'˜A man of his own mind' '“ former Havant mayor Victor Pierce Jones dies aged 84

Victor Pierce Jones, of Hayling Island, has died aged 84.

Born in Wrexham, Wales, Mr Jones served as a Havant borough councillor for 14 years – enjoying a year as mayor from May, 2007.

Suceeding him, his wife Margaret, dubbed him a ‘fountain of knowledge’ who will be ‘sorely missed’.

Recalling the story behind their 56-and-a-half years of marriage, Mrs Jones said: ‘We found each other in Ealing, London. I was having a birthday party and he was introduced to me as my neighbour’s cousin.

‘We met on the day of the party and he asked me to marry him two days later – he was certainly a man of his own mind.

‘We eventually got engaged in November when we were passing a jewellery shop together.

‘He joked “choose yourself a ring or I’ll do it myself” and that was it – we never looked back.’

Having graduated with an English degree from the University of Oxford in the 1960s, Mr Pierce Jones enjoyed 27 years as a teacher.

His intellectual curiosity saw him write his own tomes – including Saint or Sensationalist? – which delves into the life of journalist W T Stead, who died on board HMS Titanic.

His other interests included amateur dramatics, writing for and delivering the Hayling Islander and researching the chequered life of Russian princess Ekaterina Yourievsky, who died in Emsworth.Mr Pierce Jones is succeeded by three sons and three grandsons. Margaret invites those who knew him to ‘celebrate and reminisce’ his life at his funeral at 4pm on Wednesday, May 30 at The Oaks Crematorium in Havant. She confirmed a function will follow at The Brookfield Hotel and Hermitage Restaurant in Emsworth – a location where Mr Pierce Jones held multiple functions as mayor.