Winston Churchill

Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill was born at Blenheim Palace on Nov. 30, 1874. His father was Lord Randolph Churchill, who descended directly from the 1st duke of Marlborough, of whom Winston was to write a biography. His mother was Jennie Jerosme, an American. Churchill's childhood was unhappy. He spent most of his time at school, something he didn't really love. His teachers caracterized him as bright, but stubborn and obstinate. He loved to read history and …

…the Nobel Prize in literature in 1953. Churchill occupied to the end the affections of the British people, symbolizing the magnificent national performance in heroic days. Sir Winston Churchill was maybe England's greatest leader (and biggest sigar-smoker) ever, and as Britain's leader through most of World War II, he personified resistance to tyranny. Sir Winston Churchill died on Jan. 24, 1965, 70 years to the day after his father, at the age of 90 Sources: The new Grolier Multimedia Enclycopedia