Amongst the more than 40 items now being displayed at Chartwell, his former home in Kent, is the passport he used when he was Prime Minister. Visitors will also be able to see the tiny silver paint box that went with him on his travels, a dictation machine used to prepare many of his wartime speeches, and a diamond-encrusted sword that was a gift to him from King Abdul Aziz of Saudi Arabia.

Alice Martin, the house and collections manager at Chartwell, said: ‘We’re thrilled to be able to offers visitors this unique opportunity to see close-up such personal items that have never been on public display in this country.’

Chartwell, near Westerham, was handed over to the National Trust in 1965 by Lady Churchill after her husband’s death. It had been their home since 1922 and was one of Sir Winston’s great loves.

Many of the items in the exhibition we put in storage at that point and have never been brought out since. Now they will be part of a newly-refurbished exhibition space that will provide fresh displays every year of some of the everyday possessions of the former premier.

Others pieces in the exhibition include a Union Jack car rug, the dog bowl belonging to his beloved pet poodle Rufus, and miniatures and paintings of family members.

‘My particular favourite is Sir Winston's passport,’ said Alice Martin. ‘I welled up when I first handled it. It's such an evocative object.

‘We all have a passport but they don't list our birthplace as Blenheim Palace and occupation as Prime Minister.’

At Winston Churchill Shop you can find thousands of gifts that commemorate the great man, including paintings, enamels, tapestries and porcelain. Drop in and have a look. 

In a new exhibition entitled ‘Meetings in Marrakech’ just opened at the Leighton House art gallery in London, the remarkable artistic friendship of the British premier and a Berber tribesman Hassan El Glaoui is explored through 24 oil paintings all completed in that city.

El Glaoui, nobly born and the son of the Pasha of Marrakech, only became an artist at all thanks to the encouragement he received from Churchill during the latter’s convalescence in Morocco. Churchill had been in the habit of visiting Morocco and his personal friend the Pasha on painting trips through the 1920s and 30s, but the 69-year-old went there in 1943 to recover from a bout of pneumonia.

It was during this stay that the Pasha asked him what he could do with his son who earnestly wished to become a painter, an un-heard of career for one of his social standing.

After studying some of the young man’s sketches Churchill advised his father to let the boy pursue his painting, and the young Hassan El Glaoui went to Paris to study at the Ecole des Beaux Arts, and within years his career was flourishing with his works being widely bought in Europe, North Africa and the United States.

Now 88, El Glaoui still lives and paints in his hometown of Marrakech and acknowledges the central role that Churchill played in persuading his father to relent. ‘I am extremely grateful to him for whatever influence he exercised on my father. Without him, I might not have been sent to Paris,’ he said.

‘I believe I would have pursued painting no matter what but, without the occasion to learn in Paris from great teachers, and to be around other artists, my style would have been different,’ he added.

The Leighton House exhibition acknowledges this debt by juxtaposing the oils painted by Glaoui with scenes of Marrakech from Churchill’s own hand. ‘Churchill often talked about the light of Marrakech in his letters to my father and by how he was inspired by what he saw,’ Hassan remembered. ‘Even though he was a Sunday artist and never studied painting, he knew how to use a brush. I recognise the Marrakech of my youth in his paintings.’

Why not go to the Winston Churchill Shop for yourself and see why the great man’s paintings are so highly regarded. There is a wide selection of his finest works available as prints, tapestries, enamels and much more.

A collection of rare books, documents and research materials will be gathered at the Center, to be housed in a new building with exhibition space at George Washington University in the U.S. capital.

The project has been made possible by a grant of $8 million from the Chicago-based Churchill Centre, and it is hoped the new Center will be fully operational as a national focus of research into Churchill’s work and thought by 2015.

University President, Steven Knapp, in announcing the project, said he hoped the Centre would become the principal destination for American scholars and students of the former British Prime Minister.

‘We’re going to be able to study the 20^th century through the study of one of its towering figures,’ he said. ‘The idea here is not just to look at him in isolation but setting him in his life and times.’

Much of Churchill’s personal memorabilia is still kept in British institutions such as the Churchill Archives Centre at the University of Cambridge, the War Rooms and Museum, and the Churchill family home at Chartwell, so this has not been seen in the U.S. but the new national library will hope to borrow materials for research and exhibition across the pond.

With his English father and American mother Churchill always saw himself as something of a ‘personal bridge’ between the two countries and maintained very strong friendships with President Roosevelt and others. University President Steven Knapp said: ‘Although he is from outside America, Churchill, in many ways, stands for America’s relationship with the larger world.’

Responsibility for amassing the items in the collection falls to the US-based Churchill Centre. The group’s executive director, Lee Pollock, said that several members of the group had valuable personal collections which they would rather donate to the Library than sell.

He added that he hoped the Washington collection would amass around 1,000 volumes of material. It is also planned for the gifts to fund a Professor and Curator position devoted to Churchill and 20^th century British politics. 

America may not have much Churchill memorabilia but you can begin your collection right now by visiting the Winston Churchill Shop. Have a look at the busts, books, dvds and much more - gifts are available to suit every pocket.

Now, after rusting in an old garage for nearly 40 years, the stunning 1923 Silver Ghost Rolls Royce has been restored to its former glory and would sell for anything up to £250,000.

During a varied and colourful career the magnificent vintage motor was said to have been used by the former British Prime Minister to teach Lady Astor, Britain’s first woman MP, to drive on his Kent estate.  

It then had its rear end removed and a mini crane mounted on the chassis for towing away other vehicles during a stint with the auxiliary ambulance and fire service in Manchester.

Bought in the early 1950s for £200 by the grandfather of Tania Turner of Sussex. Following a restoration costing over £2000 the car was identified in the 1960s as the ideal ‘runaround’ for TV English gentleman and crime buster John Steed. It appeared in 18 episodes before being locked away in a Sussex garage, eventually being left to Mrs Turner and her husband Andy.

In the garage it remained and deteriorated until early in 2011 when they called in classic car expert Charlie Tope from Devon to help them get it back to its best.

He said: 'It's been a wonderful project but when I took it on I don't think I realised how big a task it would be. She may be a car designed for only a couple of passengers but at 16ft long and 7ft wide she is more like a small lorry.'

At around £250,000 she may be a bit steep for your pocket but at www.winstonchurchillshop.com there are a vast range of souvenirs and mementoes of the great man for you to enjoy, from busts or paintings to books and audio recordings of his greatest speeches. Pay us a visit. 

The remarkable pictures reveal him in his late teens and as an
assured young man making his way in the world around the turn of the century besides images from earlier years of the boy with his mother Jennie Churchill and younger brother Jack.

The album, which is previously unseen, has been put up for sale by an anonymous titled donor, and will go under the hammer in London on November 22^nd.

What is revealed is a child with character, poise and a strong sense of his own place in the world. In one picture, taken on the steps of his Aunt Cornelia’s home in Canford Magna, Dorset when he was 18 in 1892, the young Winston strikes a confident and assertive pose that instantly reminds the viewer of the later wartime leader, full of calm authority.

Shortly after this picture (above right) was taken Churchill fell 29ft from a bridge while trying to hide from his brother and nearly died. He ruptured a kidney and lay in a coma for three days while his parents summoned the finest doctors from London. The strength of his constitution, which would serve him in later life, pulled him through and he went on to Sandhurst Military Academy and then to work as a reporter in South Africa during the Boer War.

In one charming and relaxed portrait the camera captures a close and affectionate bond between Lady Churchill and her two young boys as they lean on their mother, an American socialite from New York.

Other photographs depict Sir Winston at different stages of his career; firstly in South Africa, then after he had abandoned his military career for politics upon winning the Oldham seat at the general election in 1900, and also as First Lord of the Admiralty during World War I. 

What they reveal above all is a sense of the consistent character of the man who would defy Hitler and make Britain a bastion in the fight against Fascism in Europe. The firm set of the jaw, the confident and determined look in the eye – all the elements that have gone to make up the myth of Churchill the great wartime leader are there to be seen in the younger man.

This extraordinary collection of 150 photographs is expected to fetch around £3,000. A spokesman for Bonhams said: ‘Churchill is such an iconic figure that anything new about him always causes great excitement.

‘In one of these photographs the young Churchill is striking the kind of confident pose that many years later would become familiar to millions of people round the world. And it is not too fanciful to see in these very relaxed early family images the inspirational leader he was to become.’

You can find out more about what made this young man the finest politician and leader of his generation at the shop, where you will find the superb Martin Gilbert biography in both UK and US editions and works on his formative time in the army during the 1890s. His career as a junior officer in the Lancers is captured as a magnificent print to adorn any wall.

Now, a letter written by Britain’s legendary leader has been donated to the town after the council leader stepped in to buy it.

The letter, written in 1950 when he was leader of the opposition, is addressed to Sir Hamilton Kerr, another of the town’s former MP’s, expressing Sir Winston’s regrets at not being able to travel to Oldham in person to receive the freedom of the borough.  

The document had been offered to Gallery Oldham by a private seller, but the necessary cash sum could not be found and it was in danger of being sold abroad until current council leader Jim McMahon stepped with his own money to buy it for the borough. The price has not been disclosed but similar items have fetched four-figure sums in the past.

Councillor McMahon, who is a keen historian, said: "I wanted to see this document kept in our civic archives so that future generations of local residents can see it, rather than it going to auction and falling into the hands of a private collector.

"It does seem a great shame in hindsight that Churchill never found the time to come back to the borough to officially collect this honour because I’m certain he would have received a great reception."

Gallery Oldham already has a collection of Churchill memorabilia including posters of his successful 1900 election campaign, a bust and a painting.

Sean Baggaley, social history curator at the gallery, said: "We have really good information about the early part of Churchill’s career – but we’ve not got much about his later career. It’s one of those stories that we often tell but we’ve not been able to illustrate it before."

The text of the letter reads: "I am so sorry not to be able to make any plans at the present time to go to Oldham to receive the Freedom of the Borough. I am constantly bearing the matter in mind, but until the pressure of my commitments decreases, I am afraid I cannot add to my engagements.

"Thank you nevertheless for drawing my attention to it."

Actually owning a letter signed by Sir Winston might be beyond the pocket of most of us but you can certainly afford a bust of the great man. Why not look at this wide selection of busts in different styles and materials, or perhaps you would prefer an etching for your wall. These and many more fascinating gifts are all available at www.winstonchurchillshop.com.

In June 1940 Sir Winston Churchill declared 'the battle of France is over, the Battle of Britain is about to begin'. With these words he prepared the people of these islands for the Nazi air assault that was intended to crush the last bastion of resistance in Europe.

Graham King has personal reasons for taking a special interest in this period, since his own father lived through the battle and often regaled his son with tales of the bravery of the British and allied pilots who kept the Luftwaffe at bay. 'My father lived in London and watched this spectacular dogfight over the city, so bringing this story of endurance and triumph to the big screen means a great deal to me,' the producer said.

'I am also extremely excited to be joining forces with the iconic Robert Towne who is a master of mixing complex characters and tremendously compelling plots. Robert has a passion for history and a shared love of this particular story,' King added.

King follows in a long line of producers who have told this tale in a wide variety of motion picture genres, from the outstanding 1969 epic Battle of Britain starring Laurence Olivier, Michael Caine and Christopher Plummer through to Disney's 2002 Peter Pan sequel Return to Never Land.  

But if anyone has the pedigree to make a success of this project then King and Towne, both Oscar winners, certainly do. King won Best Picture for his The Departed, while Robert Towne walked away with his Academy Award for hisChinatown original screenplay.

There is no formal timescale for the project as yet but look out for this tale of planes, pluck and derring do in a couple of years from now. That is surely a winning combination.

Why not remind yourself of some of the greatest speeches of the 20^th century that were so inspirational in the fight against Nazi oppression. You can have your own copy of Sir Winston’s words by going to winstonchurchillshop.com where you will find them in book form, or available in audio on CDs so that you can hear the great man himself.

Now the little leather book of autographs that Norman Phillips collected has been sold by Bonhams in their Militaria Sale in Oxford and it fetched an extraordinary £33,600, four times more than was expected.

Within its slender pages are gathered 107 signatures of the pilots who defended our shores during the dark days and nights of 1940/41. Many of them took to the skies never to return - all of them came to be regarded as national heroes. It was Churchill who, in conversation with Group Captain Douglas Bader referred to the book as "not a book of names but a book of heroes. God forbid it should ever be lost."

Apparently insignificant in size, Norman Phillips autograph book is bound in leather that was reputedly taken by Douglas Bader from a mess chair at Marklesham Heath. Bader's remarkable story - flying again after losing both his legs in action - was the basis of the film 'Reach For The Sky.' 

Included among the 107 names contained in its pages are those of Squadron Leader R.R.Stanford-Tuck and Wing Commander A.D.Farquhar, both of 257 Squadron, and Squadron Leader A.W.A.Bayne of 17 Squadron, besides that of Bader himself, C.O. of 242 Squadron.

There are also signatures of American volunteers, 71 American Eagle Squadron, as well as pilots from Canada, Australia, Poland and Czechoslovakia, many of whom did not survive the war. 

Commenting on the sale, Robin Lucas, Heads of Antique Arms & Militaria at Bonhams Oxford, said: "There was so much pre-sale interest in this item from media in this country, Czechoslovakia, Sweden and Poland it’s hardly surprising that it did so well. It is part of our historical DNA."

Why not visit winstonchurchillshop.com to find many more items relating to these heroes? Try your hand at the 1000 piece Battle of Britain Deluxe puzzle or order a Battle of Britain plate, complete with Winston's great words: "Never have so many owed so much to so few."

Images of the Blitz are usually grainy, and in black and white, but this new collection uses the original colour to powerfully re-capture the full horror of the destruction caused by the Luftwaffe in London. The photographs were all taken for the US magazines Time and Life and the gallery is available to view at Life.com

Churchill’s ‘V for Victory’ campaign was dubbed in the New York Times as ‘nerve war’ against Germany. Its purpose, the paper said, was to undermine German morale and solidify anti-Nazi sentiment among the various countries conquered by Hitler.

The sign was rapidly taken up by other European leaders and resistance movements all over Europe, where people were encouraged to display the letter V at every opportunity, some even daubing it on walls, factories and houses across the continent.

Churchill launched his campaign after Hitler’s air force began its tactic of sustained bombardment of Britain’s major cities. Unsurprisingly, London was the principal target and the city endured a torrid time between September 1940 and May 1941, including 76 nights of continuous attacks which destroyed more than 1 million homes, while across Britain some 40,000 people lost their lives.

But even eight months of ceaseless pounding could not break the spirit of the British people and industrial production and the overall war effort remained strong through it all.

This new gallery of extraordinary photographs depict a people determined now to be cowed into submission but to press on with their daily lives in spite of the destruction being wreaked all around them. One picture shows a man calmly reading his book on a park bench while a barrage balloon hovers in the background.

If Sir Winston showed an iron will to win through to victory in the end, these pictures clearly demonstrate how that will was translated to the ordinary man and woman in the street. It serves as an inspiring testimony to the spirit of Britain and its people at the time of their greatest trial.

You can enjoy having your own inspirational image of Sir Winston giving his V sign in a number of ways by visiting WinstonChurchillShop.com. There is a fine resin/bronze figure, standing at just over one foot tall, or a limited edition intaglio print by curtis Hooper. Additionally, our evocative 1941 minted sets of coins entitled The London Blitz are a powerful reminder of Britain's wartime currency.

Entitled 'Churchill's Special Relationship: Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow', it promises to be a significant event with eminent 20th century historians from either side of the pond joining British and American politicians in assessing the status and future of Sir Winston's original vision. 

There will also be an oral history session during which Lady Williams of Elvel, the leader's post-war secretary, and Sir Hugh Lunghi, his translator at the the 'Big Three conferences at Teheran, Yalta and Potsdam, will give their first hand accounts of what it was like to work with him.

Other speakers will include former foreign secretary Lord Hurd of Westwell, former Tory party leader, Lord Howard of Lympne, Sir Max Hastings, Sir Martin Gilbert and many more.

Besides the formal conference sessions delegates will have the opportunity to visit the Churchill War Rooms in central London as well as his Kentish home, Chartwell.

The conference will be held 27th-29th October at the London Marriott Grosvenor Square Hotel, which also hosts a dinner on the evening before the conference commences, at which Mr Boris Johnson, Lord Mayor of London, will present the first Annual ‘Churchillian of the Year’ Award.

Further details are available on the Churchill Centre's website : http://www.winstonchurchill.org/support/the-churchill-centre/calendar-of-events/annual-conferences/234-28th-international-churchill-conference-london

Can't make it to the conference? Never mind. There is a huge range of fabulous commemorative gifts recalling the great man's pioneering, peace-making work. Why not order one of our fine range of china gifts, such as The Yalta Conference, the Yalta Tea Pot or Yalta Toby Jug, or choose one to suit your own taste - see the full range here. Or perhaps read Sir Martin Gilbert's seminal work about Sir Winston's 'special relationship' vision entitled 'Churchill and America'.