Drawing the R.A.F.: A book of portraits. Introduced by Sir Ronald Storrs
Eric Henri Kennington, RA (Chelsea 1888 – Reading 1960)
Category
Books
Date
1942
Materials
Place of origin
England
Collection
Chartwell, Kent
NT 3133491
Summary
Book gifted by: Sir Ronald Storrs (who wrote the introduction) Book Inscription Signature: Ronald Storrs Book Inscription: Mr & Mrs Winston Churchill. With public & private gratitude and in remembrance of a luncheon in Jerusalem and a drive to Bethlehem. From Ronald Storrs 23 IX 42 Date of Inscription: 23 September 1942 (Ronald Storrs had retired by this date due to bad health).
Full description
**The Inscribed Books Collection, to which this book belongs, consists of gift inscriptions on third party books given to Sir Winston Churchill from friends, family, and well-wishers, unsolicited presentation copies of books by strangers, as well as presentation copies from authors who were genuine friends and colleagues. After his death in January 1965, Churchill personally bequeathed the collection via his Will as a testament to his national and international achievements. Eric Henri Kennington RA (12 March 1888 - 13 April 1960) was an English sculptor, artist and illustrator, and an official war artist in both World Wars. As a war artist, Kennington specialised in depictions of the daily hardships endured by soldiers and airmen. Published in 1942 by Oxford University Press, his book 'Drawing the R.A.F' contains a collection of his war sketches depicting mainly the Royal Air Force (R.A.F). In the inter-war years Kennington worked mostly on portraits and provided illustrations for a number of books. The most notable of his book illustrations were for T. E. Lawrence's 'Seven Pillars of Wisdom'. Kennington was also a gifted sculptor, best known for his 24th East Surrey Division War Memorial in Battersea Park, for his work on the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon and for the tomb effigy of Lawrence at Wareham in Dorset. Sir Ronald Storrs (19 November 1881 – 1 November 1955) wrote the book's Introduction. He served as Oriental Secretary in Cairo, Military Governor of Jerusalem, Governor of Cyprus and Governor of Northern Rhodesia. Storrs was a close friend of Lawrence. He was a pallbearer at his funeral in 1935 and also wrote a book about the writer. While Governor and Commander in Chief of Cyprus, he experienced an attempted revolt in 1931 during which Government House was burned to the ground. He was then appointed Governor of Northern Rhodesia in 1932, but retired in 1934 for health reasons.
Bibliographic description
143p.,52 plates : ports. ; 25cm. Provenance: Inscribed "Mr & Mrs Winston Churchill. With public & private gratitude and in remembrance of a luncheon in Jerusalem and a drive to Bethlehem. From Ronald Storrs 23 IX 42." Binding: blue cloth.
Provenance
The book was gifted to Churchill by Storrs himself. Storrs inscribed this copy with a message, dated 23 September 1942, addressed to Churchill and his wife which reads: "Mr & Mrs Winston Churchill. With public & private gratitude and in remembrance of a luncheon in Jerusalem and a drive to Bethlehem. From Ronald Storrs" Churchill and Storrs were political colleagues. They most likely first met when the latter was an official in the British Foreign and Colinical Office. As part of their political responsibilities, the pair often met in Jerusalem, Israel to which the inscription refers.
Makers and roles
Eric Henri Kennington, RA (Chelsea 1888 – Reading 1960) Sir Ronald Storrs (1881-1955)