OTD 1936 Edward VIII abdicated after a messy crisis in which Winston Churchill, egged on by the malign Lord Beaverbrook, commited near political suicide by taking the King's side against the government of Stanley Baldwin.

OTD 1874 Winston Churchill was born at Blenheim Palace, home of his grandfather, the Duke of Marlborough. His father was a young Tory politician who was just beginning his career.

Scotney Castle dressed magnificently for Christmas with imagination and flair.

Great evening talking about Winston's Bandits at Alison's fabulous Literary Lounge in Barnetts independent bookshop of Wadhurst

Eighty years ago this week propaganda overlaps with military operations as Tirpitz is finally sunk and the Germans taunt the British with having concealed the V-2 rocket attack from the public tinyurl.com/4ftmurnz