Captain John Treasure Jones

courtesy The History Press

Popular amongst both passengers and crew on the Cunard liners, John eventually was given the nickname "The Undertaker" as he was chosen on three occasions to be master of three ships ending their service with Cunard. These were the Mauretania, the Saxonia and the Queen Mary. The final trip of the Queen Mary was his own as he then  went into retirement.

John went to see at the age of 15 and worked his way up to gain a master's ticket but even that achievement meant very little in the depression of 1929 when White Star Line sacked all masters with less than 15 years of service.

During WWII served in the RN and was on a ship that was torpedoed and spent 4 hours on a raft before being rescued.

Joining Cunard in 1947 he served on the Queen Mary for 10 years as Staff Captain.

Queen Mary departing on her final voyage [1967]
courtesy artist Eric Crompton, Southampton

John had a distinguished career and  in 1968 was awarded an honorary degree by the University of Wales.

Before the final departure of the Queen Mary certain artefacts were auctioned off for charity and the late Frank [Sammy] Powell a customs officer bid for the ship's brass chronometer which he lovingly cherished. After years of continuing service by the clock, Frank decided that it deserved a service and clean up of the works. It was much admired by the clocksmith who completed the service and returned it. Ten days later it stopped and Frank slightly miffed took it back to be checked over but apparently there was nothing wrong. However both Frank and the clocksmith had an errie feeling when they discovered that the date that the clock stopped was the exact hour and minute of
the death of John Treasure Jones.