David Lloyd Jones

David Lloyd Jones (1931–1961) was the great-grandson of the original David Jones – who founded the eponymous department store in Sydney in 1838 – and the eldest son of Sir Charles Lloyd Jones (1878–1958), who was chairman of David Jones Ltd from 1920 until his death. Educated at Cranbrook School, David L Jones (as he called himself) was seventeen when his father began preparing him as his successor. David was sent to work in David Jones' London office and to learn about textiles in Manchester before spending some time as a salesman in the toy department at Harrods. He then undertook a year-long executive training course at Macy's in New York. He is said to have acquired a taste for modern art while he was there. Returning to Sydney in 1951, he was put in charge of the first floor of David Jones' flagship Elizabeth Street premises and subsequently became manager of it, and of the stores in Perth and Wagga Wagga. He married Rosemary Turnbull in 1953; in 1954, aged 23, he became the youngest director of David Jones in the firm's history. A profile which appeared in the Australian Women's Weekly in January 1957 noted that he usually took the tram to work from his terrace house in Woollahra, and that his salary 'has always erred on the meagre side' because that was the way he wanted it. 'A tireless worker', he was said to be at work each day well before opening time, and was 'still there at night when the doors are closed after the last of the customers have scurried from the store.'

A councilor of the Retail Traders Association, he became an alderman of the City of Sydney in 1956, representing the Civic Reform Association. He was also a member of the Board of Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, the Sydney Chamber of Commerce and the Swedish Chamber of Commerce, and was a founding member of the council of the Art Gallery Society of New South Wales. He became Deputy Chairman and joint Managing Director of David Jones Ltd following his father's death in 1958; in 1960, he was appointed Chairman. Hailed as Australia's most successful young businessman, at the time of his death, aged 30, in June 1931, David Jones employed more than 8000 people and had an annual turnover of thirty-nine million pounds.

Gift of David Lloyd Jones, in memory of his father, David Lloyd Jones 2021. Donated through Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program.
© William Dobell/Copyright Agency, 2023