On 30th January 1965, Sir Winston Churchill entered St Paul’s Cathedral for the final time: his coffin, draped in the Union Jack, borne on the shoulders of Grenadier Guardsmen. In dramatic images that were broadcast to millions around the globe, the Cathedral provided the focus for a day of mourning and tribute.

There could be no more fitting venue for Sir Winston’s State Funeral. Like Churchill himself, St Paul’s Cathedral had defied the Blitz and had stood as a beacon of hope in the darkest days of the Second World War. Allen Packwood will revisit some of the key moments when their paths crossed and consider how they influenced one another.

Allen Packwood BA, MPhil (Cantab), is a Fellow of Churchill College at the University of Cambridge, the Director of the Churchill Archives Centre, and a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. He was awarded an OBE for services to archives and scholarship in the 2016 Queen’s Birthday Honours. His book, How Churchill Waged War, was published by Pen & Sword in 2018 and he has recently edited the Cambridge University Press Companion to Winston Churchill and co-edited Letters for the Ages: The Private and Personal Letters of Sir Winston Churchill. His latest book is Churchill’s D-Day, co-authored with General Lord Dannatt and published for the eightieth anniversary of Operation Overlord in June 2024.

The Churchill Archives Centre is located in the grounds of Churchill College, and is home to the papers of Sir Winston Churchill, Baroness Thatcher, Sir John Major and almost seven hundred of their contemporaries: politicians, diplomats, civil servants, military leaders and scientists of the modern era. It is still collecting. Allen likes to joke that it is the equivalent of four American Presidential Libraries! He is responsible for the overall management of the team and collections.

The event is free, but if you are able to make a donation to the continuing learning programme at St Paul’s Cathedral when you register for the event we would be very grateful.

Accessibility

BSL interpretation will be provided at this event. Please let us know if you require seats in the area by emailing SPCI@stpaulscathedral.org.uk.

The North Transept entrance has ramped access, and this is the recommended entrance for wheelchair users and people requiring step-free access. The entrance leads directly onto the Cathedral floor.

Guide dogs, hearing dogs and assistance dogs are all welcome in the Cathedral.

Learn more about accessibility at the Cathedral.