Name of “Thomas Jones”, year of birth of “1871”, place of birth, provided by Sarah Ferguson (nee Churton). Sarah is the x2 great-granddaughter of Thomas Jones 1839-1917 through his son John Jones (1874-1955).

Second given name, birth registration quarter of 1871, from the England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth records found in June 2025:
Name: Thomas John Jones
Registration Quarter: Oct-Nov-Dec 1871
Registration Place: Truro, Cornwall, England
Volume: 5c, Page: 170

Entry in the 'General Register Office (GRO) for England and Wales' found in June 2025:
Name: JONES, THOMAS JOHN
Mother's Maiden Surname: SAMMELS
GRO Reference: 1871 D Quarter in TRURO Volume 05C Page 170

Full date of birth of Thomas John Jones from Birth Record received from the 'General Register Office (GRO) for England and Wales' in June 2025. Please see PDF for copy.
Name: Thomas John Jones
When Born: 9 October 1871 at Idless
Sex: Boy
Name of Father: Thomas Jones
Name and Maiden Surname of Mother: Hannah Jones formerly Sammels
Rank or Profession of Father: Sawyer
Informant: Hannah Jones Mother, Idless, Kenwyn

Jones Family Arrive in New Zealand
In June 2025 it was found that thirteen-month-old Thomas, with his parents Thomas and Hannah, and older siblings, Elizabeth, Emma, and Hannah, arrived in Auckland on 3 September 1872 on board the ship "The City of Auckland". It had left Gravesend, about 21 miles east-southeast of London on 31st of May 1872. The passenger lists shows:
Jones: Thomas 30, Hannah 26, Eliza 6, Emma 4, Hannah 3, Thomas 1.
A full account of the journey was published in the New Zealand Herald of the 4 September 1872:
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZH18720904.2.17
A transcription of that newspaper reports is posted on Thomas' media page as a PDF.

Quest for possible marriage or death commences in June 2025. This is a possible death from search on New Zealand BDM website in June 2025:

Year and country of death, from death search on New Zealand BDM website in July 2025:
1917/386. Jones, Thomas. Died age 46Y [Therefore born circa 1871 which matches]

Full date of death of 29 January 1917 from further searching in July 2025 on BDM Search by incrementally changing the date range for the death.

Newspaper reports on ‘PapersPast’ attributes his death to a fall out a window in Gisborne. He was a horse-trainer having lived in Hastings for twenty-five years and was in Gisborne delivering horses.

Time to apply for a Death Certificate printout to confirm or not.

YES, this is our Thomas Jones as per information from the Death Certificate received in July 2025:
No.: 26
Death District: Gisborne
When Died: 29 January 1917
Where Died: Gisborne Public Hospital, Mangapapa.
Name and Surname: Thomas Jones
Rank, Profession, or Occupation: Horse Trainer
Sex: M
Age: 46 years
Cause of Death: General Peritonitis [Infection from ruptured organ], Rupture of Bladder.
Duration of Last Illness: Accident
Medical Attendant: W A Bowie
When he Last Saw Deceased before Death: January 29 1917
Name and Surname of Father: Thomas Jones
Name and Surname of Mother: Anna Jones
Maiden Surname of Mother:
Rank or Profession of Father:
When Buried: 31 January 1917
Where Buried: Taruheru Cemetery
Name of Minister: Rev W Willis
Religion of Minister: Methodist Minister
Where Born: Cornwall, England
How Long in New Zealand: 44 years
Where Married: Hastings
At What Age Married: 26
To Whom Married: Lucy Walden [Ruth Walden]
Age of Widow, if living: Deceased
If Issue Living, Ages and each Sex:
Signature of Informant: W A Barton
His or Her Description: Coroner
Residence of Informant: Gisborne, Poverty Bay
Any Correction:
Signature of Registrar: H G Hill
Date of Registration: 3rd February 1917

The above Death Certificate gives date of burial, previously married, place of marriage, and wife then deceased.

Year and country of marriage from search on New Zealand BDM website in July 2025:
1897/1733. Bride: Ruth Walden. Groom: Thomas Jones

Full date of marriage of 18 August 1897 from further searching in July 2025 on BDM Search by incrementally changing the date range for the marriage.

Thomas dies 19 days after his father (Thomas Jones 1839-1917) as reported in the Hawke's Bay Tribune newspaper of 29 January 1917 found on the Papers Past website as indicated earlier:
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/HBTRIB19170129.2.47
HASTINGS HORSE TRAINER KILLED.
FALL FROM HOTEL WINDOW.
Gisborne. Jan. 29.
Thomas Jones, aged 46, a horse trainer, of Hastings, fell from his bedroom window at a hotel and sustained injuries from which he died.
[Mr. Jones lived in Hastings during the past 25 years, and was held in popular esteem in local racing circles.]

More information published in the Daily Telegraph (Napier) newspaper of 29 January 1917 found on the Papers Past website in July 2025:
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/DTN19170129.2.96
FELL FROM A WINDOW
(Per Press Association.)
HASTINGS TRAINER'S DEATH.
GISBORNE, This day.
Thomas Jones, aged 46 years, a horse trainer, residing at Hastings, fell from a bedroom window at a local hotel, and sustained injuries from which he died.
Mr Jones has been a resident of Hastings for some 25 years,. during which time he has been connected with racing stables. At the time of his death he was working for Mr Cameron, whose horses he had taken to Gisborne. He was of a kindly nature and was very popular in racing circles and amongst his acquaintances. He was unmarried.

- - - -
Full reporting from inquest as reported in the Gisborne Times newspaper of 31 January 1917 found on the Papers Past website in July 2025:
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/GIST19170131.2.53
FATAL FALL.
THE ROYAL HOTEL FATALITY
An inquest touching the death of Thomas Jones was held before Mr W. A. Barton, District Coroner yesterday afternoon. Deceased died at the hospital on Monday morning as the. result of injuries sustained by a fall from a window of the Royal Hotel at the end of last week.

John Murray Cameron, race horse owner, residing at Hastings, at present residing at the Royal Hotel, Gisborne, said that he had identified the body as that of Thomas Jones. He had known deceased for 20 years. He had been in witness’s employ for about a week and was employed to bring some horses to Gisborne. Witness arrived in Gisborne on Sunday, and deceased arrived a day or two earlier. Witness saw the deceased in bed at the Royal Hotel in room No 3 on Sunday morning. Dr Reid and the hotel keeper, Mr Martin was with deceased. Deceased had a black eye, cuts on the lip, and his left arm was much bruised and swollen. He was conscious and recognised witness. Dr Reid ordered deceased’s removal to the hospital, and witness accompanied him in the car. Witness asked him how it happened and deceased said he thought he must have fallen out of a window, but he had no recollection, of it. Deceased added that the first thing he remembered was finding himself on the ground underneath a window at about 4 a.m. He said he went over to the feed room and had a lay down. He then got up and went into the hotel. Deceased then said that it hurt him to talk. When he got to the hospital deceased was able to walk from the car to the hospital and refused to be carried in on a chair. Deceased had periodical drinking bouts but bad not been dunking recently and there was no sign of liquor on him on the morning of the accident.

Dr Reid, gave evidence, that on Sunday last at between 9 and 10 a.m. he received a call to the Royal Hotel. He was met by Messrs Martin and Cameron and conducted to an upstairs room. Witness found the deceased lying on the bed and on examining him found that his left elbow was fractured, also many bruises on the head and his lower lip was split. Deceased was probably suffering from rupture of the bladder and his ini mediate removal was recommended. Witness said that the bed was about the same height as the window sill.

His Worship: Assuming that deceased had fallen from the window, do you think the fall would bring about his injuries?

Witness: Yes.

Sergeant Murray: What clothes did deceased have on ?

Witness : He only bad on a singlet and shirt.

To Sergeant Murray: There was some blood on the sheets but not much. An operation was performed at the hospital by Dr Bowie and witness and an extensive rupture of the bladder was found which was quite sufficient to cause death.

Dr Bowie, Medical Superintendent at the Gisborne Hospital, gave evidence that he saw the deceased shortly after he was admitted to the’ hospital. Witness corroborated the previous witness’s evidence regarding the nature of the injuries. Deceased stated to witness that he had mistaken a window for a door and walked through it. Witness asked deceased if he was drunk when the accident occurred, and he replied that he was not drunk.

George Smyth, jockey, employed by Mr Cameron, said that he arrived in Gisborne on Friday last. Deceased and witness occupied the same room in the hotel but had separate beds, deceased occupying the bed underneath the window. Witness’s bed was about three feet away from deceased. Witness was with deceased until about 8 o’clock on Saturday night. Witness then went to the circus and returned to the hotel about 12 o’clock and found deceased in bed, appearing to he alright then but did not say anything. About 12.15 witness got up and shut the top window of the horses’ boxes because it was raining. He returned about 12.30 and deceased was then alright. When he left the deceased at about 8 o'clock on Saturday night he was perfectly sober. Witness did not hear anything during the night. The bedroom door was not locked because there was no key. Witness awoke about 5.30 on Sunday morning and the window was open about two feet and the blind up. He noticed the deceased had blood on his face and on his shirt. All that deceased said was that he had found himself in a feed house at daybreak. Witness did not think it was very serious and went and attended to the horses. When witness woke, deceased only had his shirt on. He did not complain of suffering from pain and never asked witness to tell anybody of his condition.

Ena Ritchie, house-maid at the Royal Hotel, said that on Sunday she went to No 3 bedroom about 9 a.m. to attend to the room. Witness found a man on the bed under the window. He appeared to be in a dazed state, his face was marked and covered with blood. Witness spoke to him but got no answer and came away to notify Mr Martin.

Thomas Jeffares, horse owner, Taradale, said that he had known the dehim on Friday in town. Witness was ceased for about 20 years and met in the company of deceased off and on until Saturday night. While he was with witness deceased had very little to drink. On Saturday night, witness was with him from 7.15 to 9 o’clock, and met him again about half an hour later in the passage of the Royal Hotel. Deceased was then perfectly sober. Witness and deceased remained together until about 10.10 p.m. During that time they had one drink, and then deceased went upstairs to bed. Witness did not see him again until next morning about 8.30 or 9 o’clock and noticed a few scratches on his face and blood on his shirt. Witness asked him what had happened and he replied that he had gone outside after he went to bed. Witness was not aware that deceased had had any quarrel at the hotel. During Saturday witness and deceased had about four drinks together.

R. Grace, drover, also gave evidence on the same lines as the previous witness.

Joseph John Martin, deposed that the deceased was a boarder at his hotel on Friday last and occupied room No 3. The rooms on both sides of deceased were occupied. Witness last saw deceased about 9 o’clock on Saturday night, he was then talking to somebody in the passage downstairs. Deceased was quite sober and witness only saw him have one beer at 10 o’clock in the morning. Witness next saw him in his room at about 8.30 o’cock next morning and his face was then covered with blood. Witness asked him what was wrong and he replied “Joe, I don’t know what is wrong, I must have fallen from the window.” Witness did not think that his injuries were sufficiently bad to notify, the police. The doctor arrived about 11.15 a.m. and examined him and ordered him to the hospital. Witness went round the house and put all the lights out at about 11.15 on Saturday night.

The Coroner returned a verdict that the 'deceased died at the Gisborne Hospital on January 29 as a result of a fall from the window of the Royal Hotel, the height of about 15 feet.

- - - -
Horse trainers' licence granted to Thomas Jones as per the Hastings Standard newspaper of 1 September 1900 found on the Papers Past website in July 2025:
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/HAST19000901.2.17
Hawke's Bay Jockey Club.
At a meeting of the Metropolitan Committee of the above yesterday afternoon, the following trainers' licenses were granted :- James Schaeffer, A. Raynor, John E. Rollo, Wm. Stone, Henry Moore, Geo. Pilcher, R. H. Skipwith, Arthur Vincent, Chas. Grant, J. A. Lagor, W. G. Bauer, Harold Connop, Thos. Connop, Horace Reeves, Wm. Harrison, G. H. Allan, Arthur Butterworth, Stewart Crarer, A G. Wood, John Atkins, James Webster, R. Gooseman, John Quinlivan, T. Quinlivan, jun„ David Wright, Edward Cuneen, James Munn, E. A. Woolley, Percy Martin, M. Doonan, A. Goodwin, Thomas Jones, John Cameron.

This Thomas John Jones had a nephew, Clifton James Thomson (1914-1998), who was also a horse trainer, but in the Manawatu circa 1943 and 1960. Clifton born 1914, was the son of Thomas’ sister, Ettie May Jones. When Thomas died, Clifton was not quite three years old.

Burial date and occupation confirmed, from the Taruheru Cemetery Gisborne Burial & Cremation Records found in July 2025:
JONES Thomas - burial date 31 Jan 1917, age 46 yrs, address Newton, Auckland, occupation Horse Trainer, Meth. Plot 367, see headstone 249.

Headstone inscription from the Taruheru Cemetery Gisborne Headstone Records found in July 2025:
Page 95
249. Plot 367
Erected to the memory of THOMAS JONES, horse trainer, died 29 January 1917 aged 46 years. (Twved)

Online cemetery search Gisborne District Council found in July 2025 included photo of headstone and the following details:
Details for Thomas Jones
Warrant Number: 155
Surname: Jones
Forenames: Thomas
Age Group: Adult
Age: 46
Denomination: Methodist
Type: Burial
Date of Birth: Unknown
Date of Death: Unknown
Date of Burial: 31 January 1917 (Wednesday)
Cemetery: Taruheru
Block: SEC1
Plot: 367
Inscription: Erected to the memory of THOMAS JONES, horse trainer, died 29 January 1917 aged 46 years. To live in the hearts of those we love is not to lie.

Entry from Find a Grave website found in July 2025:
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/193128161/thomas-jones
Thomas Jones
Birth: 1871
Death: Jan 1917 (aged 45–46)
Burial: Taruheru Cemetery, Gisborne, Gisborne District, Gisborne, New Zealand

Record from the New Zealand, Civil Registration Death Index found in July 2025:
Name: Thomas Jones
Age: 46
Birth Date: abt 1871
Death Date: 1917
Death Place: New Zealand
Registration Number: 386

Folio Number from the New Zealand, Civil Registration Death Index found in July 2025:
Name: Thomas Jones
Death Quarter: Jan-Feb-Mar 1917
Registration Place: Gisborne, Auckland, New Zealand
Folio Number: 104