1911 Letter From Winston Churchill To George V, Signed By Both

Handwritten letter (7.5''x 9.5'') on Home Office letterhead signed by Winston S. Churchill as Home Secretary on June 28, 1911 at Whitehall to His Majesty King George V. 

"Mr. Secretary Churchill with his humble duty to Your Majesty has the honour to recommend that the Imperial Service Medal be awarded to 184 retired members of Your Majesty's Home Civil Se...  more

Handwritten letter (7.5''x 9.5'') on Home Office letterhead signed by Winston S. Churchill as Home Secretary on June 28, 1911 at Whitehall to His Majesty King George V. 

"Mr. Secretary Churchill with his humble duty to Your Majesty has the honour to recommend that the Imperial Service Medal be awarded to 184 retired members of Your Majesty's Home Civil Service whose names are given in the attached list." The list does not accompany this letter. Full signature of "Winston S. Churchill" follows at bottom right.  King George V approved Churchill's list in his own hand with "Appd, G.R.I." The G.R.I. stands for George Rex Imperator. 

A remarkable combination of signatures from these two giants of British history from the first half of the 20th century. At the time of this document, both men were in their first years of service, Churchill as a politician and George as King. King George V is widely known in worldwide philatelic circles as the stamp collecting king.

He became a member of London's Philatelic Society and later its president. Through King George V's patronage of the society it became the Royal Philatelic Society. He was also the main driver behind the Royal Philatelic Collection, spending considerable time throughout his reign working on his stamp collection and other philatelic pursuits.