Re-heating old stories

My apologies for returning again to the subject of supposedly ‘new’ historical revelations – specifically my objection to them being used to gain publicity for new books (or new editions of old books) etc. –  again, but I am minded to do so by a letter that appears in The Times today.

Earlier this week the media was filled with stories of the discovery  of a letter confirming that members of Winston Churchill’s family were concerned that his interest in matters relating to Islam might prompt him to convert to that religion.

It reads as follows:

‘Sir,

You report (“How the young Churchill fell for Islam”, Dec 29) the ‘discovery’ of a letter, written in 1907, from Lady Gwendoline Bertie to Churchill saying “Please don’t be converted to Islam”. Reference to it appears in Churchill – A Life (1991) by Martin Gilbert.

TONY TREMLOW

Hoylake, Wirral.’

Enough said.