I distinctly remember way back in my childhood days in the 1950 - 60s being exposed to the name Winston Churchill, in school studies and news reports of the day. Learning basically that he was a respected political leader and Prime Minister of England.
I remember his death on 25th Jan 1965 and his state funeral, where his casket was ferried on the river Thames on a funeral barge.
In later years I learnt that he was also a great military leader defending the United Kingdom against German invasion during the 2nd WW, a Historian, Artist and Writer. Churchill was never a person I researched for ancestral connection, like all other persons; he was not a person I was attempting to connect to in my family research.
All roads seem to lead to some people at times, and there is always some pleasure in the surprise when a connection emerges of historical significance. But I now understand that it's not by accident that we discover historically significant people, all we need is a Founding or Key ancestor that leads to such discoveries. I have several such ancestors in my family history.
I arrived at Winston through my 3rd Great grandmother Sarah Acton and wife to William Bond. Sarah's, Acton family line goes back through the Plantagenets to the Dukes of Normandy, giving me a documented bloodline (Pedigree) that branches out along the way throughout history, a significant key person is my Sarah Acton.
My task is to investigate and follow each branch that I come across along my journey and document the facts as they are revealed to me; usually involves reading Peerage journals in the case of nobility. This process takes place over; in most cases, many years and there has never been a quick shortcut to this process.
Peerage records are usually extremely concise and well written and a trustworthy tool to use when applying to ancestors with a peerage.
Sir Winston Churchill was never made a peer and remained a commoner all his life.
But people close to him with family relationships to him were made peers, so there we may find referenced recorded facts. (The Peerage and Baronetage of Great Britain and Ireland, by John Burke.)
Winston Churchill was the son of Randolph Henry Spencer Churchill Lord and Jeanette (Jenny) Jerome Lady, he was born on 30th Nov 1874. Winston married Clementine Hozier 12th Sep 1908, they had the following four children.
1. Diana Spencer Churchill, 1909 - 1963.
2. Randolph Frederick Edward Spenser Churchill, 1911 - 1968.
3. Sarah Millicent Hermione Churchill, 1914 - 1982.
4. Marigold Frances Churchill, 1918 - 1921.
I have more than one relationship with Winston, other than through my 3rd Great grandmother Sarah Acton, and that is a relationship through my 7th Cousin 12 x removed.
Dionese Bond Lady is the wife to Sir Henry Lord of the Manor Winston, and the Daughter of Sir George Bond Lord Mayor of London and Lady Winnifred Leigh.
I discovered this second connection 3 - 4 years after finding my Acton family line connection. While researching my ancient Bond family back to Richard Bond De Earth, Cornwall. Dionese Bond is the 9th Great-grandmother to Sir Winston Churchill and Dionese is a descendant of Richard Bond De Earth, this is also my Paternal bloodline through my 3rd Great-grandfather William Bond and husband to Sarah Acton. Richard Bond is the 14th Great-grandfather to Winston Churchill, this was an exciting discovery for me at the time. Proving what tangled webs we may encounter in our families as we discover our history.
Richard de Earth Bond 1412-1462 14th great-grandfather
Sir Thomas Bond 1430-1480 Son of Richard de Earth Bond.
William Bond Sir Lord 1467-1528 Son of Sir Thomas Bond.
William (of Buckland Somerset) Bond Sir 1493-1549 Son of William Bond Sir Lord.
George Lord Mayor London Bond Sir 1534-1592
Son of William (of Buckland Somerset) Bond Sir.
Dionese Bond Lady1564-1609
Daughter of George Lord Mayor London Bond Sir.
Sarah Winston Lady 1598-1678
Daughter of Dionese Bond Lady.
Winston Churchill Sir 1620-1688
Son of Sarah Winston Lady.
John 1st Duke of Marlborough Churchill 1650-1722
Son of Winston Churchill Sir.
Anne Churchill Countess 1683-1716
Daughter of John 1st Duke of Marlborough Churchill.
Charles 3rd Duke of Marlborough Spencer Sir 1706-1758
Son of Anne Churchill Countess.
GEORGE 4th Duke Marlborough SPENCER CHURCHILL 1739-1817 Son of Charles 3rd Duke of Marlborough Spencer Sir.
George Charles 5th Duke Marlborough Spencer Churchill 1766-1840 Son of GEORGE 4th Duke Marlborough SPENCER CHURCHILL.
George Marlborough Spencer Churchill 1793-1857 Son of George Charles 5th Duke Marlborough Spencer Churchill.
John Winston 7th Duke of Marlborough Spencer Churchill 1822-1883 Son of George Marlborough Spencer Churchill.
Randolph Henry Spencer Churchill Lord 1849-1895 Son of John Winston 7th Duke of Marlborough Spencer Churchill.
Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill Sir.
Son of Randolph Henry Spencer Churchill Lord.
In this, digital age, where information is just a click away, delving into our family history brings a sense of connection and belonging. Unravelling the past can reveal stories that define us and illuminate the path that led to our present. Today, we embark on a journey through time, exploring the untold story of Churchill's Unseen Letters, a treasure trove of our ancestry waiting to be discovered. Churchill's collection numbers some 3000 boxes of documents and letters from childhood to final writing. Included, are his writings to friends; and family and official correspondence with political, and military commanders.
Dig deep into the digital platforms available to us today and we may well be rewarded with stories that bring life back into our family research.
Headline, Daily Mail Australia, Friday May 24th 2024.
Unseen Churchill letter reveals for first time how brazen Lord Mountbatten nearly shot dead RAF chief at secret WWII conference.
Other notable people in history connected to Churchill's ancestry:
John of Gaunt Plantagenet. William 1st Earl of Pembroke Marshal. Rohese Giffard. William I Longsword JOHN "Lackland" PLANTAGENET. HENRY III PLANTAGENET. WALTER De ACTON. AGNES TOFTED. EWARD I LONGSHANKS PLANTAGENET. HENRY II (Curtmantle) 1st PLANTAGENET. ELEANOR AQUITIANE. GEOFFREY V the Handsome PLANTAGENET. Fulk V The Younger De Anjou. Edward II PLANTAGENET. Petronilla DeBooley. KATHERINE LE STRANGE. HENRY Hotspurs PERCY. ELIZABETH MORTIMER. EDWARD III of Windsor PLANTAGENET. Edward of Woodstock The Black Prince PLANTAGENET. Richard II Plantagenet. Philip III (3rd) The Bold CAPET De France. William I the Conqueror De Normandy. Thomas 6th Dacre. Ralph Governor of Bamburgh Castle. Percy Simon I von Sarbrucken. Mathilda Von Sponheim. Henry 5th Earl of Northumberland. Percy Henry G Spencer. Isabelle Lincoln. Thomas Percy Henry "8th Earl of Northumberland". Percy Thomas Spencer. Nicholas Spencer. Eleanor De Segrave. Gilbert De Segrave. Stephen De Segrave. Rohesia Le De Spencer. Thomas De Corbet. Simon Caus Corbet. Thomas The Pilgrim Corbet. William III 1st Le Latimer. John Wynnesbury. Edmund 5th Earl Stafford. Hugh De Mortimer. William 5th Dacre. Philip Booth. Berthe of Swabia. Von Hohenstaufen. Frederick II Von Hohenstaufen Duke of Swabia. Winston Churchill. Sarah Winston. Diana Frances Spencer. Elizabeth Alexandra. Mary Windsor. George Lord Mayor London Bond. Dionese Bond. Richard de Earth Bond. Gilbert 1st Baron De Segrave. HEREWARD De SEGRAVE Hugh De SEGRAVE Hugh 4th Dacre Rebecca Berry Orme De ToftMalcolm (7th Earl of Fife) MacDuff. John De Hastang. Hugh I 2nd Baron of Wigmore De Mortimer. Galfridus Beaucham.
Dionese Bond my 5th cousin 11 x removed is Winston Churchill's 9th Great Grandmother in my Paternal Bond line.
Recommended reading:
Collins Peerage of England; Genealogical, Biographical and Historical v1. p.362.
A Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Commoners of Great Briton and Ireland Enjoying Territorial Possessions or High Official Rank v1. p.340, by John Burke.
The Visitations of The County of Cornwall p.41, by John Lambrick Vivian.
The Visitations of The County of Cornwall in The year 1620 p.15, by Henry St George.
The Story of the Bonds of Earth, by Allen Kerr Bond.
Artillery of Word, The Writings of Sir Winston Churchill, by Frederick Woods.
Sir Winston Churchill, His Life and His Paintings, by David Coombs & Minnie Churchill.
Sir Winston Churchill, by Allan Farrell.
The True Story of Sir Winston Churchill, by Arthur Harald Booth.
The Wit and Wisdom of Winston Churchill, by James C Humes.
The Early Churchills, by A L Rowse.
The Peerage and Baronetage of Great Briton and Ireland, by John Burke.
Letters for the Ages, The Private and Personal Letters of Sir Winston Churchill.
Copyright © Noel Bond. Researched and written by Noel Bond, No written part of this Blog may be reproduced in any form, by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author.
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