Latest marmalade cat named Jock arrives at Churchill’s family home
PUBLISHED: 15:33 05 August 2020
Meet Jock VII
Archant
Tradition continues at Chartwell, the family home of Sir Winston Churchill in Westerham, with the arrival of its newest recruit – a marmalade cat named Jock
On leaving their home to the National Trust in 1966, the Churchill family requested that there would always be a marmalade cat named Jock, with a white bib and four white paws, in comfortable residence.
The National Trust has always honoured this request and has now welcomed Jock VII, a six-month-old rescue kitten, to Chartwell to take up the mantle.
The original Jock was a birthday present to Churchill from one of his private secretaries, Sir John ‘Jock’ Colville.
Today’s Jock VII, previously known as Sunshine, was rescued by the RSPCA before being adopted by Chartwell’s Visitor Experience Manager, Viktoria Austen.
Chartwell garden is now open daily, 10am-5pm.
For a quieter visit and less competition to welcome Jock (whose favourite pastimes are investigating what the gardeners are up to and trying to persuade people to give him snacks), Chartwell recommends booking a visit from 2pm onwards, nationaltrust.org.uk/chartwell.
