CHURCHILL, Winston S.

£750 · Offered by Peter Harrington · No longer available

The Laying of the Foundation Stone of the New Chamber of the House of Commons by the Speaker 26th May 1948. First edition, first impression, of Churchill's speech marking the rebuilding of the House of Commons following its destruction by German incendiaries in 1943."The House of Commons is a living and deathless entity; it survived, unflinching, the tests and hazards of war; it preserved our constitutional liberties under our ancient monarchy in a manner which has given a sense of stability, not only in this island, but as an example to nations in many lands". Churchill vetoed ideas to rebuild the chamber on a semi-circular design, preserving its adversarial rectangular format.

Found via Rare Books Intel, a search across rare-book dealers, auction houses and marketplaces worldwide.