CHURCHILL, Winston S.

Inquire · Offered by Peter Harrington

Signed invitation for his investiture at Bristol. The invitation to Churchill's investiture as Chancellor of the University of Bristol, signed and dated by Churchill, "Winston S. Churchill 26 Nov. 1954". Churchill was invested as Chancellor on 13 December 1929 and held the position until his death in 1965. On 26 November 1954, he presided over the degree conferment at the University.In his speech in the bomb-scarred great hall, he told the 2,000 students he was celebrating his 25th anniversary as Chancellor, and that "If all the countries who speak our language and share our history... walk courageously and calmly along the path of life and destiny, I believe they will be able to save themselves and the world and freedom and justice, without which human life would indeed be a degradation" (reported in Eastern Daily Press, 27 November 1954).The invitation was sent to James Shum Cox (1901-1967), who joined the University of Bristol Library in 1924 and served as Librarian from 1951 to 1966. From 1950, he was the university's mace-bearer and headed the ceremonial processions. He appears on the seating plan for the luncheon that day (Churchill Archives, CHUR 2/294).Provenance: the collection of Steve Forbes, chairman of Forbes Magazine, and presidential candidate in the 1996 and 2000 US elections.

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