Arthur Creech Jones - Early Life

Early Life

Jones was the son of a lithographic printer from Bristol. He went to Whitehall Boys' School and won a scholarship to study French, Mathematics and commerce for an extra year when he was 13. On leaving school in 1905 he worked in a solicitor's office and prepared for the Civil Service Junior Clerks' Examination. Having passed the exam, Jones joined the War Office and later worked for the Crown Agents, who acted as the London representatives of British dominions and colonies. Jones also attended evening classes to improve his education.

In his spare time, Jones was also involved with political groups; he was an active member of the Liberal Christian League, which brought him into contact with senior members of the Liberal Party. His education about politics led him to question, and eventually drop, his membership of the Methodist church. In 1913, Jones helped to found the Camberwell Trades and Labour Council, and later became honorary Secretary of the Dulwich branch of the Independent Labour Party. Jones was involved with the ILP londonwide after the outbreak of war; he had become a pacifist and organised anti-conscription meetings when conscription was introduced in 1916.