Charles William Jones

Charles William Bowen-Jones (1836 – 15 July 1908) was a Welsh politician and magistrate in the county of Carmarthenshire.

Early life Jones was born in 1836 in the Welsh borough of Carmarthen, the son of William Edward Bowen-Jones, a justice of the peace and mayor of Carmarthen.

Career Jones was admitted to the Pharmaceutical Society on 17 April 1860 and succeeded his father as an apothecary in Lammas Street, Carmarthen. Being possessed of wealth, he retired in the mid-1870s and entered politics. He was elected to the Carmarthen Borough Council as a Conservative shortly after and then to the aldermanic bench, a position he relinquished when it became necessary for him to seek re-election at the hands of the ratepayers. He was twice elected as Mayor of Carmarthen and was placed on the commission of the peace for the borough and county. By the late 1890s, he was also elected Vice-chairman of Carmarthenshire in recognition of his services to Carmarthen and the monthly courts of St. Clears and Llanboidy.

Jones was also an impartial administrator of the law and took a keen interest in magisterial work. For many years he was elected successively as a representative of the court of quarter sessions on the Standing Joint Committee, and he was a member of the Visiting Committee to H.M. Prison, Carmarthen. Jones was a governor of the Carmarthenshire Infirmary and chairman of the directors of the Carmarthen Gas Company. After the marriage, they resided at Lammas Street, Carmarthen near the business of Jones' father, where he spent much of his time. They had a stillbirth in January 1868.

According to Jones, they lived comfortably together until the end of 1871, when she began an affair with John Lewis, a married timber merchant and former Mayor of Carmarthen. He forbade her from seeing Lewis, but she continued to do so. Shortly after her father's death in October 1871, he gave her a push as she was getting out of bed and told her to sleep with the servant. Several anonymous letters regarding the affair were sent to Jones, which he always showed her. Because of their differences, they took meals separately. When she miscarried in November 1872, he walked into her room, locked the door, and told her that many a man would strike her had he been provoked like this, but ostensibly he did not strike her.

Death and funeral Jones died on 15 July 1908 at his residence Gwynfryn, a Grade II* listed building in Penllwyn Park, Carmarthen. He was discovered by his housekeeper at about 8:15 pm lying unresponsive on the floor, having been heard by her at about 8:00 pm moving about his room. In the time leading up to his death, Jones had suffered a paralytic stroke, and although treated for heart trouble, he had been apprehensive of a sudden death.

Will Jones' will was written on 27 July 1904 and his bequests were the subject of much media and public attention. The will, of which probate was granted in London containing four codicils dated 21 March 1906, 15 March 1907, 1 October 1907, and 22 October 1907, bequeathed thousands of pounds to his servants and several charities, but only a shilling to his wife.

Jones left the Gwynfryn property, two cottages, and the field of Parkynol to his servant Elizabeth Owens. She chose not to live at Gwynfryn and sold it to John Lewis.