TLS, signed “Winston S. Churchill,” one page 7.5 x 9.5, April 1, 1955, Prime Minister, 10 Downing Street letterhead. Letter to John E. Harvey. In full: “Thank you for your letter about the Annual General meeting, and for the message of loyalty and good wishes, which I received with much pleasure. I was particularly glad to hear that Lady Churchill was re-elected President of the Association and that you were re-elected Chairman. I read with interest about its Officers. Thank you also for writing to me about Sally Hawkey.”; with an additional TLS, signed “Yours very sincerely, Clementine S. Churchill,” one page, 5 x 8, January 22, 1965, personal letterhead. A brief letter of thanks to John Harvey for sent flowers. Clementine also handwrites the greeting at the beginning of the letter. In fine condition, with central horizontal and vertical fold to Winston’s letter, as well as a few creases. Accompanied by an unsigned color glossy 7 x 5 snapshot of the Churchills at the edge of a pond feeding ducks.
Serving as the Conservative MP for Walthamstow East from 1955 to 1966, John Edgar Harvey built a close relationship with the Churchills during the last two decades of the prime minister’s life. As Winston Churchill began to realize that he would never fully recover from his second stroke in 1953, Harvey remained a confidante. He knew of the leader’s upcoming resignation well before it was made public on April 5, 1955, just four days after Churchill wrote him this letter, and was present at the famous Number 10 for the official announcement. Accompanied by the letter from Clementine written two days before her husband’s death, thanking Harvey for his thoughts after Winston’s final stroke, this poignant pair of letters attests to a close political and personal relationship that spanned decades. Pre-certified John Reznikoff/PSA/DNA and RR Auction COA.
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