Robert Arthur Jones was born in Liverpool in 1849. After working in Manchester for a clock & watchmaker he eventually moved to Southend on Sea where, in 1890, he opened his own jewellery business at 76-78 High Street (if you look above the current modern premises you will see the original magnificent facade, with R A Jones carved in stone at the very top and an ornate white clock hanging out over the High St).
The shop was a great success and an important local archive of papers, receipts & photographs relating to the business is held at Southend's Central Museum. A photograph of the shop c1914 is also preserved in the Essex Record Office.
Quoted as saying "I think it is a sin for a man to die rich", off the back of this business success, R A Jones embarked on a philanthropic lifestyle - from which the town benefited greatly.
His gifts to the town include:
- Jones Memorial Recreation Ground. Presented to the school children of the town of Southend in 1913, in memory of his wife.
- Priory Park. In 1917 he purchased Prittlewell Priory from the Scratton Family (another notable local family, responsible for building most of Clifftown (now a conservation area), with a road there named in honour of Daniel Scratton). With the Priory came 22 acres of land, to which R A Jones added a further 6 acres. He presented the final site to the town for the purposes of recreation and, as he saw it, a better alternative than the "Out of the way" Belfairs.
- Victory Sports Ground. Presented to the town in 1921 specifically to commemorate those sportsmen who died in WWI. Given for the "Benefit of the people of Southend", this park is now managed in Trust by Southend Borough Council.
- He also gifted the public drinking fountain commemorating the fallen of WWI sited in Priory Park, the clock at the entrance to Prittlewell Square and the R A Jones In Memorium Fund which to this day supports the education of children attending primary schools in the Borough.
R A Jones died in 1925 and his grave can be found in the gardens behind the Priory in Priory Park. On his death, his son Edward Cecil continued the family business and the family's generosity towards Southend, founding Cecil Jones High School for the children of the town and The Southend on Sea Council for the Welfare of Elderly People (now the Southend on Sea Darby and Joan Organisation).
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You are looking for a micro container. Don't forget your pencil.
R A Jones delighted in making open spaces available to the wider public and was a strong believer in the benefits of recreational activities. This cache is located in a small garden area of what is otherwise very much a 'sporting' park. For a much grander and impressive example of public gardens with R A Jones gave to the town please visit Priory Park (where you will also find GC1GDFC, which includes a visit to R A Jones' grave!).
The park contains a play area which mini-cachers are sure to enjoy and public toilets are available on match days.
The park closes at dusk each day (times vary throughout the year).
*****Congratulations to womble1971, szanfam4, gspleo & $tu for the joint FTF!*****
