The graves around the chapel area include some well-known names in Swindon’s history, but I must admit I had never heard of Cyril Hammond Montague Jones.
Cyril was the son of William Jones and Jane Moss. William was born in Gloucester in around 1854. He married Jane Moss at St. Luke’s, Gloucester on July 10, 1882 when he described himself as ‘Lay Clerk St Andrew’s, Bristol.’ William and Jane’s two children were both born in Bristol, Edith Hammond Jones born in 1883 and Cyril Hammond Montague Jones in 1885.
By 1891 William and Jane were living in Churcham, Glos with their two young children and a 10 year old nephew. William now states that he is ‘Living on own means’ suggesting he has a private income or inheritance.
The family eventually made their appearance in Swindon at the time of the 1901 census when they were living at 27 Regent Street where William describes his occupation as ‘Draper.’
In 1917 Regent Street was the centre of a busy and vibrant shopping area. Morses department store occupied premises at numbers 10, 11 & 12. The 1,000 seater Arcadia Cinema had opened in 1912 on the site of a former shopping arcade. W.W. Hunter’s furniture shop stood on the corner of Edgware Road and Regent Street (look up and you can still see the name in the brickwork). The County Electric Pavilion picture house opened in 1910 and was in operation for more than 20 years. The site was later occupied by F.W. Woolworth and today is home to the One Below Discount Store and Peacocks. Then there was the Artillery Arms at No. 25; F.E. Cottell, jewellers and watchmakers at No 26 and in 1917 Mrs J. Jones, Milliner was at No. 27. Perhaps the nature of their business had changed. There was some fierce competition with Morses at one end of Regent Street and McIlroys at the other.
Cyril trained as an architect but on April 1, 1915 he enlisted with the Royal Navy serving on the President before transferring to the Royal Garrison Artillery (RGA). Lieutenant A Captain Cyril Hammond Montague Jones died on November 14, 1918 at the 2nd Eastern General Hospital, Brighton. He was 33 years old. He was buried in Radnor Street Cemetery on November 20 in plot D15A.
This now a large double family plot where Cyril lies with his mother Jane who died in 1924, his father William who died in 1949 and his sister Edith who died in 1965.
Radnor Street Cemetery 