Winston Churchill interest - An exceptional brass ships whee...

Estimate

£500 - £800

Winston Churchill interest - An exceptional brass ships wheel desktop barometer gifted to Winston Churchill, inscription to base reading 'Happy Birthday! 1st Lord Of The Admiralty, 30th Nov 1913'

The barometer was gifted to Churchill on his 39th birthday by the Armstrong Whitworth Company who would later produced The Armstrong Whitworth A.W. 38 Whitley bomber used by the R.A.F during the outbreak of WWII.

Shipbuilding was the major division of the company hence their recognition of Churchills birthday during his time as Lord of the Admiralty. Between 1885 and 1918 Armstrong Whitworth built warships for the Royal Navy, Beiyang Fleet, Imperial Russian Navy, Brazil Navy Imperial Japanese Navy, and the United States Navy.

Churchill was appointed to the coveted post in late 1911 and, like most things that he did, he took it up with great gusto, he adored Navy life aboard the Admiralty yacht Enchantress and after taking up office he set out to visit every capital ship and every Royal Navy base in the British Isles. He spent eight months of his first twelve in office aboard the yacht, Churchill was instrumental in reshaping the Royal Navy, with larger more powerful ships and modernising them from coal to oil. His moves would prove instrumental in preparing the Royal Navy for the First World War.

Provenance: The vendors father was the gardener and groundskeeper of Churchills former residence Chartwell House, Kent. The barometer was located in Churchills Staff Office and was gifted to the vendors father shortly before Churchills death.