At the age of just 12, Winston Churchill wrote a letter to his mother declaring that his childhood enemy was a 'stealing, lying, catchpenny' tyrannical tutor whom she was planning to hire during his summer holidays.

While it is normal for a boy to protest vehemently about such extra coaching, the striking thing is that his nemesis back in July 1887 just happened to be German.

The future prime minister who was to lead Britain in its fight against Adolf Hitler, told his mother: “I will try & be a good boy if you will consent to rid me of the tyranny of this stealing, lying, catchpenny German blackguard.”

Writing to “My darling Mama”, young Churchill outlined also the rigours of his daily timetable, in making the case against having extra tuition.

“I shall be miserable, utterly miserable, “ he grumbled.

“We boys have 9 months hard work 8 hours a day. But only 3 months holidays, and ’tis hard that we should have to work in them.”

With striking maturity, he went on to list “terms” under which he would accept a tutor, including: “That I don’t do a stroke of work… That I may have the right complaining to you in anything I don’t like and you will rectify the same.”