Raymond Jones

Letter from Raymond Jones to Alan Ray-Jones dated 3 April 1999



Dear Alan

We met briefly at the funeral of our aunt in Ashton over 10 years ago, before that I think you visited Ashton as a young teenager and you went to the Parish Church with my father who played the organ.

In 1933 we moved to London from Ashton (to Balham SW12). Your father visited our house many times, staying the weekend, and you also came once with your mother. We also visited your mother's family at Cromwell Place, South Kensington. I remember Mrs Pearce and Mr Jack Pearce who whas also there, my father played the 'Bechstein Grand' which was in the Drawing Room upstairs and we had a meal in the Dining Room downstairs. I think it was Christmas 1938, the Dining Room was full of Christmas cards, when we left you were in a small bedroom next to the Drawing Room, we exchanged presents and my father gave you a torch.

Anyway, to get to the point, I recently phoned cousin Bert - the first contact since the funeral in Ashton - and he told me of the exhibition of Uncle Raymond's work at Stalybridge and your late brother Tony, in 1992.

After he had finished I ..... told him that I have the Medal which Uncle Raymond won at the Julian Academy in 1911. I have had the Medal all my life. My father showed it to me when I was 3 or 4 years old before we left for London, and told me that Uncle Raymond had left it to me because I was named after him and that he was to give it to me when I was older - which he did when I was a teenager. It was no secret, if was just that when I met any of the family it was a case of 'Hello and goodbye'. Although we allknew of Uncle Raymond's work, there never seemed to be any time for conversation, we all went our separate ways.

My father worked in South London in the 1920s and must have been in constant touch with your father.

My wife died over four years ago and there were no children and I live alone. I would like the Medal to stay in the family, but I haven't decided yet what to do.

Cousin Bert asked me to let you know first before any other relatives, which I have done. His wife Winnie and son Gerard know but no one else. I see from this mornings paper that Gerard has been made a QC only two months after being made a Recorder.

Once I know you have read this I will inform cousin Barbara Miller and Bert will inform the rest of the family. The Medal is in 'mint condition' and is in its original but 'worn' case.

Raymond B. Jones