Edwin Jones
Edwin Jones established his drapery business which later merged with United Drapers Trust and traded as Debenhams.
During the conflict leading to the American Civil War he had the business acumen to purchase large stocks of raw cotton and ship to England for the Lancashire cotton mills. This meant that during the war he was able to continue to supply linen and cotton goods whilst several of his competitors struggled to find stocks.
Edwin Jones lived at Harefield House which he purchased in 1887. In 1915, then in the residency of his widow the house caught fire and was raised to the ground. Later Harefield school was built on the site [Yeovil Chase].
Edwin's first wife Annette is buried at Southampton Old Cemetery and he then married the widow of a doctor and is buried in the West End Old Burial Ground. After the death of Edwin, his widow Fanny Louisa [nee White] married Dr Thomas who had been left with 4 children when his wife died and the new family all moved into Harefield House. After the fire the family sold off the estate and Mrs Thomas lived in Midanbury Lane until her death in 1918.
In his capacity of mayor of Southampton, Edwin Jones boarded the ship carrying the coffin of the explorer David Livingstone as a mark of respect and to ensure a dignified transfer to a train to take the body on its onward journey.
Edwin Jones was regarded as a fair employer and the company flourished and set up facilities for the staff including a sports ground and pavilion.
The premises in East Street were bombed in World War II and new premises which took 5 years to build were erected and opened in 1959, at first trading under his name but then in 1973 the decision was made to use one single brand of Debenhams. The original premises were known as Manchester House in recognition of the long connections with the Lancashire Mills.
Locals recall that in WW II that in a jingoistic gesture the store had an upper display window and the appearance of a RAF aircraft wing with the union flag and a dejected German pilot was portrayed has having been captured. The fact that his store was bombed a few weeks later brought about the local folklore that Hitler had found the display to be offensive.