A rare
fin de siecle photograph of
the patriarchal Jonah at the head of his ever burgeoning family.
His Austrian-born wife, Heilbron, had been hand-picked by
Josiah both for her child-bearing girth and her resistance
to pain. In order to prove her suitability in the latter her
domineering father, the
Alpine industrialist von
Kreemer, had given her twenty-five consecutive blows
to the head with a club hammer in front of an openly admiring
Jonah. When he saw that she was dazed but still conscious
he seized her for his bride.
The twenty-five year old
James (back left) now sports a moustache,
whilst his younger brother Jack wears a new uniform with a
jaunty 'pill-box'. Family records show that Jack had recently received his father's consent to
begin work at Otis Elevators in Stockwell, London, finally allowing him to
fulfill a lifelong ambition to become a lift attendant.
Between them stands their sister Jasmine, mother already to
ten-year old Jesse (bottom left) later to begin wearing male
clothing, change his name to
'Bill
Fivestars' , and pursue a career on the stage. Jonah and
Heilbron are flanked by Jill (left) and
Jacqueline
(right).
Obtain more information on
Jonah's business manipulations.