Читать книгу Antiques Roadshow: 40 Years of Great Finds - Paul Atterbury, Paul Atterbury - Страница 18

Sometimes objects are brought to the Roadshow and, although they do not have any significant financial value, they offer an unusual and often personal insight into great moments in history. Inevitably, many of these tell stories about global conflict in the twentieth century. A typical example occurred at Lincoln Cathedral in 2009, when a man brought in the stub of a cigar purportedly smoked by Winston Churchill.

Throughout the Second World War, a series of international conferences was held by the leaders of the Allied countries to determine strategy, to plan future action within the various theatres of conflict and to plan the postwar peace. There were over twenty people involved, some of whom are household names, intricately and enduringly associated with the shaping of the modern world, while others languish in obscurity, remembered only by specialist historians. One of the most important conferences was held in Casablanca, North Africa, in January 1943. Churchill (the British prime minister), President Roosevelt of the United States and General De Gaulle of France were present, along with teams of military and civilian advisors. Among the decisions made were the declaration of the doctrine of unconditional surrender, the invasion of Sicily to take place later in 1943, the commitment to an invasion of mainland Europe in 1944, the ongoing support of Russia, greater support from Britain for the Pacific war and the creation of a Free French force under de Gaulle.

The owner of the cigar stub revealed to Fiona Bruce that, while serving in the British Army, his grandfather was employed as a butler during the ten days of the Casablanca conference. At some point, he had collected one of Churchill’s cigar stubs, along with place markers bearing the names of important people attending the conference, including Harold Macmillan (later a British prime minister), Lord Alexander and King Peter of Yugoslavia.

Churchill, famously, was a great cigar smoker and around the world there are many cigar stubs and, indeed, whole cigars associated with him. Fiona pointed out that the provenance was all-important, as it is with all objects connected to famous people. The owner replied that he only knew what his grandfather had told him, and saw no reason to doubt his word. Given that the Churchill connection seemed definite, and the historical location important, the cigar stub was valued at £600–£800.