Letter from the Home Secretary [Winston Churchill] to the Primitive Methodist Church Council on the Death of King Edward VII [dated 23 June 1910] - L.287H

The Hull Primitive Methodist Church Council obviously wrote a letter to the Palace expressing their condolences on the death of His Majesty King Edward VII on 6th May, 1910. A black edged response, dated 23 June 1910, was sent to them on behalf of His Royal Highness George V and the Royal Family through the Home Office. Although the reply was a standardised copy, the name and address of the organisation was handwritten. The signature on the letter caught my eye since it was signed “Winston Churchill” [see Photo 1] 

Photo 1 - Winston Churchill's signature

Letters edged in black, known as mourning stationery or paper, harks back to the Victorian era when being in mourning meant following certain rules. Letters could be sent “edged in black” for up to a year after death and was considered a mark of respect for the deceased [see Photo 2]. 

Photo 2 - Letter sent to the Hull Primitive Methodist Church Council

In February 1910, Winston Churchill was promoted to Home Secretary following the January 1910 elections when the Liberal party was again returned to power so explains his signature on the letter. 

It was difficult to determine whether the signature had been signed by the man himself or was a rubber-stamped signature since it was slightly smudged. As our Conservator worked at Chartwell [the family home of Sir Winston Churchill] for a time, I thought she would be the ideal person to give her thoughts on the matter. She explained that it is very hard to identify between a hand-written or rubber stamped signature. It is advisable to use a magnifying glass – a printer signature will be all one density of colour all the way through. Whereas an authentic signature shows a varied density of ink. Also, you should be able to see what is called ‘bridges and tunnels’ where each line goes over the other. 

Having viewed it through a magnifying glass myself, I think it is a rubber-stamped signature. Given that the Palace would have received numerous condolences and so the Home Secretary’s office would have had to respond to the majority of them, it is understandable that a rubber-stamped signature was used.

Caoimhe West, Reader Assistant, Unlocking the Treasures Project