Remembering My Dad. 25.01.1926-04.07.2014

Thomas Lloyd Jones 1926-2014

Today is Dad’s Birthday. He would have been 99 years old, had he been here today.

My father was born in Richmond, an inner suburb of Melbourne, Victoria. You can see a little of his story here . Dad’s early years were tough, after the death of his Mum and Dad, within six weeks of each other, when he was 6 years old. As an adult, he made a happy and successful life for himself with a strong marriage and three daughters, me being the eldest.

When Dad passed away, I was in Spain, walking the Camino de Santiago. I was on my third last day, but managed to finish and arrived home two days before his funeral.

Dad lived to the age of 88, and now, eleven years after his death, life still seems very strange without him.

A Busy Wedding Day

My parents, Thomas Lloyd Jones and Eunice Joy Morison, were married in July 1952, at the Wesley Church, in Shepparton. Usually, a wedding day is a much busier day for the bride, than for the groom. But this was not the case at my parent’s wedding.

My father was a very good football player, and played for the local team, City United. As one of their best players, there was a match that he needed to play on his wedding day.

The wedding was at 11am, which gave time for the service to be held, followed by the football game. Dad would have time to go from the wedding to the football ground and be on the ground just in time for the first bounce of the ball. I have been told that the football match was attended by most of the wedding guests. It was then time to head back to the wedding reception, after the match, for the celebrations. It was a big day and it was reported in sports pages and also the social pages of the local paper.

Mum and Dad’s Wedding Day

From: The Shepparton News, 07 July 1952
His Big Day Out: United defender Tommy Jones, had a big programme, on Saturday, when, after his wedding that morning, he had a torrid afternoon, against the Shepparton blitz.

From The Shepparton News, 07 July 1952
Smiling Bride and Groom
Attending the Jones-Morrison wedding on Saturday, Mrs. DeTracy was well turned out in a junior blue suit and accessories, her ingenious double brimmed beret, having white polka dots and twisted junior blue cord. She wore white gardenias in her lapel. Mrs. Woodhouse wore a blue hat, with her grey suit. Mrs. Pat O’Brien wore tan accessories with her biscuit suit. Mrs. Walter Byrne, of Williamstown, was in a junior blue suit, with brilliant contrasting color of yellow in her blouse, and carnation on her lapel. Mrs. Gwen Pick wore a handsome tan coat with tan accessories. Mrs. Walker’s forest green coat and tan accessories were worn with cream and yellow roses. Mrs. Sly chose a soft tailored fawn suit, tan accessories, and dress spray of pink

This photo was taken around the time that Mum and Dad married. It definitely looks like the lady behind him is checking him out.

Dad’s Football Team

The City United Football team: That’s Dad, right in the middle front, in the centre of the front row

The photo, above, appeared in the Shepparton Newspaper, in 2016, with a story about the last surviving player in the 1950 team, who was in his 98th year.

I am very familiar with the photo, as it has hung on my parents wall for many years. The team is the City United Grand Final Team of 1950.

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