For this episode, Lee and Richard are joined by Katherine Carter, the curator of Chartwell, Churchill's country home, and the best-selling author of 'Churchill's Citadel'. Their discussion ranges from Churchill's decision to buy a semi-ruined home in rural Kent to the remarkable cast of characters - from Britain and around the world - that he invited to meet with him there. Throughout Churchill's wilderness years the connections he forged, and the information that was shared at Chartwell, changed the course of British history.

Katherine's book, 'Churchill's Citadel', is available now in paperback: https://amzn.to/45Z6hnJ

In this podcast, the following books are mentioned:

'London is the Place for Me: Black Britons, Citizenship and the Politics of Race' by Kennetta Hammond Perry. Available at: https://amzn.to/4mpSGf9

'How not to be a political wife' by Sarah Vine. Available at: https://amzn.to/45r7u79

Support the show

Since Attlee & Churchill is the podcast all about post-war British political history, hosted by:

Lee David Evans is an historian of the Conservative Party and the John Ramsden Fellow at the Mile End Institute, Queen Mary, University of London. He is on social media @LeeDavidEvansUK.

Richard Johnson is a Senior Lecturer at Queen Mary, University of London, and among his other areas of expertise is an historian of the Labour Party. He tweets at @richardmarcj.

Alice Mahon may not be a well-remembered figure today, but for 18 years she served as MP for Halifax. In this episode, Lee and Richard discuss how this working class Yorkshirewoman entered the House of Commons and how her left-wing politics were received in Tony Blair's Labour Party. In doing so, they reflect on Blair's style of party management - in which left-wingers like Mahon were tolerated - and how it contrasts with Sir Keir Starmer's approach today. The episode finishes by asking whether, as Mahon apparently claimed, she was the inspiration for the Smokey song 'Living next door to Alice.'

In this episode, the following books are mentioned:

'Shattered Nation: Inequality and the Geography of A Failing State' by Danny Dorling.

'The Man Who Was Saturday: The Extraordinary Life of Airey Neave' by Patrick Bishop.

The Since Attlee & Churchill substack is available at: https://www.sinceattleeandchurchill.com/

Support the show

Since Attlee & Churchill is the podcast all about post-war British political history, hosted by:

Lee David Evans is an historian of the Conservative Party and the John Ramsden Fellow at the Mile End Institute, Queen Mary, University of London. He is on social media @LeeDavidEvansUK.

Richard Johnson is a Senior Lecturer at Queen Mary, University of London, and among his other areas of expertise is an historian of the Labour Party. He tweets at @richardmarcj.

In a special bonus episode to mark 25,000 downloads of the Since Attlee & Churchill podcast, Lee and Richard interview Dr Mark Garnett, a renowned historian of the Conservative Party and researcher for Ted Heath on the former prime minister’s memoirs. They discuss Heath’s approach to writing his much-anticipated autobiography; his ideology; how he came to terms with Thatcherism; and why he stayed around in the House of Commons for so long - a full 26 years after he lost the Tory leadership in 1975.

About Mark Garnett

Mark is a political historian. He is the author of biographies of Keith Joseph and Willie Whitelaw, among other prominent post-war politicians, and has written on a wide range of political matters. He is the co-author of Keeping the Red Flag Flying, a history of the Labour Party in opposition, and has recently published books on Conservatism and the prime ministership.

Support the show

Since Attlee & Churchill is the podcast all about post-war British political history, hosted by:

Lee David Evans is an historian of the Conservative Party and the John Ramsden Fellow at the Mile End Institute, Queen Mary, University of London. He is on social media @LeeDavidEvansUK.

Richard Johnson is a Senior Lecturer at Queen Mary, University of London, and among his other areas of expertise is an historian of the Labour Party. He tweets at @richardmarcj.