World War II.- Churchill (Sir Winston Spencer).- The War Rooms Guest Book, album of 6pp. of contemporary ink signatures and notes of visitors guest book to the Churchill War Rooms, manuscript recto and verso in various hands, some hole-punched leaves torn at hole, light marginal toning, original calf, oblong 8vo, 1977-79; together with 7 loose photographs of the War Rooms, c.1970s.

⁂ Construction of the Cabinet War Rooms began in 1938 remained in operation throughout the Second World War, before being abandoned in August 1945 after the surrender of Japan. After the war, the historic value of the War Rooms was recognised but were not yet open to the general public and could only be accessed by appointment, with access being restricted to small groups. Even so, by the 1970s tens of thousands of requests to visit the Rooms were being received every year, of which only 5,000 were successful.
The album exhibits a selection of some of these successful requests from people accessing the war rooms during this period. Signatories include notes detailing their association with the war or Churchill himself: "private secretary to the P.M. 1940-45", "the War Cabinet accommodation officer for 1939-45", and, more curiously "drop window toward brest to foil radar on nite of invasion June 6/44" [sic]. Other signatures included are from some Bletchley Park code breakers, Downing Street guards, and a "police officer to Mr Churchill", amongst others.