2 May 2008

Blood, Toil, Tears and Sweat

A series of events to celebrate the centenary of Winston Churchill's election as an MP in Dundee will take place next week at the University of Dundee.

Among the week's events is a major lecture by historian Andrew Roberts, an exhibition, called Blood, Toil, Tears and Sweat, which includes details of Churchill's life in Dundee, and the unveiling of a plaque to commemorate his involvement with the city.

Churchill came to Dundee in 1908 after he lost his previous Parliamentary seat in Manchester. Dundee was seen by him as a safe seat and after winning by a landslide victory Churchill remained MP here until he was beaten in 1922 by the 'Labour Prohibitionist' Edwin 'Neddy' Scrymgeour.

Offered the Freedom of the City by Dundee Council after a close run vote, he refused the honour, ending his uneasy relationship with the city.

Leading Churchill historian Andrew Roberts will deliver the Churchill Commemoration Lecture at 6pm on Friday 9th May in the New Teaching Block, Old Hawkhill.

The lecture, which is held in conjunction with the City of Dundee, will explore the life and achievements of one of the greatest Britons. Andrew Roberts will present a fascinating picture of the sometimes controversial politician and the impact that he made, not just in Dundee, but across the world and why, despite his remarkable life and achievements, Churchill still garners significant criticism.

Before the lecture a plaque will be unveiled by Lady Soames, in a private ceremony at the University of Dundee.

On the same day, which will be exactly a hundred years to the day since the great war leader came to power in the city, an exhibition will be launched, also in the new Teaching Block.

The exhibition includes personal letters, other contemporary documents, speeches, photographs and cartoons of Churchill's time in Dundee - including some by Dundee poet and journalist Joseph Johnston Lee - as well as his life before and after his term in the city.

One letter, from DC Thomson, the proprietor of the two local papers, The Advertiser and The Courier, challenges him, demanding that Churchill 'cut out all this threat nonsense and let us discuss matters man to man'. The men had a notoriously difficult relationship which is illustrated in the exhibition.

Also included are more humorous details from Churchill's life in Dundee. In one letter to his wife, he describes light heartedly a breakfast kipper he was served at a city hotel, describing a maggot which `crawled out and waved at him'. Many of the items on display were provided by Churchill College, Cambridge

The exhibition will run until July and will be open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.

For media enquiries contact:
Anna Day
Press Office
University of Dundee
Nethergate Dundee, DD1 4HN
TEL: 01382 384768
E-MAIL: a.c.day@dundee.ac.uk