ABSTRACT
During the early months of 1940, the curious tempo of the Phoney War continued much as it had since September 1939. Despite periodic crises, the rota system still allowed Chamberlain to visit his beloved Chequers two weekends out of three where he relaxed, pondered the behaviour of its birds and rejoiced in the simple pleasure of walking the grounds with Spot, the Chequers dog. Similarly, during his morning strolls around the St James’ Park lake he had sufficient time to record an unseasonal Common Sandpiper and to seek out a Smew, forced inland by the exceptionally severe winter. Such was the apparent normality of life that even when ‘on duty’ in London, worries about the deteriorating military situation in Finland did not prevent visits to the Royal Horticultural Society’s gardens at Wisley with his son, to London Zoo with his niece and a walk around Kensington Gardens with his wife all in the same weekend.1 Despite passing his seventy-first birthday in March, Chamberlain also remained extraordinarily fit and vigorous; a robust physical and mental constitution which enabled him to retain all of his old mastery in Cabinet.
