Winston Churchill (1874-1965), Prime Minister

Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill

Sitter in 147 portraits
Born at Blenheim Palace, after serving in the army, Churchill entered parliament in 1900. In 1911 he became First Lord of the Admiralty. Held responsible for the failure of the Dardanelles expedition, he resigned in 1915. Saw active service in World War I, before returning to ministerial office in 1917. As Chancellor of the Exchequer, he returned Britain to the gold standard, which led to the General Strike of 1926. Resigned in 1931, opposing his party's policy of self-government for India. In the years before World war II, Churchill consistently opposed appeasement with Hitler, and challenged Chamberlain's leadership in 1940, succeeding him as prime minister to become Britain's greatest war-time leader.