Jones family history
Revd Richard Ebenezer Jones (1860-1937) (grandfather)
The youngest of Dr John's 10 children, born on 13 April 1860, Richard also went to Clare College, Cambridge, graduating with a BA in 1883 and MA in 1888. He went to Gloucester College in 1884. He was ordained deacon in the Church of England on 31 May 1885 by the Bishop of Gloucester and Bristol, licensed as Curate at St Lawrence Bristol on 7 June 1885 and ordained priest on 20 June 1886. On 7 February 1887 he took a Perpetual Curacy at Llanishen with Trelleck Grange but resigned his licence in 1896. i From 20 October 1899 until 1901 he was Rector of Llanrothal (now part of the parish of Welsh Newton); and from 20 December 1901 until 1916 Rector of Llanddewi Skirrid. My father told me his father used to cycle from Welsh Newton to Llanrothal to take services. Was he living at Newton Lodge at the time?
He married Mary Helen Jenkins in The Abbey, Bath, on 6 June 1906, aged 46. She was born on 5 August 1878 at St John's Vicarage, Storridge (in the Parish of Cradley), Worcestershire and baptized at St John's, where her father, Revd William Richard Jenkins, was Vicar. Many of her ancestors over several generations, both on her father's side and Morgans on her mother's side, were also ordained. My two uncles, Hugh Richard Austen (1907-1964) and Colin (1909-1983), and five aunts, Beryl Rayer (1910-2001), Constance Ursula (1911-1986), Phyllis Betty Anne (1912-1996), Phoebe Helen Ruth (1912-2003) and Mary (1914-2000) were all born at Llanddewi Skirrid; my father, Robert Miles Christopher (1922-2012), at St Helier, Jersey. Helen died on 15 January 1967 and was buried at Llangarron on 18 January.
Richard resigned his licence at Llanddewi Skirrid in 1916, moved to Iffley, Charlton Kings, Cheltenham and was given permission to officiate there by the Bishop of Gloucester. In August 1921 he moved to No 2 Trafalgar Terrace, St Helier, but only stayed there two years, moving to Whittington Rectory, Cheltenham, until 1932. He then lived at Brook End, Kingsland, Leominster from 1932-36: and spent the last year of his life at Birnam (also known as Greengates), Whitchurch, Herefordshire. He died on 14 December 1937 and was buried at Llangarron on 18 December.
He didn't like his middle name, Ebenezer, and was reprimanded by the Bishop of Llandaff for not including it in his resignation letter from Llanddewi Skirrid.
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i Bradney, J.A., A History of Monmouthshire, Vol 2 Part 2, The Hundred of Trelech, Academy Books Limited, London, 1992, page 245 (return to text)