Obituaries Australia

Edward Jones, n.d.

photo provided by family

The funeral of the late Mr. Edward Lloyd Jones, senior partner in the firm of Messrs. David Jones and Co., took place yesterday. The coffin containing the body had been conveyed from the Sydney Hospital to the Trinity Congregational Church, Strathfield, where a brief service was conducted. The officiating ministers were the Rev. George Littlemore and the Rev. G. Rayner. The rostrum and other portions of the church were draped in black, and the coffin was quite hidden from sight by wreaths, crosses, and floral emblems of sympathy sent by friends of the deceased. Among them were particularly noticeable several very beautiful floral tokens from the employees of the firm of Messrs. David Jones and Co. Wreaths were sent by the male assistants, the female assistants, the workroom, and the clerical and managerial departments, and the establishment. The attendance at the church service was extremely large, the building being filled to its greatest capacity. Many persons were unable to obtain admission. At the conclusion of the service the mourners, headed by the hearse, walked in procession to the railway station. Many of the business places along the line of route had their fronts draped with black, and manifestations of sorrow were generally apparent. The employees of the firm were conveyed to Rookwood by special train, while the other mourners proceeded by the funeral train leaving Sydney at 9.28 a.m. On arrival at the Necropolis the remains were conveyed to the family vault. Messrs. Clubb, Gordon, Waddington, Sheard and Grice, senior employees of Messrs. David Jones's firm, acted as pall-bearers. The service at the cemetery was conducted by the Rev. George Littlemore, assisted by the Rev Dr. Fraser (warden, Camden College), Revs. Wm. Allen (chairman Congregational Union), W. Mathison, B.A., and W. West. Amongst other clergymen present were Revs. J Fordyce, M.A., J. Hill, M.A., T. J. Pepper, E. T. Dunstan, E. Adams, J. T. Warlow Davies, M.A., G. Preston, George Rayner, R. Dey, George Campbell, A. Sutherland, W. C. Robinson, and James Buchan, M.A. (secretary Congregational Union).

Among the chief mourners were Mrs. Jones and family, Dr. Sydney Jones, Messrs. J. R. Jones, R. Jones, R. Jones, jun., Harold Jones, and A. R. Nott. In attendance at the sad ceremony were Messrs. J. R. Fairfax, T. B. Rolin, Lord, T. J. Thomson, E. Scholes, Lindley, J. Mullens, C. H. Miles, Buzacott, Jos. Abbott, M.L.A., G. E. Russell Jones, W. E. Cuthbertson, Dr. Traill, Messrs. J. Perry, Murray, Thompson, J. Hardie, David Walker, Henty, Holt, Lewis, Green, Miles, Canon Moreton, Messrs. Roberts, F. Rogers, R. J. Riley, Jamieson, Black, Cottie, Duguid, A. Smith, L. Jones, S. Jones, Hughes, M'Clelland, Kelly, Saddington, and a large number of others representing the commercial, social, and political life of the colony. Among the principal employees of Messrs. David Jones and Co. present were Messrs. J. Brocklehurst (manager), J. Clubb (chief clerk), and Hughes. The Free-trade Land and Reform League, of which Mr. Jones occupied the position of vice-president, was represented by Messrs. David Storey, M.L.A., John P. Gray, vice-presidents Frank Grimley, hon. treasurer, William Harding, general secretary, Samuel Bradley, Thomas W. Warren, and R. Talkingham.

Many who were unable to attend the funeral forwarded wreaths and other tokens of sympathy. The number of such mementoes was very large, about 150 wreaths alone having been transmitted. The large gathering that attended yesterday morning at Rookwood to pay the last mark of respect to the memory of Mr. Edward Lloyd Jones, one of the victims of the railway accident on Wednesday morning, testified to the esteem in which the deceased gentleman was held by those with whom he had associated, many of them from the days of childhood. Mr. Jones was a native of the colony, being the youngest son of the late Mr. David Jones, and was born in Sydney in the year 1844. At that time Mr. David Jones, the father of the deceased, had already established the business which bears his name, and Mr. Edward Jones at an early age began business in the fancy goods department of the establishment. When yet a young man he became a partner in the firm in association with Mr. Woodward and Mr. Edwards. These gentlemen having retired, Mr. E. L. Jones became the senior member of the firm, which long before this was widely known throughout the continent for the prominent position it occupied among the drapery establishments of Australia. Over the affairs of this important business Mr. Jones has presided ever since with the assistance of Messrs. H. G. Nichols, John Pomeroy, W. Newman, and J. Thompson, the last three being still partners, conducting its operations to the convenience and satisfaction of a large constituency. To hold the business abreast of the requirements of a growing population, appreciative of the ever-changing modes of the London and Parisian world, Mr. Jones made several visits to the old world, taking up his residence there with his family for awhile. Indeed, it is scarcely two years since he returned to take his place in the conduct of the financial affairs of the establishment in Sydney, and to see completed, by additions the fine new buildings erected by the firm, in which the business has been since carried on. Thus at the age of 50 years, when he had begun to take a fuller measure of responsibility in connection with the business, Mr. Jones was suddenly cut off. The beautiful wreaths which the employees of the establishment placed on his coffin was emblematic of the sincere respect they entertained for him. By many kind deeds he held something more than the goodwill of those whom he controlled in business affairs. Always considerate of the interests of employees, we have heard many expressions of the value attached to a position in the establishment of David Jones and Co. Beyond the mere circle of the assistants in the firm's service Mr. Jones's good offices in business affairs were widely extended, and it would be difficult to find one more regardful of those who by misfortune fell into trouble, or more ready to help by his purse and otherwise those who deserved aid. Indeed, it may be truly said that he never sent the needy away unaided, and in giving relief it was always done so pleasantly as to cause no feeling of discomfort to those who received it. These qualities, combined with a singularly unaffected character and naturally cheerful temperament—always disposed to look at the bright side of things and to help others by his example—secured for Mr. Jones a wide circle of friends, who regarded him as a good follow in the best sense. In 1867, in the Congregational Church, Pitt-street, of which he was at that time a member, Mr. Jones was married by the Rev. John Graham to Ellen Jones, third daughter of the late Mr. Richard Jones, who survives him, with three young sons, and a daughter, married three years back to Mr. Arthur Nott, Dr. Sydney Jones, the well-known Sydney physician, is a brother of Mr. Jones, and Mr. G. Jones, of Queensland, is another brother, Mrs. T. J. Thompson, Mrs. Ford, Mrs. R. S. Ross, and Mrs. Symonds being sisters; and among his brothers-in-law are Messrs. J. R. Jones (of Jones and Black), R. Jones (of Harrison, Jones, and Devlin), and Mr. James Plummer (of Plummer and Owen), while his marriage connections include many other business and professional men of the city.