Peter Rees Jones
Encyclopedia
Peter Rees Jones was the son of Thomas Jones, a hat maker, born in Newcastle Emlyn
, Carmarthenshire
, Wales
and founder of the Peter Jones
department store
in Sloane Square
, London
, England.
At the age of 24, after serving an apprenticeship with a draper in Carmarthen
, and with £14 savings in his pocket, he moved to London.
Jones initially took a position with a draper in Hackney
before moving on to apprenticeships with William Tarn in Newington
and then Stagg & Mantle at Leicester Square
. He opened his own small draper’s shop, ‘Peter Jones’ in 1871 on Marlborough Road (now Draycott Avenue), Chelsea
.
Six years later, in 1877, he moved to numbers 4 and 6 Kings Road
— on the site of the present shop. Chelsea, at that time, was growing in affluence and the business flourished, quickly expanding into 26 neighbouring properties before being rebuilt in the 1880s.
The original premises were replaced with a five storey building of red brick and red Mansfield stone under a green slate roof. Completed in 1890, the new building was lavishly appointed with marble pillars, thick carpets and palms. Staff quarters contained a library, piano and two billiard tables and the shop was the first in England to be lit by electricity throughout. At this time the business described itself as ‘silk mercers, costumiers and complete house furnishers’.
The Symons Street frontage of the 1890 building is still in existence, forming part of the present shop.
Peter Jones was floated on the stock market in 1900 by which time the business employed over 300 people. In 1902, however, the company made the mistake of buying up cheap bankrupt stock and together with a new policy of frequent sales, weakened the business.
On 1 September 1905, The West Middlesex Advertiser recorded that ‘..Mr Peter Jones, the founder of the great drapery emporium at Sloane Square.. who was 62 years of age, died peacefully in his sleep — a quiet ending to one of the most strenuous and remarkable careers which the metropolis presents’.
The Sloane Square business was purchased by John Lewis
, founder of the eponymous Oxford Street store, after his death. Unlike most other stores owned by the company, which are now branded John Lewis (e.g. Heelas
in Reading
), Peter Jones has been allowed to retain its original name.
Newcastle Emlyn
Newcastle Emlyn is a town straddling the counties of Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire in west Wales and lying on the River Teifi.Adpar is the part of the town that lies on the Ceredigion side of the River Teifi...
, Carmarthenshire
Carmarthenshire
Carmarthenshire is a unitary authority in the south west of Wales and one of thirteen historic counties. It is the 3rd largest in Wales. Its three largest towns are Llanelli, Carmarthen and Ammanford...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
and founder of the Peter Jones
Peter Jones (department store)
Peter Jones is a large, established and exclusive department store in central London. It is owned by John Lewis Partnership and located in Sloane Square, Chelsea.-History :...
department store
Department store
A department store is a retail establishment which satisfies a wide range of the consumer's personal and residential durable goods product needs; and at the same time offering the consumer a choice of multiple merchandise lines, at variable price points, in all product categories...
in Sloane Square
Sloane Square
Sloane Square is a small hard-landscaped square on the boundaries of the fashionable London districts of Knightsbridge, Belgravia and Chelsea, located southwest of Charing Cross, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. The square is part of the Hans Town area designed in 1771 by Henry...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England.
At the age of 24, after serving an apprenticeship with a draper in Carmarthen
Carmarthen
Carmarthen is a community in, and the county town of, Carmarthenshire, Wales. It is sited on the River Towy north of its mouth at Carmarthen Bay. In 2001, the population was 14,648....
, and with £14 savings in his pocket, he moved to London.
Jones initially took a position with a draper in Hackney
London Borough of Hackney
The London Borough of Hackney is a London borough of North/North East London, and forms part of inner London. The local authority is Hackney London Borough Council....
before moving on to apprenticeships with William Tarn in Newington
Newington, London
Newington is a district of London, England, and part of the London Borough of Southwark. It was an ancient parish and the site of the early administration of the county of Surrey...
and then Stagg & Mantle at Leicester Square
Leicester Square
Leicester Square is a pedestrianised square in the West End of London, England. The Square lies within an area bound by Lisle Street, to the north; Charing Cross Road, to the east; Orange Street, to the south; and Whitcomb Street, to the west...
. He opened his own small draper’s shop, ‘Peter Jones’ in 1871 on Marlborough Road (now Draycott Avenue), Chelsea
Chelsea, London
Chelsea is an area of West London, England, bounded to the south by the River Thames, where its frontage runs from Chelsea Bridge along the Chelsea Embankment, Cheyne Walk, Lots Road and Chelsea Harbour. Its eastern boundary was once defined by the River Westbourne, which is now in a pipe above...
.
Six years later, in 1877, he moved to numbers 4 and 6 Kings Road
Kings Road
King's Road or Kings Road, known popularly as The King's Road or The KR, is a major, well-known street stretching through Chelsea and Fulham, both in west London, England...
— on the site of the present shop. Chelsea, at that time, was growing in affluence and the business flourished, quickly expanding into 26 neighbouring properties before being rebuilt in the 1880s.
The original premises were replaced with a five storey building of red brick and red Mansfield stone under a green slate roof. Completed in 1890, the new building was lavishly appointed with marble pillars, thick carpets and palms. Staff quarters contained a library, piano and two billiard tables and the shop was the first in England to be lit by electricity throughout. At this time the business described itself as ‘silk mercers, costumiers and complete house furnishers’.
The Symons Street frontage of the 1890 building is still in existence, forming part of the present shop.
Peter Jones was floated on the stock market in 1900 by which time the business employed over 300 people. In 1902, however, the company made the mistake of buying up cheap bankrupt stock and together with a new policy of frequent sales, weakened the business.
On 1 September 1905, The West Middlesex Advertiser recorded that ‘..Mr Peter Jones, the founder of the great drapery emporium at Sloane Square.. who was 62 years of age, died peacefully in his sleep — a quiet ending to one of the most strenuous and remarkable careers which the metropolis presents’.
The Sloane Square business was purchased by John Lewis
John Lewis (department store founder)
John Lewis was the founder of the John Lewis department store on Oxford Street, London.-Background:John Lewis was born in Shepton Mallet, Somerset, England into a Jewish family and became an orphan at the age of seven. He was brought up by an aunt, Miss Ann Speed...
, founder of the eponymous Oxford Street store, after his death. Unlike most other stores owned by the company, which are now branded John Lewis (e.g. Heelas
John Lewis Reading
John Lewis Reading is a major department store in Reading in the English county of Berkshire. Until 2001, the store was known as Heelas, and that name is still in common usage. The store fronts on to Reading's main pedestrianised shopping street, Broad Street, and backs onto Minster Street and...
in Reading
Reading, Berkshire
Reading is a large town and unitary authority area in England. It is located in the Thames Valley at the confluence of the River Thames and River Kennet, and on both the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 motorway, some west of London....
), Peter Jones has been allowed to retain its original name.