Biography

Frederick (Fred) Jones  (1875 - 1970) was born at George Town on 7^th May 1875 the youngest of six children of Thomas Jones, the superintendent of the Mounted Police at George Town, and Minnie his wife, formerly Phillips. She was the daughter of Captain William Phillips, also of George Town.

Fred was brought up in George Town, but when he moved to Launceston with his parents in 1884, he attended the Collegiate City School, a private co-educational establishment conducted by Mr and Mrs H. Strode Henri in Upper Charles Street.

Fred was employed by the Tasmanian Government Railways for his entire working life.

On 18^th March 1919 he married Winifred Florence Wathen of Launceston. She died in June 1950, and several years later he married May Beaumont.

After his retirement from the Railways, Fred became a member of the staff of Findlay's Pty. Ltd., music store. A sister of his, Alice Emily, had married Percy Alexander Findlay, son of one of the original partners of the music store of Munnew & Findlay.

Fred Jones was an active churchman and a regular supporter of St. John's Church. He was appointed to the first Vestry formed in 1935 and was made churchwarden in 1950. In 1967, at the annual meeting of the parish, he was appointed churchwarden emeritus in recognition of his long and devoted service to the church. Apart from his church interests, Fred was also very interested in horses and horse management, a hobby which would have grown from his childhood days at George Town and his father's appointment.

When Fred died on 6^th July 1970, he was 95 years old, and was one of the longest lived of the pupils of Mr Henri's school. He was able to walk about two miles a day to within weeks of his death and still wrote with the round hand acquired at Mr Henri's school.

At St. John's Church a pair of carver chairs was purchased for the use of churchwardens. One was dedicated to the memory of Fred Jones. The inscription reads:
IN MEMORY OF
FREDERICK JAMES JONES
CHURCHWARDEN 1950-1970

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