I’ve been reading Winston Churchill’s obit in The Times today and it describes how 
his mother, the glamorous Pamela Harriman, left him $6 million in her will – on condition that he shared it equally with his first wife who he had divorced; he went on to happily remarry.
As his mother was notorious for her affairs and married three times, she was hardly in a position to judge his personal choice of partner. Controlling from the grave in this way is wicked and vengeful. Why didn’t she leave the money herself to her daughter-in-law instead of deliberately creating horridness and disapproval of his second wife?
*I was also sad to read another obit in The Times about Kristian Digby’s untimely death aged only 32, and sooo good looking. It’s all the more tragic if his death happened, as reported, from a sex game which went horribly wrong. It’s such a waste of a life and so awful that a talented man in his prime should die alone this way.
*Another obit which caught my eye was about a circus acrobat called Ali Hassani who was stolen from his family in Morocco aged seven by an acrobat troupe. He performed across the Sahara as top-mounter in a pyramid building acrobatic act and arrived in Britain in the early 1950s and toured with Billy Smart’s circus. He later formed Circus Hassani (the first animal-free circus), and even had a role in the James Bond film Octopussy. He died aged 82.
Coincidentally, a circus animal trainer, Fritz Schulz, also has his obit in The Times today; his act was once commended by Adolf Hitler who saw him perform at Berlin’s Wintergarten Theatre.
I wonder who had the happier childhood – Winston Churchill, “neglected†as a boy who rarely saw his parents together and they divorced when he was five, or the circus boy, stolen from his parents and never to see them again…
Some fascinating facts there.
Not much of a choice there – you’re right. A child with two loving parents is the way.
i expect the circus boy had the happier childhood as nothing is as bad as being neglected by those you love
I agree Ellee, any kind of psychological control or manipulation is a terrible thing.
Oh come on Ellee , young Winston egged the name for all he could get from it 9 without his grandpas wonderous talents ) this included selling off all the Churchill papers at mega money .
So what if his mama decided to set the rules for her own money , why shouldnt she , it was hers to do with as she wanted.
It appears that his ma was possible correct as he seems to have been a bit of a cad to his first wife .
Perhaps it was simple his ma liked his first wife she did’nt like the next.
In her shoes Id have done my will in the same manner .
By the way it is irrelevent how she led her own life thats not what was in question.
Ellee: Reading this, I am reminded of a conversation I had years ago with a colleague of mine in broadcasting. I was lamenting a death (who, I can’t seem to recall now) of someone and I mentioned it being “an untimely death”. My colleague opined, “Every death is untimely”. The death of a young person is particularly tragic.
I agree with Sally.
Yes I agree with Sally too.