A little dose of wartime wisdom, cigars, and bathing habits
There are few Britons more instantly recognisable than Winston Churchill. The
bowler hat, the bulldog stare, the cigar clenched defiantly in the corner of the
mouth, it’s all very iconic, very heroic, and very British.
But beyond the wartime speeches and the V-for-victory signs lies a man of
peculiar habits, unshakeable routines, and more eccentricities than a country
house at Christmas.
Here, for your reading pleasure, are ten thoroughly true and delightfully
strange facts about the man who once said, “History will be kind to me, for I
intend to write it.”
1. Brushes and Battles: Churchill the Painter
When not saving the nation, Churchill could often be found, palette in hand,
standing before a canvas with all the seriousness of a man preparing to invade
France. He began painting at the age of 40 and went on to produce over 500
works, often under the pseudonym “Charles Morin” presumably because “W.
Churchill” would have blown his cover. It was his escape from the pressures of
politics—and from people in general.
2. The Onesie Before Its Time
Churchill, never a man to shy away from fashion (or, let’s be honest, defy it
altogether), invented his own garment: the siren suit. A one-piece zip-up outfit
designed for dashing into air-raid shelters with speed and dignity intact. He
wore it while hosting Roosevelt, Stalin… and once to a royal event. Think a
boiler suit meets Savile Row. Stylish? Arguably. Comfortable? Definitely.
3. A Bit of Brooklyn in Blenheim
Winston was, quite literally, half-American. His mother, Jennie Jerome, was a
wealthy and charismatic New Yorker. This transatlantic heritage helped him
forge the crucial wartime alliance with Roosevelt and made him the first
person ever to be made an honorary U.S. citizen. Not bad for a man who
once said he didn’t think much of the Boston Tea Party.
4. The Lisp That Roared
Contrary to what many believe, Churchill didn’t have a stutter, he had a lisp,
which he worked diligently to overcome. Through sheer determination and
endless rehearsal, he became one of the most stirring orators in history. Proof,
if it were needed, that eloquence can be learned, even if your “s” sounds are
more like “sh.” 5. Rub-a-Dub with Dispatches
Churchill loved a good bath. A long, hot one. In fact, he liked them so much he
often conducted government business from the tub, dictating memos to baffled
secretaries through the steam. Guests were occasionally received whilst he
soaked, though he considered it entirely proper since the bathwater, after all,
was thoroughly British.
secretaries through the steam. Guests were occasionally received whilst he
soaked, though he considered it entirely proper since the bathwater, after all,
was thoroughly British.
6. A Nobel Prize… but Not for Peace
In 1953, Churchill was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature. Not for
defeating Hitler, but for his writings and oratory, including The Second World
War and A History of the English-Speaking Peoples. He was thrilled. It may also
have been the only Nobel awarded to a man who once described a dessert as “a
pudding without a theme.”
7. Hit by a Car in New York – Because He Looked the Wrong Way
In a moment of classic Britishness abroad, Churchill stepped into Fifth Avenue
traffic in 1931, looked the wrong way (as we all do), and was hit by a car. He
survived, of course, with bruises, cracked ribs, and a renewed respect for
American road systems. While recovering, he secured a doctor’s note for
alcohol, because…
8. …Prohibition Wasn’t Going to Stop Him
Churchill’s doctor solemnly wrote:
“The post-accident convalescence of the Hon. Winston Churchill necessitates
the use of alcoholic spirits especially at mealtimes.”
And that, dear reader, is how Churchill legally drank throughout Prohibition.
One imagines the customs officer didn’t argue.
9. He Predicted Lab-Grown Meat in 1931
In his essay Fifty Years Hence, Churchill mused that one day we might “escape
the absurdity of growing a whole chicken to eat the breast or wing” by growing
only the edible parts in a lab. This was in 1931, long before vegan bacon and
plant-based burgers appeared in polite society. Not bad for a man whose usual
lunch involved an entire roast bird and a pudding with real suet.
10. He Has a Cigar Named After Him
The man was rarely seen without a cigar and the world took note. The
“Churchill” cigar, a large and robust format, was named in his honour by his
favourite brand, Romeo y Julieta. He once smoked eight cigars in a day,
which by any modern standard is either impressive or terrifying.
So, there you have it: a man of paradoxes and peculiarities. He painted, he
bathed, he dictated from the bath, and he drank with medicinal intent. He
defied expectations, and occasionally, the laws of traffic.
Winston Churchill wasn’t just a war leader, he was a full English character,
and perhaps one of the most eccentric great men Britain has ever produced.
Would you like to see Churchill’s childhood bedroom in his beloved Blenheim
Palace? https://www.humphreysofhenley.co.uk/experiences/blenheim-palace/
If you want to get under the skin of his incredible wartime achievement, call us
for a privately hosted tour of the extraordinary Enigma machine and the home
of the war-winning codebreakers at Bletchley Park.
https://www.humphreysofhenley.co.uk/experiences/bletchley-park/
Or visit the gardens of Chartwell where he spent many hours painting?
https://www.humphreysofhenley.co.uk/faqs/embarking-on-churchills-trail-six-
iconic-destinations-that-shaped-a-legend/