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NEW
THE CHINA MAIL, MONDAY, DECEMBER 16, 1957. ..
I WAS CHURCHILL'S
LAID out the night vest
that Winston Churchill used instead of pyjamas. I plumped up the pillow he always hugged like a teddy bear and put it under the | two light blankets on the
double bed.
Then I waited for him to come to bed after the champagne party to cele- brate his election victory.
The date was October 27, 1961. The place was
Mr Churchill's London home in Hyde Park Gate.
i glanced around the bedroom with His Aited dressing table, soft carpet and drab curtains.
I
Everything was ready as heurd On the sairs the Aro footsteps of the man who moulded our destiny.
I could tell he was tired. As he came through the door, he said: "Norman, I want a walsky and soda."
He made his way to the bed, slumped back, looked at me and sold:
"Norman, we have won. E have the reins of the country 13 my Lands again. Bot we're in a bloody mess. And I have so little time left,"
I remained quiet. What could
a valet say at such a moment
in history. I knew my place.
He turned 10 his dog- French poodle called Rutus.
say.
heard him *Rufus,"I "You and 1 are moving, No. 16 Downing Street. We are going Lome.'
He scratched the poodle's cars and added
after- as un thought: "You'll have a lovely garden to run about it."
E was almost asleep before H 11 he had finished undressing, but
ut the as 1 crest ou darkened room he stirred.
"Norman." e grunted. "Stop that window rattling.'
1 fixed the window, and is 1
passed the bed I saw
already sound asleep,
by
he was
THIS WAS THE MAN 1 ad
as valet then served
Iventy-five months.
THIS WAS THE MAN
for
who
tu me was so much more thant aglant mong stateunt, or a famous soldier, writer or artist.
THIS WAS THE MAN who lad become
Beloved пу Guv'nor, that autumn day in his when I 1040
went tu
Chartwell at country home,
He
always
tried to
dodge
hoving
to wear his
overcogl
"HEE THAT he is on time for meals and appointments.
"SEE THAT ho wears an overcoat when it's cold" Very soon I was to find out hon dimeult it wa
to obey
These instructions.
But my first real problem as Churchill's valet came when on rang for my first morning he me and sald
"Where nre the papers?"
morning
I hurried downstairs felah them, but I waR beaten to it by a maidservant,
She laughed and dashed off with the papers
Mrs to Churchill's room.
I went back to explain to Mi Churchill.
He said: "I must
have the morning papers in bed. Go
to
Just
preity
VALET
WORLD EXCLUSIVE
d get some of them."
After several visits to Mrs Churchill's room I managed to get a few pages that she had looked at,
But I was determined this
Westerham, Kent, for my situation should 2:21 happen
Again,
interview.
He
From that day onwards was full of surprises for ine. In service with Mr my
BEGAN with sur-
facl
Churchl prizes,
I
WAS shown into his book- lined study and for a few moments I stood waiting in ut the a man sitting front of Paper-strewn table.
I thought this was probably one of the eight secretaries
had been told about.
[WST=57 - 4 E DE
Then the man looked
EXPRESS ANNUAL
EXPRESS
19.5-7
I
up.
It was Mr Churchil himself.
i had always imagined him as
a short, tubby man.
But wher he stood up and came forward to shuke hands, 1 realised for the Arst me ne
was nearly ft. tall.
He spoke solily.
The trick never worked be- cause Mr Churchill always had two watches.
The one he called his DAY Watch would chime the Hour and the nearest quarter of an hour when he pressed a bulion. He once dropped it and he told me it cost £150 to bavs It repaired.
His Night Watch was always PROM that morning onwards I at the side of his bed. He knew
Istened for the paper boy's it never gained a second. ring, and then raced the maid, whose name was Martia, to the front door,
Usually I won.
about Now
his cigars. Although Mr Churchill is nearly always teen with a cigar in his mouth he smoked only
But when I lost I had to get them cometimes page by page!
from Mrs Churchill.
THAT Inade the Guvnor nine a day. furious.
However, after a few weeks of this dally battle I found the Answer.
I ordered TWO sets papers every day
tempers improved.
I wish there had been
of
and
such
an easy solution to the prob- lems of making Mr Churchill
They are rather strong, as Prince Georg of Denmark found out one night when he was dining at lyde Park Gato.
The Prince had never smoked before.
Repeatedly he refused Mr Churchill's request-
"You must have one.
You
BEGINS
TODAY
World
Copyright Reserved
story of MY BELOVED GUV NOR
had to collect all the bulla
and put them in a Special The closest close-up
box.
were of
That box was brought back to Chartwell and the bulia handed to old Kearns, one the gardeners, who used to smoke them in als pipe.
And whenever Mr Churchill sow Kearns about the estate he made a point of checking that he was getting his suppiics regularly.
My Guy'nor's tasio also ran to extra special champagne.
And this brings me to one of the few stories where the laugh
was on him.
But iten the joker was Elsenhowerf
you ever read!
**In
future,
Norman.
I
In
would prefer you to stay the train until I've said Hello."
My duties ware to look after
his clothes and kis pointing kit,
Buddenly a piercing scream
the hotel
echoed through We all Churchill's voloc.
know It was
for WE thought he
Churchill's love for animals is reflected in a story the staff heard about ona Christmas when he was preparing to carve
home-fattened Koose dinner.
Suddenly he put down the knife and fork and turned to Mrs Churchdu and said:
"You'll have to carve it, Clemmle. This goose was a friend of mine,”
This may have been just a
assassinated.
was being
I was first to reach the baths room where Mir Churchill was still roaring.
I flung open the door, terrifod of what I might and.
But there
was the Guv'ribr"
hands quite alone, with his
shouting his back
Mr Churchill bragged to all his friends that he was the orly joke, but it was no joke when clasped person in the world who could friends spoke of the Rufus blue murder.
1028 vintage champagne.
Fot
Pol Roger
"Norman," he said. "As. I was getting out of the bath # slipped and sat on the bot water tap."
incident.
It was several minutes before THAT always brought back he could tell me what had the lightly-pained expression happened, and by. that time This was because Madame that 1 BAW when pelple dis- there was a milling crowd out- Pol Roger, in gratitude for cussed the day everyone thought side the door. the liberation of France, had he was being assassinated. ordered
tliat
ono but It happened at Marakesh, in accompanied Churchill should be suppiled Morocco, where I with it,
him on a painting holiday.
We had taken over a wing of Hig
the Hotel de Mamounia,
Naturally the place was full of police and native guards.
Detectives were on duty in that occurred during our tows the corridors and tough-looking abroad.
SUCH AS THE NIGHT A native troops were stationed in the hotel grounds.
KING SERVED CHURCHILL 1 was having coffee in the SOUP IN BED. BUT I'LL apartment with Sergeant Ted TELL YOU ALL ABOUT
THAT TOMORROW.
bubble of pride Was Popped at an American Embassy dinner.
A bottle was placed casually in front of him as he sat down. IT WAS POL ROGER 1028,
Murray, one
MR CHURCHILL recognised detectives
IL Ho kept cycing it He could hardly
suspiciously. cat,
Then he had it opened and tasted it.
No doubt at all. It was HIS champagne.
He called Elsenhower to his side and questioned him, At lust ike töld him the secret. Madomo Pol Roger had not broken her word.
Fisenhower had been given the battle by an American officer who found a secret
cache
of the champagno during the war.
It seems that Iko had hoard
So you are Norman," he said, wear an overcoat out of doors don't know what you're missing of 'Mr Churchill's boast and had
You are going to lok utter
mo."
For a few brief moments he studied me. Then he said:
"I think we will get along all right."
It was the shortest Inter- view I had ever had.
1 HAD BEEN TOLD in a
Jeiler that I would be expected 10 take charge
for
and keeping him on time meals and appointments, What- ever Mrs Churchill said to him. he always used to try to sneak the house without his out of
coat
I lund to He in' wait for him at the door and practically three him into it.
Mr Church!!'s But Mrs
Churchill's in
The 'Super-colour clothes and painting equipment, struction about punctuality was
I HAD BEEN TOLD that I almost impossibly to carry out. would receive £5 a week and
Book for Boys that I could bring my wife and baby daughter to live in a house Containing
on the estate.
• BE FUBAR COLDU
Picture-strip stories Adventure stories
from
told.
At last the Prince agreed.
Is it 1, took three pulls and was violently ill.
Mr Churchill thought it was a, great joke.
Tho Gaynor's habit being late for meals · fro, v Mrs Churchill to distraction, opecialty Imported from
America.
Then he lit the candle which was always at his bedside, and warmed the end in its fame.
Next ho lovingly wrapped a
awalled this chance to score off his friend.
Both men laughed about it. But Mr Churchill'e laugh was, I belleve, a little dat.
He liked to be top dog-even where his own dog, Rufus, was concerned
тапу Guv'nor
his bed- He called me into room one morning soon after I started with him and gold
"Notan, L'want to show you how I like to light my elgne."
have seen First he took off the band and YOU must of pierced the cigar with a long pictures of the
of a kind
find with this French poodle. match
Me Churchill became VITY fond of the dog, and always should insisted that he alone give the dog is food
Kufur kood · to all on the Gaynor's chair at the dining tablo every night and walk for his dish of horse meal. It was Churchill's standing "I designed that myṣdf," he
order that always when he was told me.
returning by train trom a trip wil be at 1.49 pabut
She would tell me: "Lunch "I call it a Bellybandoit Tutus should be brought to the
end from becoming station to meet him. stops the Mr Churchill the meal will be to wat when I chow it"
Rufus would be let off bla Bryod at 1 pm.
Churchill lead to danh to his master and I never saw Mc nieb a clear. He used to leave be the first to greet ilmo shout baik in the sah-tray.
QHE called me in on all sorts
True-lite Features BUT that was ALL I had been of tricks and dodges to get piece of nummod brown paper
Colour Pages Nervously I. asked Mr him to the meal, table at the sound the ether end
$10.
Churchill for a few more details right ilme. and about what I should have to do. But I was his arst full-time Humour valet-and he couldn't my question.
SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST LTD. HONGKONG
KOWLOON
He just rolit his cigar and aald: "We'll work it out as we go along.
"Anyway, let's go to see Mire Churchill SHE'LL Know,"
We went along the corridor to the drawing-TOONS,
"This is Norman," he said. "Ho a going to look after me." Mrs Churchill, or Clemmie as she was affectionately known to the staff, gave mo only two instructions
tell
I would pass on the mesange, and Mr Churchill would smile In a knowing way.
THEN HE WOULD APPEAR IN THE DINING-ROOM · AT 2 PM. 1
Another trick she tried was to pop into the Guvnor's bod- room when he wasn't there and put the clock forward half- a
BUT those cigar ends were
never' wasted.
I
Until eno day when happened to be standing close by.
Rufus ignored Me Churohili and camoleaping all se instead.
STOR
Of course, he loved Rufus too I had special order · about much to blame him. them,
Instead, he turned to mo No matter where we went with a "burt look and paid, -nagwktro · la the world I qülliyəmə
of the
Guv'nor'&
This was only one of many hilarious (formal) Incidents
THAT RACE FOR PAPERS
and
❝MTY day would start when he rang for me. i.
are the moming papers?" That was always a problem becausei Lady Churchill used to like to read the morning papers in bed as well.
I always tried to race Martia, Lady Churchill's maid, to the front door when the papers arrived, because the Old Man didn't like to have to wait. If Martia got the papers first, the Old Man would keep sending me to Lady Churchill's room to try to get them. Sometimes I used to get them page by page, and THAT didn't please the Old Man a bit.
However, after a few weeks of this daily battle, 1 solved the problem by ordering TWO sots of papers!
After he had read all the papers, he would get out ‹ of bed: I would slip his dressing gown over the short vest-his only night attire and he would have the first of his two dally baths.
THAT SUIT!
"Whenever he was dining at Chartwell, he always wore his blue velvet siren suit. I used to spend hours clean- Ing it. Every night it was stained by either soup or fish. But he alway insisted on having it cleaned."
:
THOSE TIES
"The only thing he would never allow me to do was to tio his bow tie. His bow ties are not the conventional type. He always uses a piece of folded cloth. And he takes great pains to tie a perfect double baw." "He used to say to me: "Norman, I can't stand who don't tie their own ties.*** ·
HIS SHIRTS
"Ono, of my biggest problems with the Old Men wero his shirts. He wore at least thrée a day. Ho, was very fussy about his evening shirts for formal occasions..! ( "He wore the kind that do up at the back and he thought nothing of ripping off three, one after, the other. until he found the one that suited him.”