Derek Jones (mayor)

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The Reverend

Derek Jones

OBE
1966 Mayor Gaborone.JPG
Mayor of Gaborone
In office
1966–1968
Preceded byOffice established
Succeeded by
Member of the Gaborone City Council
for
In office
1965/66–1969
Personal details
Born1927
England
Died9 March 2013 (aged 86)
England
Nationality United Kingdom
 Botswana
Spouse(s)
Joan Jones
​
(m. 1948⁠–⁠2004)​
Alma materUniversity of Oxford (MA)
Mansfield College, Oxford (Dip.Th.)
Military service
Branch/serviceRoyal Air Force
Years of service2 years

John Derek Jones OBE (1927 – 9 March 2013) was an English Congregationalist missionary and politician in Botswana. A member of the Gaborone City Council, he served as the first Mayor of Gaborone from 1966 to 1968.[citation needed]

Biography[]

John was born in England in 1927.[1] He earned a master's degree at the University of Oxford, and then received his Diploma in Theology from Oxford's Mansfield College.[1][2][3] He served in Egypt in the Royal Air Force for two years.[1][2] After being ordained, he moved to the Bechuanaland Protectorate (now Botswana) in 1954 as a missionary of the London Missionary Society.[2][4] He later served as the Secretary of the United Congregational Church of Southern Africa.[3]

When Gaborone was built as the independent Botswana's new capital in the 1960s, it needed a government. Vice-President Quett Masire urged him to run for city council as a Botswana Democratic Party candidate, but Jones did not believe that would be appropriate for a clergyman.[1] Instead, he agreed to run as an independent and was elected unopposed in the constituency.[1] Soon after, he was chosen as the city's first mayor in 1966.[1] In 1968, he remained on the city council but stepped down as mayor, and was succeeded by .[1] He served his full term on the city council, but chose not to run for reelection in 1969.[1] Soon after, he was awarded an OBE.[1]

From 1972 to 1993, he managed the Botswana Book Centre.[1][4] Later, he returned to England, where he died on 9 March 2013, aged 86.[4]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i j Jones, Sandy. "Obituary of Moruti Derek Jones". Facebook. Government of Botswana. Retrieved 2017-12-20.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b c Grant, Sandy (2009-06-18). "Our Heritage". Mmegi Online. Retrieved 2017-12-20.
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b Hayes, Sandra (2003). Who's who of Southern Africa. Argus Printing and Publishing. p. 501.
  4. ^ Jump up to: a b c "In Loving Memory of Rev Derek Jones (1927-2013)" (PDF). UCCSA Newsletter: 13. March 2013.
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