Jones, E. Alfred (Edward Alfred), 1872-1943

E. Alfred Jones was a prolific writer on antique silver. Born in 1872 in Llanfyllin, Wales, Jones served for a time as a subaltern in the Royal Welsh Fusiliers. He then yielded to his love of antiques, studied art, and began writing about antiques, particularly silver. In addition to the many articles he wrote, Jones compiled a number of illustrated catalogs of silver collections. Jones also wrote about furniture, tapestry, enamels, other art objects, and about Loyalists from the American Revolution. He held several honorary degrees and belonged to several art societies. Jones died on August 23, 1943 from injuries received from a fall during a blackout. He never married and had no children.

Jones wrote several books on loyalists in the American Revolution, including The Loyalists of New Jersey; their memorials, petitions, claims etc from English Records (1927), The Loyalists of Massachusetts; their memorials, petitions, claims etc (1930) and The Society or Garrison of Fort Williamsburg; the Old Glynllivon Volunteers (1935). He also wrote books about church plate and the plate of other institutions, including The Old Plate of the Cambridge Colleges (1910), The Old Royal Plate in the Tower of London (1908), The Plate of Eton College (1938), Catalogue of the Plate of Merton College, Oxford (1938) and The Church Plate of the Diocese of Bangor (1906).