> > Winston Churchill was born in a ladies' room during a dance. >
Dear Jean, and Lace-Makers, thank you for the very funny and provocative list. But I must rise to this one item: Churchill was NOT born in a ladies' loo! Below I'm quoting from the Blenheim Palace website, at:- http://www.blenheimpalace.com/Sir%20Winston%20Churchill.htm "Sir Winston Churchill, arguably the greatest parliamentarian this country has ever seen, was born at Blenheim Palace on the 30th November 1874 at 1.30am. Typical of his later impatience, he had arrived several weeks early. Blenheim may never have been Churchill's home, for the estate and family title passed to his cousin, the 9th Duke (a lifelong friend always known as 'Sunny'), but for five years in the 1890's Churchill was heir presumptive to the dukedom,and it was always where his roots remained. "His birth room is on view to visitors and is set west of the Great Hall in the suite of apartments once allotted to the 1st Duke of Marlborough's domestic Chaplain. "When he was asked whether, just before his birth, his mother, Lady Randolph, was attending a ball in the Long Library or was out with a shooting-party in the park, he replied 'Although present on that occasion, I have no clear recollection of the events leading up to it.'" To which I'll only add that I'd be surprised to find that, in 1874, a very pregnant aristocratic lady would disport herself at a ball; and find it more likely that she might have driven out into the park in a carriage to take the air with the other wives, joining the men of the shooting party, maybe for a picnic lunch. (After all, a premature labour isn't necessarily a high-speed labour - you can't draw any conclusion from the time of birth.) Yours sincerely, Linda Walton, (in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, U.K., not far from Blenheim, which I've visited, but have no clear recollection of it). To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: unsubscribe lace-chat [EMAIL PROTECTED] For help, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
