Mah-Jongg (lemur) facts for kids
Mah-Jongg or Jongy was a special pet, a ring-tailed lemur, owned by a wealthy English couple, Virginia and Stephen Courtauld. The Courtaulds were known for their generous donations to good causes, and their family owned a big company that made textiles (like fabrics and clothes). Lemurs are amazing animals, a type of primate, and they originally come from the island of Madagascar.
Jongy was bought in 1923 from Harrods, a famous department store in London. He lived with the Courtaulds for fifteen years, traveling with them wherever they went. Jongy passed away in 1938 at their home, Eltham Palace, in Greenwich. At Eltham Palace, Jongy even had his own special room! This room, like the rest of the house, had central heating, which was very modern for the time. It also had a cool bamboo ladder that led to the house's entrance.
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Jongy in Art
The Courtaulds loved Jongy so much that they included his image in the art around their home. In the 1920s, they updated Eltham Palace to be a stylish Art Deco mansion, perfect for hosting parties.
Paintings and Carvings
In the Billiard Room, there's a big painting by Mary Adshead of Saint Cecilia. Look closely, and you'll see a lemur, just like Jongy, sitting on a ledge between two painted columns! Jongy also appears in carved wooden decorations called roof bosses in the Great Hall.
Jongy's Portrait and Memorial
In a portrait of the Courtaulds by Leonard Campbell Taylor, Jongy is right there with them. He's sitting next to Virginia on the arm of her chair. After Jongy passed away, a special memorial was made for him. It was a tall, thin stone monument shaped like an obelisk, with stripes like his tail. It also had a metal picture of Jongy. This memorial was first at Eltham Palace, but it's now at the Courtaulds' last home, La Rochelle, in Zimbabwe.
Jongy's Big Bite
Jongy was a beloved pet, but he once caused a bit of a stir for an important Arctic trip! Stephen Courtauld helped pay for the 1930-31 British Arctic Air Route Expedition. His cousin, Augustine Courtauld, was the weather expert for this journey.
An Unexpected Delay
On the day the expedition was supposed to leave, the Courtaulds hosted a farewell lunch on their yacht. During the lunch, Jongy bit Percy Lemon, who was the expedition's wireless operator. Percy's hand was badly injured. He was given medicine, but it turned out he was allergic to it! It took Percy three months to get better, which delayed the start of the important expedition.
