CHURCHILL, Winston Spencer. The Second World War, London: Cassell & Co. Ltd., 1949-54. 6 volumes, 8°, maps, some folding, some printed in colours, original black cloth, spines lettered in gilt, dust-jackets (torn with some loss at corners). Woods A123(b). VOLUMES II - VI FIRST EDITIONS, volume one a third edition.

Details

CHURCHILL, Winston Spencer. The Second World War, London: Cassell & Co. Ltd., 1949-54. 6 volumes, 8°, maps, some folding, some printed in colours, original black cloth, spines lettered in gilt, dust-jackets (torn with some loss at corners). Woods A123(b). VOLUMES II - VI FIRST EDITIONS, volume one a third edition.

IMPORTANT PRESENTATION COPY TO K. J. HOLYOAKE, PRIME MINISTER OF NEW ZEALAND, vol. one inscribed on the half title, 'To K. J. Holyoake from Winston S. Churchill 1950,' vol. II inscribed on the half title, 'From Winston S. Churchill to K. J. Holyoake 1950,' vol. III inscribed on the half title, 'To K. J. Holyoake from Winston S. Churchill 1950,' vol. IV inscribed on the front free endpaper, 'For Keith Holyoake from Winston S. Churchill 1952,' vol. V inscribed on the half title, 'To Keith Holyoake from Winston S. Churchill 1952,' and vol. VI inscribed on the front free endpaper, 'To K. J. Holyoake from Winston S. Churchill 1955.' (6)

Lot Essay

Sir Keith Jacka Holyoake (1904-83) entered the New Zealand House of Representatives as its youngest member in 1932. He became deputy leader of the National Party in 1946 and deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand in 1949. During September 1950 he travelled to London for the first of three trade-negotiating trips, having meetings with Prime Minister Attlee and Harold Wilson, then President of the Board of Trade. Whilst there he visited Winston Churchill at Chartwell and the meeting, according to his biographer Ross Doughty (The Holyoake Years, Fielding, 1977), remained one of his most treasured memories. It was here that Churchill presented Holyoake with the first three volumes of this set of The Second World War (the last three volumes he inscribed at 10 Downing Street as they were published). Holyoake describes how Churchill gave him a guided tour of Chartwell, including his studio, and fed his fish, much to the amusement of onlookers peering through the gates, whom Churchill urged him to ignore.
Back in New Zealand, Holyoake became party leader and Prime Minister on the retirement of Sir Sidney Holland in 1957. He was Prime Minister again from 1960-1972 and was created Governor-General in 1977, a post he held until 1980.

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