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Last Updated: Jun 28, 2008 - 12:29:23 AM |
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One may view this photograph of Churchill at the luxurious Reid`s Hotel, taken in 1950. It has given the Reid`s Hotel a distinguished status by highligting the fact that somebody as prominent as Churchill chose this hotel to spend their winter vacation. The suite where Churchill stayed is now named after him and is decorated by several of his oils painted in Madeira.
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Winston Churchill in Madeira
Special preparations were to be made for this unique voyage: prior to
his visit to Madeira, Winston Churchill telegraphed Bryce Nairn, the
British Consul in Madeira, to query about the hotels, the landscape,
the flowers, the paintable scenes�But also, because he wanted the
entire trip to be kept under wrap. It was important for Churchill that
the consul try and keep any publicity leaking out regarding his
probable ill-health whilst in Madeira. It was known in confidential
circles that a month earlier before his departure he was forced to
remain in bed with a bad case of the flu. It was so severe his
political agenda was put on hold. Clearly, in course for the elections,
this would not feature positively for Winston. Thus Madeira was to be,
not only a vacation, but also the venue of his recuperation from the
fatique and possible ill health that he started to suffer recently.
Accompanying him on his visit to Madeira was his wife Clementine, his daughter Diana, two secretaries - Miss Gilliatt and Miss Sturdee, and two special Branch detectives, G.E. Williams and E.A Davies. On leaving England he wrote to his beloved friend Lord Camrose saying: "
a fortnight`s sunshine is in our hopes, and some weeks or months, or other things, in our minds."
It was evident that Churchill wanted to elude himself from the hussle and bussle of politics.
Churchill arrived in Funchal aboard the liner, the Durban Castle ,on the 2nd of January 1950. A surprise warm welcome was awaiting him and his family.
The English residents had heard about his arrival and along with the locals crowded around the harbour shouting : "
the man who saved the world!". He proceeded immediately to his suite at the Reid`s Palace Hotel where he unpacked his war memoir materials and his paints.
© Copyright 2008 by The Madeira Island Web Site
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