Join World War I historian, Alexandra Churchill, as she discusses the impact of The Great War on Winston Churchill.   

Churchill began World War I serving in the government as First Sea Lord. It was in this role that he helped orchestrate the catastrophic Dardanelles campaign. His resultant fall from public office is attributed to be the starting point for him to take up painting. Later on, he would go on to join the soldiers on the Western Front, where he continued to paint. Three of those paintings on display in our exhibition, Winston Churchill: The Painter.

This talk will explore the historical context of Churchill's role from the outbreak of World War I, from what he would have experienced during his time on the Western Front through to the end of the war and will consider how those experiences impacted his character and influenced his paintings.  

About the speaker:  Alexandra Churchill is a historian and presenter, with a special interest in the 20th century. She has appeared in numerous documentaries, including on the BBC, Channel 5, and History Hit. She is co-host of the podcast History Hack, which has now garnered well over a million downloads. She is a Fellow of The Royal Historical Society. She is also a founder of the Great War Group, which was established in 2020 to make the subject more inclusive and to break down national barriers in sharing information about the war. She is co-author with Nicolai Eberholst on a new inclusive and world-spanning history of the first year of World War I, RING of FIRE: A New Global History. 

Take part at the museum: Join us at the museum for this special talk, followed by drinks, book signing and after-hours access to our exhibition, Winston Churchill: The Painter, until 20.45. 

Watch online: This talk will also be broadcast live from the museum via Zoom. Online ticketholders will be emailed a link to join 24 hours in advance. Ticketholders will also receive a link to view a recording of the talk, which will be available for two weeks.