~ Families & People ~
Features and discussions on notable Gornal families.
Jones.
There were (are) many different branches of family Jones around Gornal, to the extent that Jones married a Jones as in the case of this branch of the family.
So here is a typical working family of the time, many decendents of which are still living in this area.
So it was Job Jones [b1860], miner, father William Jones, that married Martha Jones [b1861], father Joseph Jones.
The marriage took place at at St James', Lower Gornal on Christmas Day 1881.
Both Job and Martha, already coming from large Gornal families, had nine children
Mary Ann [b1883]; Alice [b1885]; Elizabeth [b1886]; Joseph [1889]; Charlotte [b1891]; Martha [b1892]; John [b1894]; Alfred [b1898]; Lois [b1902].
The couple lived in East Street, Red Hall where a number of their relatives lived.
Job Jones parents were William and Elizabeth Jones, of West Street, Red Hall.
Martha Jones parents were Joseph and Ann Jones, of 12 West Street, Red Hall.
Martha was an active member of Lake Street Chapel.
Three of their children - Joseph 'Joe', John 'Jack' and Alfred 'Alf', all played for Gornal Athletic Football Club in one of the Club's 1920s glory years.
Lois Jones married Samuel Astley in 1923, and had two children, however Lois died five years later.

John 'Jack' Jones with his wife Sarah 'Sally', pictured at their home in Wood Road, Lower Gornal 1960's'

John 'Jack' Jones was born in Gornal in 1893, parents Job and Martha. Jack married Sarah Marson at St. James, Lower Gornal on 1st Auguest 1915. Sarah was the daughter of John and Sarah Marson (nee Hale).
John was a miner like many other local men of this period and worked in the local pits, football didn't bring in much income in those days.
Between 1916 and 1919 he saw military service in the Coldstream Guards.
Later in life, Sally would remark that she had never seen the Sea!
The couple had seven children and lived in Lower Gornal all their lives, Jack Jones died in 1970 and Sally in 1977.
~