Winston Churchill’s Legacy to Cats

By Ruth aka Kattaddorra

I often use a saying by Winston Churchill (1874 – 1965) a very famous British Prime Minister:

‘Never never never give up’

I knew he was a great cat lover so I was very interested to read the latest news about his legacy to ginger and white cats.

Mr Churchill’s first cat Jock, a ginger tom with a white bib and four white socks, was a gift on his 88th birthday in 1962 from Jock Colville who was one of his private secretaries.

He was thrilled with the cat and named him Jock after Mr Colville and it’s said that he loved the cat so much he wouldn’t even have his evening meal without him around.

After Mr Churchill’s death, the remaining Churchill family left their home Chartwell in Kent to the National Trust in 1966, along with a request that a ginger cat with a white bib and four white socks would always live there and always be named Jock.

There have been six Jocks so far, the latest being Jock the Sixth, a seven month old rescue kitten from Croydon Animal Samaritans.

This new Jock has taken the place of Jock the Fifth who left Chartwell with his caretaker, the former house and collections manager of the property who left and moved to Scotland.

Officials of the Trust said the latest Jock has settled in nicely and even has a green cat flap which was approved by an historic buildings inspector.

I remember being given the day off work and the schools being closed for Mr Churchill’s funeral, it seemed the whole of Britain came to a standstill in his honour that day.

I think it’s wonderful that up to now six ginger and white rescue cats have been given a home and the name Jock in honour of the first Jock who was much loved by Mr Churchill.

Ruth aka Kattaddorra