An American belle and British socialite,
one of three surviving daughters, was born in Brooklyn
on January 9, 1854.
Her father was a financier, while her mother was of an independent fortune.
The family would migrate to Paris before settling in England
due to the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian war.
It was then she first came into contact
with a restless yet ambitious man who would change her life forever.
A political swing she quite possibly never envisaged.
Although the social elite of women still had doubts about her,
she would easily overcome the prejudices, and as young as she was,
there was a commanding quality in her very presence.
Join me now as we look back at the remarkable life
of lady Randolph Churchill.
And please like the video and consider subscribing for more historical stories.
When the eldest Jerome child was eleven, the family relocated to Paris,
where they were able to raise and educate their children.
It was now that Miss Jennie Jerome’s expressive
and musical talents were finely honed.
And over time was widely regarded as one of the finest pianists
since she first stepped into high society.
When Jerome and his wife settled in Paris during the reign of the Second Empire,
France was at the pinnacle of its power and prestige.
Mrs Jerome was a wealthy and cultured woman who quickly rose
to prominence in the high society of the French capital.
While this was happening,
her eldest daughter was becoming known for more than just her stunning good looks;
her remarkable mental ability also gained much attention.
But the happiness they had would soon turn to despair as the family fled to Britain
after being forced to leave France by the Franco-Prussian War.
They would stay in England amid
the terrible events overseas that led to the downfall of the empire
and the rise of the Communards. In the summer of 1873,
at Cowes on the Isle of Wight, things began to look up for Jennie.
As a twenty-year-old, she was tall and slim with a prominent brow
and square chin, but these acquisitions both betrayed her talent and temperament.
Her eyes were the most striking feature of her face, and her purple-black
hair and clear olive skin set her apart from other women in England.
Almost overnight, Miss Jerome rose to prominence.
She was the centre of attention wherever she went, and she never let
any hint of vanity detract from the impact of her appearance.
It was when she caught the eye of another young English aristocrat,
the second son of the sixth Duke of Marlborough, luckily
also on holiday on the Isle of Wight that summer.
Randolph Churchill was an
ambitious man who wavered between a diplomatic and military career
as he had already travelled around Europe by the time he graduated in 1871.
He had already reached iconic status for his mother
since he had consistently demonstrated the utmost chivalry through his kindness.
He shared her strength of character and zest for life;
she was always interested in and supportive of his endeavours.
Randolph, for his part, never missed an opportunity
to let her know about his achievements as soon as possible,
whether in person or via correspondence.
After meeting Jennie Jerome, the future took on an undeniable
and quite beautiful turn of appearance for the first time.
He told his mother about the girl from the United States
and immediately roused her curiosity about her.
However, Jennie’s mother.
didnt think the Duke’s youngest son, was a good match
simply because his future looked bleak.
It seemed that Jennie would remain single as the family packed up
and headed back to Paris.
But not to be outdone by this minor detail
Lord Randolph followed the girl of his dreams.
The family eventually gave in, and Randolph married Miss Jerome
in January 1874 at the British Embassy.
It was a great match, Jennie shared his drive and aptitude
for excellence, and she became integral to his quest for personal distinction.
Randolph knew the road ahead was rocky, but with a good plan and a stable,
beautiful wife by his side, things slowly started to gell.
His march through the ranks began close to home, in the Woodstock neighbourhood
near Blenheim Palace, where he was born almost twenty-five years prior.
Jennie, who was
now known as Lady Randolph Churchill, had little trouble
overcoming the preconceptions held by English women about all American women.
But despite her youth, she had an air of authority that disarmed
those who harboured bigotry toward others, solely because of their nationality.
John Winston Churchill, the younger of her two sons, was born in February of 1880,
and Winston Spencer Churchill, on November 30, 1874.
The early years of her existence in England were spent juggling
the domestic responsibilities that came with her status in the world
and the social obligations that came with it.
Politically Randolph had found his purpose in life.
In 1883, he co-founded the Primrose League with Sir H.
Drummond Wolf to further Conservative Party interests.
It was a new era in Lady Churchill’s life, and from that point on,
she identified strongly with her husband’s public life and interests,
lending him not only the fame she had already achieved but
also the great astuteness she demonstrated regarding all political matters.
Due to her extensive campaigning as Dame of the Primrose League,
she was about as well-known in England as any man in political office.
Jennie was appealing to the masses with her ability to draw crowds;
these were the ones that gathered to hear Lady Churchill speak,
enthralled and often mobbed as a superstar of the era
by adoring fans.
Lord Churchill was now at the forefront of his political party.
When he returned to the Cabinet as Chancellor of the Exchequer
and leader of the House of Commons just a few months after resigning
as Secretary of State for India still
at the tender age of 37 a future
of almost unprecedented brilliance seemed to be opening before him.
His next step up would be his final rise as he was on the verge of becoming Prime
Minister. His wife’s tall, thin physique and clear-eyed, interested face
were as well-known as his own, so when they appeared in public together,
both were often greeted with spontaneous bursts of applause.
Her social life followed a similar trend.
She was in such high demand to open fairs,
hand out prizes, and perform in concerts
because of her beauty and various talents that she remained in the spotlight
even after her husband began to withdraw from public life.
But tragically the scenes of happiness
would soon turn to expressions of sadness.
Randolph rose in the dead quiet of the House of Commons
to explain his decision to resign from the Cabinet.
She mirrored his good qualities more admirably than ever before or since.
The countdown was on, and Randolph began to suffer.
Lord Randolph Churchill, at the young age of forty-two,
was confronted with the beginning of the end of his extraordinary and busy
life in the year 1891.
The subsequent complete physical breakdown,
which culminated in his death in January 1895, explained many of the mysteries
surrounding the latter days of his public career.
The tragic loss of a man whose charisma had made him a role model
for many from all walks of life sparked widespread outpourings of grief.
On January 24, 1895, a little after noon,
his death was announced by the tolling of the funeral bell from St.
George’s in Hanover Square.
Despite this, Jennie withdrew from society for a while after her husband’s death.
Although she had not faded from public consciousness,
she remained just as fascinating as a single woman
as when she was the wife of a legendary leader.
Jennie was always friendly and showed genuine interest in her sons’ hobbies
and pursuits, such as sailing and horseback riding.
Her devotion to an active lifestyle in the great outdoors
is probably responsible for keeping her body looking trim and supple.
Like how she became an essential part of her husband’s life, she likewise
immersed herself wholeheartedly in her sons’ fun and serious activities.
Her eldest was about to embark on his political career Mr Winston
Churchill, a man who would also become a hero for the country as did his father.
Lady Randolph Churchill’s public spiritedness and sense of initiative were on display
at the commencement of the war in the Transvaal in 1899,
further cementing her connection to the United Kingdom.
She led the committee that oversaw the operation of the American hospital
ship “Maine,” one of the best ambulance ships in the fleet.
Jennie may have first come to prominence as the wife of Lord Randolph Churchill
and via her intimate association with his interests,
but it is undeniable that her personality has created an aura
that both satisfied and appeased the general public.
But as with all things, time never stops.
On July 28, 1900, Lady
Randolph Churchill wed Mr George Cornwallis West.
Even though marriages between women and men many years
their junior were not exceptionally uncommon in British society,
the rumour of this engagement, which had been circulating for almost
a year, prompted an unusual amount of discussion and condemnation.
Although Jennie was George’s sweetheart,
he affectionately called her “pussycat.” But over time, they grew apart.
Jennie considered selling the family home in Hertfordshire and moving into the Ritz
Hotel in Piccadilly because of a lack of funds.
As for George’s health, it was precarious, so he spent time in the regal St.
Moritz ski resort attempting to get better. No
amount of cordiality could bring them back as one.
And after Jennie and George’s separation in 1912
and subsequent divorce in April 1914,
Cornwallis-West wed Mrs Campbell.
To completely sever any remaining ties, through a deed poll,
Jennie reverted to her maiden name, Churchill.
On June 1, 1918, she wed her third husband, British civil servant
Montagu Phippen Porch, who was three years younger than her son Winston.
Porch left the colonial service at the end of World War I.
He often travelled
between England and South Africa, running his prosperous business.
On one occasion while Montagu was in Africa in May 1921, Jennie broke her ankle
when she stumbled on a friend’s stairs while wearing brand-new high heels.
Her left leg had developed gangrene,
and on June 10, it was amputated above the knee.
Yet complications set in when her thigh artery ruptured, causing a haemorrhage.
Jennie passed away on June 29
in her London residence at 8 Westbourne Street.
She was buried In the Churchill family plot at St.
Martin’s Church in Bladon, Oxfordshire, and laid to rest beside her first husband.
She was 67 years old.
The extent to which Jennie’s attractive appearance
contributes to her allure is a matter of debate.
In spite of the fact that she is known as a typical beauty
with an exquisite feminine attractiveness as painted by Sargent,
it has been said her masculinity, mental poise
and temperament show the image to be an accurate portrayal.
Jennie was certainly multifaceted, powerful,
and self-sufficient, and her unconventional appearance reflects
who she was as a person.
The Manhattan cocktail is sometimes erroneously attributed to
Jennie Churchill.
She supposedly asked a bartender to make a special drink
to celebrate the election of Samuel J.
Tilden to the New York governorship in 1874.
Whether true or not, Jennie was an intoxicating lady
who strived to be the best she could, to all her suitors.
Her death was tragic, but her life was uplifting;
she crossed many barriers and rose to become one of American society’s
most talented and loved ex-pats
that shone as bright as any new star
over the English sky.