Education

Aber research sheds new light on Churchill

Published

8 years ago

March 22, 2018

Finding the man inside the myth: Dr Warren Dockter, Aberystwyth University

AN ABERYSTWYTH academic has jointly authored an article which details the marital infidelity of wartime leader Winston Churchill and sheds light on the way in which Churchill’s reputation and image have been carefully burnished and polished by those keen to present a myth rather than a complete human story.

Dr Warren Dockter is a Lecturer in the Department of International Politics at Aberystwyth University. He is the author of Churchill and the Islamic World: Orientalism, Empire and Diplomacy in the Middle East and editor of Winston Churchill at the Telegraph.

Winston Churchill had a short affair with the dazzling socialite Lady Doris Castlerosse in the 1930s, according to his former private secretary.

A recording by Churchill’s former private secretary, Jock Colville, in which he disclosed that Britain’s war leader had engaged in a short affair with the society beauty in the South of France, has been revealed by Dr Warren Dockter of Aberystwyth University and Professor Richard Toye, Head of History at the University of Exeter.

Colville, a close confidant and trusted aide of Churchill, said in the taped 1985 interview for Churchill College, Cambridge, that the story that he had to tell was rather scandalous and that he did not want it disclosed for a long time to come.

He revealed that when he visited Winston and his wife Clementine in the late 1950s, Churchill’s literary assistant Denis Kelly had presented Clementine with a set of love-letters from Lady Castlerosse. Clementine Churchill, he recounted, read the correspondence and turned pale.

According to Colville, Clementine was anxious about the episode for months and told him she had never previously thought that Winston had been unfaithful to her.

The research, to be published in the journal in the Journal of Contemporary History – and featured in the Channel 4 documentary Secret History– includes testimony from Castlerosse’s niece, Caroline Delevingne, who disclosed that her family had known about the affair.

Documents in the family’s possession include – in addition to photos of Churchill and Lady Castlerosse together – a long and affectionate 1934 letter in which he compared her to a ray of sunshine.

Churchill apparently carried out the affair in the 1930s when he had four holidays in the south of France he took unaccompanied by his wife Clementine. He painted at least two portraits of the renowned society beauty – which were removed by Churchill’s friend the Press Baron, Lord Beaverbrook, after her death from an overdose of sleeping pills at the Dorchester Hotel in 1942.

From an ordinary suburban upbringing in Beckenham, South East London, Doris, Viscountess Castlerosse, became a notorious society figure, with a string of wealthy lovers. Tall, blonde and vivacious, she is said to have been the model for the fast young widow Iris Storm in Michael Arlen’s The Green Hat and, later, for the tempestuous temptress Amanda in Noel Coward’s Private Lives.

She married Valentine Castlerosse, a spend-thrift Viscount and gossip columnist, but they divorced after he apparently hired private eyes to follow his wife and report on her infidelities.

The research also cites papers of President Roosevelt’s right-hand man Harry Hopkins which show that at the height of World War 2, Churchill pulled strings to get Doris a hard-to-obtain airplane passage so that she could travel back to Britain from America.

Dr Dockter said: “This revelation about Churchill’s private life helps us locate the man inside the myth and reveals a more complete and nuanced understanding of his character. Beyond his relationship with Doris Castlerosse, the academic article for the Journal of Contemporary History further illuminates how Churchillian networks have curated Churchill’s memory.”

Professor Richard Toye, Head of History at Exeter University and who has written three books on Churchill, said the research provided a fuller picture of a little-known episode in Churchill’s life, and shed new light on his character.

“Although this doesn’t radically change our view of Churchill as a leader, it does give us a more complete view of his character and his marriage. The received wisdom is that he never strayed and that he and Clementine were devoted to one another. In fact, Clementine loathed the Riviera Set with whom he liked to spend his summers, and saw them as a bad influence on him.”

Community

Cilgerran school could be discontinued as consultation launched

Published

19 hours ago

December 20, 2025

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

A CONSULTATION on proposed changes for a north Pembrokeshire school, which attracted a near-400-strong petition in opposition to the council, has been launched.

At its May meeting, Pembrokeshire County Council considered a report of the School Modernisation Working Group which outlined the findings of a review of education provision in the Preseli area.

“In particular, the review considered the extent of surplus school places in the area, set against a significant decline in the pupil population,” the council in its consultation on proposals for discontinuation of Cilgerran Church in Wales Voluntary Controlled School has said.

A later July meeting of the council, following May’s agreed consultation with St David’s Diocese, backed a general consultation to discontinue Cilgerran Church in Wales Voluntary Controlled School, and to establish it as a 3-11 community school.

The consultation was launched on December 16 and runs to January 30.

Hundreds have opposed the proposed changes, with a petition, on the council’s own website opposing the changes recently closed after gaining 391 signatures.

Any petition of between 100 and 499 signatures triggers a debate at one of the council’s Overview and Scrutiny Committees, and any over 500 a debate at full council, meaning this petition will be heard by committee members at a later date.

The proposals for Cilgerran are part of a wide range of potential education changes in the county.

Two petitions, opposing the potential closures of Manorbier and Ysgol Clydau schools, were recently heard at full council and a further petition opposing the potential closure of Stepaside School has recently been launched.

The Cilgerran e-petition, created by Louise Williams, raised concerns including the school could become part of a federation, a loss of permanent head teacher on site, a shared head teacher would have to oversee several schools, loss of funding control and the ability to maintain the school’s current healthy and stable funding, and a loss of commitment to the church, in turn could impact on the school’s and pupils values, beliefs and cultural beliefs.

It said: “Ysgol Cilgerran VC school has strong links with the Church community in Cilgerran and we believe this will have a negative impact on the children who attend the school, the community of Cilgerran and the links between the two.

“We are proud of our school ethos and values which are strengthened by our links with the church. The school has close and strong relationships with our Church in Wales federation governors one of which is also our safeguarding governor.

“Our Church Federation governors work closely with the school and are regular visitors to the school and the children. They provide vital support and guidance to the school and have a positive impact on the Children’s education. We believe these links will be weakened by this proposal to remove our VC status and we believe this is an un-necessary action.”

Community

Pleas to save fire-ravaged Manorbier school site heard

Published

4 days ago

December 17, 2025

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

A PLEA for councillors to not act as “judge, jury and executioner” when the potential closure of fire-ravaged Manorbier is decided upon next year was heard at full council.

At the December meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council, members received a petition opposing the potential closure of Manorbier School.

Manorbier Church in Wales VC School and its adjoining schoolhouse was severely damaged by a fire on October 11, 2022, which broke out in the school roof space.

After that, a ‘school from school’ was set up in Jameston Village Hall.

It had been hoped the school would be rebuilt, but earlier this year members of Pembrokeshire County Council backed a report of the School Modernisation Working Group which, amongst other recommendations, included a statutory consultation on proposals to discontinue Manorbier Church in Wales Voluntary Controlled School.

The decision attracted strong local opposition, with more than 1,500 people signing a petition on the council’s own website calling for the school to be rebuilt, meaning it passed the threshold for a formal hearing by members of the council.

The formal consultation for the discontinuation of Manorbier closes in just a few days on December 19.

Manorbier community councillor Richard Hughes

However, many of the council’s figures, especially on the level of surplus places at the school, have been strongly disputed.

Speaking at the December meeting, Richard Hughes, of Manorbier Community Council, said the council consultation was “deeply flawed and unlawful,” the quoted capacity figures after the fire damaged the original building “null and void,” with a true surplus of some 21 per cent.

“The school is clearly thriving under less-than-ideal conditions, your report claims 59 per cent [surplus], it’s misleading and artificial.”

He said the council was acting as “judge, jury and executioner” in its “deeply flawed” consultation.

Cllr Phil Kidney

Local member Cllr Phil Kidney said the staff, parents and pupils had been “living this process for three years,” adding: “At worst light we were misled for three years, living under this shadow, it’s not fair.

“We’ve been promised all along ‘we will rebuild this school; no matter what we do we will have to spend on this school, we have to hand it back in [a useable] condition.

“How members of staff have worked under these conditions for three years is amazing, the service they are providing in that school is fantastic.”

He criticised the consultation wording, feeling it painted Manorbier in an unfair light, saying it was stacked heavily in favour of St Florence school in a submitted question heard later at the meeting.

“We do feel there’s a hidden agenda, nothing more than a boost for St Florence school; we were led to believe was all about the positives and the negatives for the school; we have lost the trust in the director of education, we still feel we’re not been listened to.”

He said it was important councillors, when a final vote on Manorbier’s future, expected in March, keep an open mind “not just going along with the narrative: ‘We can’t afford it, and the figures are going down’.”

He went on to say: “We want to get the right vote, the moral vote, and get the school rebuilt.”

Cllr Guy Woodham

Cabinet member for education Cllr Guy Woodham praised the work at the school following the fire, saying he intended to “set the facts out” when it came to a final decision.

Leader of the independent group Cllr Huw Murphy said: “It just doesn’t sit right with me to close a school that has burned to the ground. Yes, we will respect the decision in March, however we haven’t handled the decision well. We need to do what’s right, and we haven’t done what’s right for Manorbier.”

Members agreed to note receipt of the petition prior to the final report before council in 2026.

Later in the meeting, Cllr Woodham disputed Cllr Kidney’s submitted question claim, Cllr Kidney telling Cllr Woodham: “We’ve put a lot of trust and faith in you on this consultation to make sure it’s fair and transparent. St Florence was referenced more times than our school, for a consultation I think it’s misleading.”

Cllr Woodham responded: “I will do my utmost to give a balanced report when I bring it back to full council.”

Community

Plea to save Tegryn Ysgol Clydau school heard by councillors

Published

5 days ago

December 16, 2025

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

A PLEA to not “pluck the heart out of a community” by closing a Pembrokeshire village school was heard by councillors just days after a consultation into its future was launched.

At the December meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council, members received a petition opposing the potential closure of Ysgol Clydau, Tegryn, which had generated 648 responses on the council’s own website, meaning it crossed the threshold to be heard at full council.

A council statement accompanying the launch of the consultation said: “At its meeting on May 8, Pembrokeshire County Council considered a report of the School Modernisation Working Group which outlined the findings of a review of education provision in the Preseli area.

“In particular the review considered the extent of surplus school places in the area, set against a significant decline in the pupil population.”

The Ysgol Clydau petition states: “We demand that Pembrokeshire County Council reconsider its decision to close Ysgol Clydau and instead prioritise the needs of our community by keeping the school open. We oppose the closure of Ysgol Clydau and call for full public scrutiny before any decision is made.

“We urge you to engage in a meaningful dialogue with the community, listen to our concerns, and work with us to find alternative solutions that support the needs of our children and families.”

Sarah Farnden

Speaking at the meeting on behalf of the petitioners, Sarah Farnden, in an emotive plea, said the school was “not just a school but a sanctuary, a nurturing environment,” which offered “warmth, belonging and safety”.

“A village without a school becomes a village without families, a village without families becomes a village without a future,” she told members, adding: “Ysgol Clydau is not in debt, it’s not overspent, we’ve done everything asked of us, so why are we being punished?

“There has been a school on this site for 145 years, if you close Ysgol Clydau you are not closing a building you are closing a heritage; we are not here to fight you, we are here to beg you.”

Cllr Iwan Ward

Local member Cllr Iwan Ward said: “The decision of Pembrokeshire County Council to release this consultation on the closure a few days before Christmas is extremely disappointing, a time of year families should be concentrating on being together, not a time to have to face the threat of losing the heart of our community.”

To applause from the gallery, he added: “It’s not a matter of numbers on a paper, it’s a moral matter; the school is much more than four walls, it’s a safe place for children to grow and a cornerstone of community spirit.

“Closing a school like this rips the heart out of rural life, to threaten a school that isn’t failing is an action I cannot, and am not willing to, take quietly.

“I will stand with the staff, the governors, and the children also.”

Members heard the consultation had been expected to launch back in September but had been delayed due to staffing issues; its 42-day period due to now end in late January.

Members agreed to note the petition ahead of the consultation end, recommendations on the school’s future expected to be decided in March.

The final word went to Sarah Farnden, who said: “We’re not asking for special treatment, we’re asking for fairness and compassion; do not pluck the heart out of the community.”