Owen Thomas Jones (Q58820)

Owen Thomas Jones (1878-1967) was Woodwardian Professor of Geology at Cambridge University. He was born in Beulah, Cardiganshire, and attended the British School in Trewern and Pencader Grammar School. He went to University College of Wales, Aberystwyth, in 1896, and graduated with first-class honours in Physics in 1900. He then went to Trinity College, Cambridge, to study geology and mineralogy, 1902-1903. He joined H. M. Geological Survey to survey the western end of the south Wales coalfield. In 1909 he was awarded a DSc by the University of Wales, returned to Aberystwyth to lecture and in 1910 was appointed Professor of Geology. In 1919 he became Professor of Geology at the University of Manchester and in 1930 Woodwardian Professor of Geology at Cambridge University. He retired from his post in 1943. Professor Jones published numerous papers and books on the geology of Wales, Britain and North America, 1910-1960. One of the most significant was Lead and zinc: The mining district of North Cardiganshire and West Montgomeryshire (HMSO, 1922). He was President of the Geological and Mineralogical Societies and a fellow of the Royal Society. He was awarded the Lyell Medal, 1926, the Geological Society's Wollaston Medal, 1945, the Royal Society's Royal Medal, 1956, and an honorary LL. D. by the University of Wales, 1958. He married Ethel May Reynolds of Haverfordwest in 1910 and they had two sons and a daughter. He died on 5 May 1967.