James Leonard Jones (1879-1966) was born in Cinderford in 1879, the son of a miner. In 1895, he obtained work on the railway working as a porter, first at Pen-y-Graig and then at Newnham. In 1898, he was promoted to the role of Goods Checker at Cinderford and remained in this role for most of his working life. He married Sarah Barnhard in 1905 and went on to have six children. He was a conductor for Cinderford Town Prize Brass Band which often played at trade union rallies. The Cinderford Branch of the NUR was formed in May 1914 with its headquarters at the Railway Hotel and Jones was elected as President. He was elected as a Labour councillor for East Dean Parish Council in 1917, a Labour councillor for East Dean Rural District Council in 1919 and was elected as a Labour County Councillor for Cinderford in 1922. He continued in various roles in local government in Cinderford for most of his life. He was appointed as a magistrate in October 1924. He was among the leaders of the Cinderford railway workers during the 1926 General Strike.
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