A FORMER sub-postmaster and councillor for Woodstock has died at the age of 95.

Stanley Jones was appointed sub-postmaster for Woodstock when he returned from the Second World War.

After recognising the need to cater for the tourists who were drawn to Woodstock, he and his wife Hilda persuaded the General Post Office to allow them to convert a front office into a stationer’s and gift shop. It proved to be a great success.

Having given support to Mary, Duchess of Marlborough, in her successful election campaign for Woodstock Town Council, he stood himself and was elected, serving on most committees.

He was in the welcoming party in 1959 when the Queen visited.

Mr Jones was born in Oxford on May 3, 1918.

His parents had moved to the city from London’s East End and he grew up in Islip Road, the seventh of nine children.

Aged eight months, he suffered a bad bout of influenza and the local priest baptised him in case he did not survive.

Mr Jones went to school in Summertown before passing the entrance exam for Magdalen College School. However, his father, a telephone engineer, died aged 45 in a motorcycle accident and his mother could not provide the necessary financial support.

Instead he went to the Central Boys’ School, and played football for Summertown Boys.

He joined the post office after leaving school, but then the Second World War broke out.

Mr Jones was called up and served in the signals section of the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry’s 5th Battalion.

Grabbing three days break, he married Hilda Cornborough at St Mary’s Church in Iffley on February 22, 1941.

In 1942 he transferred to the Royal Army Service Corps and was promoted up the ranks.

After serving in Iceland, he returned to England and was commissioned as a lieutenant before joining the second front, landing at Arromanches and looking after fuel supplies through France into Belgium.

There, while riding a motorbike, he was shot at by German snipers, got lost behind the lines and had a narrow escape when a shell killed one of his colleagues.

He was transferred to the Royal Berkshire Regiment and finished his military career as a captain, being posted to a hill station in India for the final push. After a few weeks, the Japanese surrendered.

After the war he rejoined the Post Office.

The couple lived in Summertown and Marston and then, for almost two years, the family stayed in a caravan behind the Plough Inn at Appleton before moving to Woodstock, where they lived above the Post Office.

They later moved back to Oxford and managed a new stationer’s shop in Prama House, Summertown. He also worked for Liverpool Victoria Friendly Society, becoming area manager.

Before retiring the couple moved to Hurst Lane in Cumnor where they lived for 30 years until Hilda’s death.

Mr Jones died on September 28 and his funeral was due to be held today at Oxford Crematorium.

He is survived by children, Graham and Jude, and five grandchildren.