conflict. He was also clever about getting what he wanted but not in a malicious or under-handed way. The Sun (your personality, how you experience life, your essential energy) is in Sagittarius in the 3rd house and his main focus was his search for truth and the need for constant mental stimulation. His communication skills were excellent, although sometimes not popular. This is the position for teachers and writers. The Moon (your instinctive natural reaction, moods, habits and your mother) is in Leo in the 11th house and Churchill would know how to sway public opinion and be responsive to the feelings of others. Working to promote common good is also here, as is an interest in history and family roots in politics. With the Moon conjunct the fixed star Regulus, this denotes ambition, honour, success and leadership. Mercury (your mind, intellect, communication, learning, mischief and criminal activities) is in Scorpio in the 2nd house and this position indicates writers with mass appeal. With Mercury square to Uranus, this shows a liking for verbal challenges and a quick wit. Mercury is also opposite Pluto and this could be a sign of the depression Churchill suffered. Venus (your relationships, love, affection, harmony and sociability) is in Sagittarius in the 3rd house showing someone artistic, diplomatic and a writer. Mars (your physical energy, initiative, action and how you get what you want) is in Libra in the 1st house showing Churchill using his energy to fight for peace and justice in the world. He had to be directly involved and not just a bystander. This position enabled him to be good at predicting when problems and discord would occur, as in the case of Hitler. With Mars conjunct Jupiter, he would have great confidence in his abilities and want to forge ahead with his ideas regardless of the reservations of others. Challenges would be approached with dramatic flare and determination. He would be a formidable opponent. Here also is courage, risk taking, military ability and an interest in politics. Jupiter (your belief system, expansion and also representing the world of publishing) is in Libra in the 1st house and as well as the description under Mars, here is self-confidence, leadership abilities, strong moral convictions and someone prone to being self indulgent with a weight problem later in life. Saturn (your limitations, lessons to be learned, the key to your career, professional performance and your father) is in Aquarius in the 5th house and Churchuill would achieve recognition for his artistic talents later in life. This position shows politics as a good outlet and romantic attachments taken seriously. Uranus (your power to invent the new, desire for change, originality and unpredictable behaviour) is in Leo in the 11th house influencing sudden changes in Churchill’s life ambitions. Here is someone original, radical and unpredictable who would use their political leadership to bring about change. Neptune (the collapse of your boundaries, mysterious behaviour, elusiveness and dreams) is in Aries in the 8th house giving Churchill an exceptional imagination and meaningful dreams, with an interest in what happens after death. His book ‘The Dream’ is about the ghost of his father visiting him, and is appropriate for this position. Pluto (your hidden issues, compulsion and dark side) is in Taurus in the 8th house helping Churchill to navigate whatever obstructed his course of action. He would have a deep interest in the unknown and be able to carry out research thoroughly. This ability would be very necessary for the many historical books he wrote throughout his lifetime.
Midheaven (your career, aspirations, public face and what you become) is in Cancer and this shows the possibility of fame, a connection with politics and having the same career as his father. |
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