| Description | Correspondence between Winston Churchill and Neville Chamberlain dated 1940.
The letters include ones relating to: various matters in the war; Chamberlain's resignation as Prime Minister; Chamberlain's declining health and his resignation as Lord President of the Council.
The file contains the following items:
/72: Letter from Churchill to Chamberlain, 22 January (date annotated in pencil). Note regarding request for Churchill to see 'Bendor' [the Duke of Westminster].
/73: Copy of letter from Chamberlain to Churchill, 23 January. Regarding Churchill's proposal and accepts invitation to dine with Churchill to discuss the matter further.
/74: Letter from Churchill to Chamberlain, 30 January. Makes suggestions regarding Chamberlain's Cabinet and junior ministers.
/75: Letter from Churchill to Chamberlain, 14 February. Regarding 'George' who is 'said to be against the recently decided plans'.
/76: Letter from A. N. R. [Rucker] to E. A. Seal, 15 February. Returning Churchill's letter.
/77: Letter from Churchill to Chamberlain, 1 April. Suggests the creation of an Economic Minister; regret regarding Henry P. Croft; regarding Samuel Hoare; and suggests that 'if the French do not give way' that 'the sooner ['Wilfrid']...goes off the better'.
/78: Copy of letter from Churchill to Chamberlain, 24 April. Says that he unwilling to receive responsibility for the Military Coordination Committee without necessary powers as 'no-one is now responsible for the creation and direction of military policy' except Chamberlain.
/79: Note from Churchill to Chamberlain, 28 April (note passed in Cabinet?). Relating to proposal to move two battleships from Gibraltar to Alexandria accompanied by three French battleships.
/80: Letter from Churchill to Chamberlain, 10 May. Expresses appreciation of Chamberlain for promising to 'stand by' Churchill after his appointment as Prime Minister following Chamberlain's resignation.
/81: Letter from Churchill to Chamberlain, 11 May. Discussion of proposed War Cabinet members and requests that Chamberlain leads the House of Commons as Lord President of the Council; requests meeting with Chamberlain and Halifax to discuss war plans; and regards current events in the war.
/82-83: Letter from Chamberlain to Churchill, 11 May (and transcript of the letter). Accepts offer to lead the House of Commons; gives advice regarding Cabinet posts.
/84: Transcript of letter from Churchill to Chamberlain, 16 May. Requests that Chamberlain remains as Leader of the Conservative Party, as Churchill feels as Prime Minister of a National Government it to be better that he should not be the leader of any one political party.
/85: Copy of letter from Chamberlain to Churchill, 18 May. Accepts that he should retain the Conservative Party leadership.
/86: Letter from Churchill to Chamberlain, 6 June. Urges Chamberlain to drop his objection to Lloyd George being made a member of the Cabinet.
/87: Letter from Chamberlain to Churchill, 6 June. Withdraws his objection to Lloyd George being made a Cabinet member on condition that Lloyd George drops his 'personal feud and prejudice and that 'the campaign now being carried on against me and some of my Conservative colleagues by the Daily Herald, the News Chronicle and some members of Parliament shall be stopped'.
/88: Letter from Churchill to Chamberlain, 6 June. Says he will ensure Chamberlain's conditions on Lloyd George being made a Cabinet member are met.
/89: Letter from Churchll to Chamberlain, 1 July. Congratulates Chamberlain on his broadcast.
/90: Letter from Anne Chamberlain to Churchill, 29 July ('1940' annotated in pencil). Says that Neville Chamberlain's operation has been a success.
/91: Letter from Churchill to Anne Chamberlain, 30 July. Expresses relief at success of Neville Chamberlain's operation.
/92: Letter from Churchill to Chamberlain, 3 August. Expresses gladness at Chamberlain's recovery; regards 'Max' [Beaverbrook] becoming a War Cabinet member; air raid at Great Missenden.
/93: Letter from Churchill to Chamberlain, 21 August. Urges Chamberlain not to return to London until he is fit; regards Beaverbrook being unable to take on Churchill's work regarding military supply until Beaverbrook is replaced as Minister of Aircraft Production and Churchill not wishing to move Beaverbrook from this post 'until the air battle shows very clear signs of being decided'.
/94: Letter from Churchill to Chamberlain, 31 August. Informs Chamberlain of news from Cabinet during Chamberlain's absence, advises him not to come back until well, and relates to air defence, and a gathering of German ships at Kiel and Emden.
/95: Letter from Churchill to Chamberlain, 9 September. Reports news of successful defence by Number 11 Group, Fighter Command against a German attack involving 400 aircraft.
/96: Letter from Churchill to Anne Chamberlain, 20 September. Relates to bombardment in London and his worry over the effect on Neville Chamberlain's recovery, his fears that there will not be 'much left of Downing Street after a few weeks', following the bombing, and the evacuation of his personal property and Government pictures from Downing Street.
/97: Manuscript copy of letter from Chamberlain to Churchill, 22 September. Letter of resignation from the post of Lord President of the Council, due to the constant attacks on London and 'the development of certain features of my infirmity'.
/98: Letter from Churchill to Chamberlain, 24 September. Urges Chamberlain to remain as Lord President of the Council but to give himself time to regain his strength after his operation, and saying he does not expect the attacks on London to continue at the present height for many weeks.
/99: Letter from Churchill to Chamberlain, 29 September. Accepts Chamberlain's resignation as Lord President of the Council after hearing from Lord Halifax of how much of a struggle Chamberlain found his work under the current conditions; expresses admiration for and appreciation of Chamberlain.
/100: Manuscript copy of letter from Chamberlain to Churchill, 30 September. Thanks Churchill for his letter; regards announcement of Chamberlain's resignation being delayed until announcement of Cabinet changes; and suggests that he writes again a letter of resignation for publication purposes.
/101: Letter from Churchill to Chamberlain, 30 September. Regarding letter of resignation and reply for publication purposes; expresses wish to submit Chamberlain's name for a knighthood.
/102: Manuscript copy of letter from Chamberlain to Churchill, 1 October. Encloses resignation letter for publication purposes and requests that his name is not put forward for a knighthood as he prefers to be 'plain 'Mr Chamberlain' like my father before me'.
/103: Letter from Chamberlain to Churchill, 1 October. Resignation letter.
/104: Letter from Churchill to Chamberlain, 2 October. Reply to resignation letter for publication purposes.
/105: Letter from Churchill to Chamberlain, 20 October. Regarding air raid at Downing Street and the difficulty in carrying on Government work; says 'the Germans have made a tremendous mistake in concentrating on London to the relief of our factories, and in trying to intimidate a people whom they have only infuriated'; that he is 'very hopeful about the future, and that we shall wear them down and break them up'; offers to send Chamberlain occasional papers or telegrams 'on some points of special interest'.
/106: Letter from Chamberlain to Churchill, 31 October. Regretting Chamberlain's decision to resign as Chairman of the Conservative Research Department, and accepting Chamberlain's suggestion that Kingsley Wood should become the new Chairman.
/107-108: Letter from Churchill to Anne Chamberlain, 11 November (and transcript of the letter). Letter of sympathy on the death of Neville Chamberlain.
/109: Letter from Anne Chamberlain to Churchill. Letter thanking Churchill for his letter of sympathy. |