Mystery over Churchill's Freedom bid evealed (From Western Telegraph)

Mystery over Churchill's Freedom bid evealed

The story of a fruitless 13-year campaign to confer the Freedom of Tenby on Winston Churchill has now been revealed.

This follows a recent story in the Western Telegraph reporting the discovery of two hand-illuminated documents due to be presented to Mr Churchill on his acceptance as the 156th Freeman of the Borough - an occasion which never took place. There were also hopes that Churchill would accept Freedoms of both Pembroke and Haverfordwest.

Tenby Town Council member Stuart Fecci chanced upon the documents, dated 1946, tucked away in a drawer in the Mayors Parlour last month. The authoritys records for that year cannot be found and so the entire non-event proved to be a mystery.

Particularly interested was Western Telegraph reader and keen historian David Saunders who e-mailed the Churchill Discussion Group.

They suggested the Churchill Archives Centre as a source of information, where a file has been located in the Churchill Papers containing 38 documents relating to the Freedom of Tenby.

These are mostly letters written between 1945 and 1958 from council officials to Churchills secretaries, and display the determination of Tenby Borough Council to add the name of one of Britains greatest statesmen to its list of Freemen.

Said Churchill archivist Louise King: Churchill was originally offered the Freedom in 1945, and then the council kept contacting him every so often to try to arrange either for him to visit Tenby or to visit him in London. Between 1945 and 1955, Churchills secretaries could not fit a visit into his appointments, and then after 1955 he was too ill.

The correspondence in the file consists of letters offering Churchill the Freedom, suggesting dates for visits and offering opportunities to meet. There is also a note from one of Churchills secretaries suggesting that the Freedoms of Pembroke, Tenby and Haverfordwest could all be given in one place.

Added Ms King: The last letter in the file is from 1958 and gives ill-health as the reason for not being able to visit to receive the Freedom.

The two Freedom documents, which have been framed by Councillor Fecci, have now been presented to Tenby Museum and Art Gallery, where they are on display in the Story of Tenby exhibition.