Existing comment:
Jeanette Jerome Churchill, Lady Randolph Churchill 1854–1921
Brooklyn-born Jeanette Jerome was the daughter of an American financier. In 1874, she joined the British aristocracy through her marriage to Lord Randolph Churchill, son of the seventh Duke of Marlborough. Throughout the 1880s, she proved an invaluable asset to her husband's political career, essentially serving as his campaign manager and helping to establish the Primrose League, which boosted the Conservative party. Although vehemently opposed to women's suffrage, she paved the way for women's acceptance in the political sphere.
Following her husband's death in 1895, Lady Randolph turned her attention to writing. She founded the Anglo-Saxon Review in 1899 and later published a memoir, a collection of articles, and two plays. She also provided advice and assistance to her son, future Prime Minister Winston Churchill (whose portrait hangs nearby). He described her as "an ardent ally, furthering my plans and guarding my interests with all her influence and boundless energy."
Charcoal on paper, c. 1900
National Trust Collections, Chartwell (The Churchill Collection), Kent, UK
This is the National Portrait Gallery sign in the exhibit. |