Honouring Dr David A Jones: From humble beginnings to global engineering impact

All of us in the IET family were deeply saddened to hear of the passing of our former President Dr David A Jones. 

Born in Tranmere in 1927, David’s journey began in a modest two-up two-down house in Birkenhead, without electricity and with an outside lavatory. Even in those early days, a fascination with mechanical and electrical appliances took root. As a teenager, he began working at a local radio shop where the sharp-eyed owner soon appreciated David’s talent, and asked him to take home radios to repair, which he took to doing on his kitchen table. This proved to be a humble start that led to an extraordinary career. 

From that kitchen table to becoming President of the Institution of Electrical Engineers (IEE) in 1990–91, David’s life was marked by vision, ingenuity, and dedication. The IEE was at the heart of his professional life from the moment he graduated, and his contributions to the field were both significant and far-reaching. 

As a director at Ewbank Preece, he led major infrastructure projects including the Greater Dhaka Power Distribution Project in Bangladesh, a vast undertaking involving over 180 substations and thousands of miles of cable and transmission lines. David personally made over 30 visits to Dhaka to guide the project’s successful delivery. 

David will be remembered not only for his professional legacy but also for his warmth, wisdom, and belief in the next generation of engineers. He will be greatly missed by his son Robin, grandchildren Greg and Sophie, and three great-grandchildren, at least one of whom, he always believed, would follow in his engineering footsteps. 

From a home without electricity to shaping the future of electrical engineering, he truly was an inspiration