A non-royal event closed the year 1954. This was the 80th
birthday of Sir Winston Churchill. On November 30, before television cameras
and to the drum beat of the V code, Churchill entered Westminster Hall
to receive the tributes and presents of Parliament. Clement Attlee made
a fine speech and presented Parliament’s gifts: a highly controversial
portrait by Graham Sutherland and a book signed by all except the 26 members
who felt duty bound to abstain. In his speech he denied that it was he
who inspired the nation in the Second World War and said, “It was
the nation and the race dwelling all round the globe that had the lion
s heart. I had the luck to be called upon to give the roar.”
On April 26, 1954, the ILN had published the ninth of its Record Numbers,
‘Winston Churchill: the Greatest Figure of our Time',
(Appendix List No. 156).
It contained 12 coloured plates, 4 gravure plates and 4 main fully illustrated
descriptive sections: Sir Winston Churchill in Parliament; Sir Winston
Churchill in war; Sir Winston Churchill the man and Sir Winston Churchill’s
place in history.
The cover of this issue is in red leather effect card with a simple decorative
motif around the edge in gilt and in the centre the shield of the arms
of Sir Winston Churchill (a shield quartering the Arms of Churchill with
those of his paternal family, Spencer). The issue consists of 68 pages,
measuring 36 x 26 cm and was priced at ten shillings and sixpence.