Or not?

Names of any older, please.

Hi probonopublico:

Interesting question. 

As it turns out, Winston Churchill was the *second* oldest serving
Prime Minister. He resigned in 1955 at around the age of 81.

The record goes to William Gladstone, who retired from his second term
in 1894 at the age of 84.

Sources:

Winston Churchill ? Biography
URL: http://nobelprize.org/literature/laureates/1953/churchill-bio.html
Quote: "The Right Honourable Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill
(1874-1965)...He took over the premiership again in the Conservative
victory of 1951 and resigned in 1955."

1951: Churchill wins general election
URL: http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/october/26/newsid_3687000/3687425.stm
Quote: "Mr Churchill is nearly 77 and the second oldest prime minister
in history. William Gladstone was 83 when he formed his last
government."

Gladstone, Michigan: A Little Town with a Big Name
URL: http://www.mackinac.org/article.asp?ID=4048
Quote: "Four times he was elected prime minister, serving in this
capacity for a total of 12 years.  He was 84 when he retired as prime
minister in 1894, the oldest prime minister in British history."

Prime Ministers of the United Kingdom
URL: http://www.pubquizhelp.34sp.com/hist/pm.html
Quote: "31 (4th term) 1892-1894 William Gladstone Oldest serving (84)"

Search Strategy (on Google):
* "winston curchill" biography
* "oldest prime minister" site:.uk
* "William Gladstone" oldest

I hope this helps!

websearcher

---

Clarification of Answer by websearcher-ga on 30 Mar 2005 07:17 PST

One small clarification ... Gladstone's last term was his *fourth*
term not his second as I listed below.

Sorry for the confusion.

websearcher

Brilliant, Websearcher.

I would never have guessed ... I had always thought that Gladstone was
just a name for a bag.

All the Best

Bryan

Hi Bryan:

I love this job because I learn new things like this every day. :-)

Thanks for the generous comment, rating, and tip. 

websearcher

My sister's such a fan of Churchill that she has a picture of him on
her bedroom wall which is really weird, all the more so because her
husband's german. Just a little glimpse into the oddness of my family.

By the by, you're very quiet of late. Everything okay? You're not
stuck in Scotland are you?

Cheers, honey,

stressedmum.

Hiya, Stressedmum

Thanks for your concern.

I am just SO busy.

I am publishing (yes publishing) 2 books, one by my favourite author: Me.

They're both Print On Demand jobs, a new experience for me. Could do
with a good Copy Editor. How are you fixed?

Also, I have a very interesting Court Case coming up. No, THEY haven't
caught up with me at long last ... I'm merely an Expert Witness.

All the Best to you and all the other lovely Sheilas.

Bryan

Getting really worried about you, thought you might of been
conscripted or recalled from the reserves
and if you get called up I be next

Ha! Talk about coincidence! I'm just resaerching for an article about
digital printing and the market for 'print on demand' books.