Thomas Jones

KEEPING UP WITH THE JONESES……………

These blogs will be about the Jones family.  This first one will be about the father, Thomas Jones.

Thomas Jones was born 1819, Rhayader, Radnorshire.  He was the son of commercial traveller, John Jones.  Thomas apprenticed at Llanwrtyd with a flannel manufacturer.  1831, at Bryn-mawr, he became a collier, this followed during 1839 at Llanelly, Carmarthenshire.  Whilst there, Thomas started to preach at Calvinistic Methodists.  By 1841, he joined the Independents. It is still at Llanelly and Rhyd-y-bont, Thomas undertook education, resulting by 1844, having been ordinated pastor of Capel-y-bryn, Llanelly.  The following year, 1845, preached at Llanwrda and Hermon.  Then by 1850, Libanus, Morriston. It was here at Morriston, that Thomas, won great repute as a preacher and lecturer. 

1858, Thomas moved to London to preach at Frederick Street church, Albany, London.  From here, he later moved to Bedford Chapel, Oakley Square, during 1861.  It was here that Thomas, met the poet, Robert Browning, whom was one of his congregation.

One of Robert’s notable works is the poem “The Pied Piper of Hamelin”.

By the end of 1869, Thomas had to leave London due to loss of health.  From 1870 to 1877, Thomas was the pastor the new Congregational church, Walter’s Road, Swansea.  On grounds of his health, Thomas was the pastor of Collins Street, Melbourne, Australia.  By 1881, Thomas moved back to Swansea where he was the assistant pastor at Walter’s Road, until his death the following year, 1882.

During 1871-72, Thomas was the chairman of the Congregational Union of England and Wales.  After his death, a volume of his sermons “The Divine Order” were published 1884.

Thomas was married twice, firstly to Jane Jones, whom he had four sons, David Brynmor, John Viriamu, Irvonwy, Leifchid Stratten and Morlais Glasfryn and a daughter, Annie.  Jane died 1867, and Thomas, secondly married Annie Howell.