Mainly letters from Gareth Jones to his parents and other members of his family, describing his activities, travels and the people whom he meets. Throughout the letters there are also regular references to events and people at home at Barry and in South Wales.
Letters from Gareth Vaughan Jones, mainly from Trinity College, Cambridge, 1926-1928, when he was a student there. They relate in some detail his activities and academic and social pursuits and give his impressions of his surroundings and his companions. He also comments on the activities of various student societies. Occasionally he gives news of his friends. There are also occasional references to items of national and international news, particularly political. He regularly enquires, too, about people and events at home in Barry and comments on the domestic life of the Jones family. There are a few references to relatives. There are also a few discussions of his future plans and aspirations. A small number of the earlier letters are written from the University of Strasbourg where Gareth Jones spent the academic year 1924-1925.
Many of the letters are written from Trinity College, Cambridge, a few from The Times office at London, and some from 25 Old Queen Street, Westminster when Gareth Vaughan Jones was in the employ of David Lloyd George. There are also a few letters written from continental and Russian cities like Berlin, Moscow and Warsaw where he describes his surroundings and events. They describe his academic activities - essays, examinations etc. - and leisure pursuits. He also refers to his work as a tutor and his students there. He writes in great detail about the people whom he meets and gives his impressions of them. There are many references to international affairs and events on the Continent, and some discussion of events at Barry and family news. Later he describes his duties for Lloyd George and the politicians he meets while in his employ.
Most of the letters are written from New York when Gareth Jones was in the employ of Ivy Lee and Associates, a public relations counselling office. Ivy Lee also had other peripheral pursuits. Gareth Jones describes in detail his travels, experiences and the people whom he meets, including Herbert Hoover, then the President of the United States. He refers to many other public figures and academics in the USA. He also describes his research work and other duties while in the employ of Ivy Lee. There are also constant references to family news and events at home in Barry and south Wales and replies to letters received from members of his family at home. A few of the letters are written at various locations on the continent as Gareth Jones travelled in Europe. There are also frequent references to a book which he is preparing on the situation in Russia, the articles which he is publishing in various newspapers, and to the economic and fiscal problems of the time.
The great majority of the letters are written at New York while Gareth Jones remained in the employ of Ivy Lee and Associates until May 1932. Thereafter, he returned to resume working as a researcher for David Lloyd George.based mainly at Bron-y-de, Churt in Surrey, working extensively on Lloyd George's War Memoirs. Most of the letters outline events at New York and his activities and describe in some detail the people he meets and gives his impressions of them. He also eagerly outlines events and the people whom he meets while in the employ of Lloyd George. There are also occasional references to events at home in Barry.
The early letters are from Thames House in London while Gareth Jones remained a researcher in the employ of David Lloyd George. These letters describe his work and activities there and the interesting people whom he meets and his trips to various places. Later he describes his work as a journalist and his plans and ambitions for the course of his future career. He often refers to the books which he is reading too. Later in 1934 he began his 'around-the-world tour', and there are some letters from a large number of countries describing his events and experiences. There are letters written at New York, Washington DC, Wisconsin, Hollywood (California) during the early part of the tour, and he often refers to the articles which he is writing for various newspapers and journals and to the lectures which he sometimes delivers. Later letters were written at Japan, Hong Kong, Java, Singapore, Siam and China and discuss events and developments in those countries and his ever developing and changing plans for travelling further. Throughout there are references and enquiries about events at home in Barry and south Wales. There are also typescript copies of some of the last letters which he sent to his family during June and July 1935 just before his capture by the 'bandits'.
Stray letters to Gareth Jones. The correspondents include Sir John Herbert Lewis, 1933 (relating to Gareth Jones's articles on the Five Year plan published in The Times), and Sir John Edward Lloyd, 1930 (2 letters) (relating to the Archaelological Committee). There are also copies of a reference about Gareth Jones, October 1934, written by Sir Bernard Pares of the School of Slavonic and East European Studies of the University of London, giving important information about Gareth Jones's career.
Picture postcards deriving from members of the Jones family, mainly cards sent by Gareth Jones to his family while on his travels. Most are addressed to his parents, his two sisters, or to his niece Siriol [later Dr Siriol Colley]. Some are addressed to people outside the family. They originate from several countries including France, Germany, Switzermand, Poland, the USA, the USSR, Siam, Hong Kong, and China. They comprise brief comments on his travels. A few of the stray postcards are addressed to Gareth Jones, and a small number are from other members of the Jones family.
Press cuttings mainly of articles by Gareth Jones, many on Welsh matters from the Western Mail, some published there as a series entitled 'Craftsmen of Wales', and a few on international matters from national newspapers.
Most of the cuttings are of articles by Gareth Jones describing conditions in Russia following his visits to the country, many of them on the Five Year Plan of economic recovery introduced by Stalin and the terrible famine in the country the holodomor). There are also a few cuttings on the United States and Hitler's Germany.
Press articles written by Gareth Jones in national newspapers on Russia, Germany (mainly on the impact of Hitler), the situation in Ireland, the United States, and a few on central Europe.
The folder is marked 'American articles', and many of the cuttings are of articles written by Gareth Jones during his 'Round the World' tour in the spring of 1935. There are also a few cuttings during previous years written on Russia and Germany.
Papers relating to the capture of Gareth Jones in Inner Mongolia in July 1935 and his susequent murder on 12 August 1935. These include copies of some of the last letters which he wrote to his family, and large numbers of press reports on these events and paying tribute to his memory. There are also memorial cards, and papers deriving from subsequent investigations into his death.
