Robert John Jones was born on 2 January 1885 in Paddington, a son of John Jones (b.circa1857) and Emma Jones née Bushnell (b.circa1856). His birth was registered in the 1st quarter of 1885 in the Paddington registration district. On 19 February 1885 he was baptised at St Mary Magdalene's Church, Paddington, where the baptismal register shows the family were living at 70 Hampden Street, Paddington and his father was listed as a packer.
In the 1891 census he is shown as a scholar living in three rooms at 128 Miles Buildings, Linton Street, Marylebone, with his parents and two siblings: Emma Mary Jones (b.1883) and Thomas W. Jones (b.1888). His father described as a draper's porter.
He was described as a telegraph messenger in the 1901 census still residing at 128 Miles Buildings with his parents and two siblings. His father was listed as a draper's packer, his sister as a dressmaker and his brother as a scholar.
Postal Service Appointment Books show that he was employed as a postman grade 1 in 1903 in London's Western District Office.
On 18 April 1908 he married Alice Maude Long (b.1886) at St Mary's Church, Paddington, where the marriage register shows him to be a bachelor and postman living within the parish of St Marylebone whilst his wife is described as a spinster of 28 St Mary's Mansions, St Mary's Terrace, Paddington.
When he completed his 1911 census return form he described himself as a G.P.O. postman living in four rooms at 2 Chichester Road, Paddington, with his wife and their four-months-old son, Robert William John Jones (1910-1977) together with two male boarders.
He was serving as a Serjeant in the Royal Army Medical Corps, service number 29990, when he died of sickness and the effects of heat, aged 34 years on 16 July 1919. Although he is buried in Grave 52 in the 'Tank Cemetery' he is commemorated on Face 23 of India Gate, New Delhi, India.
On 26 April 1920 his widow was sent his army effects totalling £78-19s-1d. He was posthumously awarded the British War Medal 1914-1918, the Victory Medal and India General Service Medal 1908-1935 with the Afghanistan North West Frontier 1919 Clasp for service during the Third Afghan War.
He is also commemorated on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's website and on Page 203 in the Post Office Fellowship of Remembrance's Book of Remembrance 1914-1920.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
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