Fonds - John Tapson-Jones fonds

John Tapson-Jones [1896-1977] was born in 1896 and completed his Senior Matriculation at the University of Cambridge at the age of 16. Tapson-Jones immigrated to Calgary, joining his brother in 1914. He applied to and joined the Royal North West Mounted Police, serving in Fort Macleod, Alberta.

Tapson-Jones served in southern Alberta and BC. He married Amy in 1916. In 1917 he enlisted in the Canadian Expeditionary Force and served in England and France. Upon returning to Canada, Tapson-Jones resumed police work, but served the Alberta Provincial Police.

He married Amy [1893-1951], the daughter of the Mayor of Coleman. The couple had two children, Herb and David.

Tapson-Jones was promoted to the position of Inspector in 1934 and as an instructor at the RCMP barracks in Regina in 1936. After 26 years of service he retired. The family moved to Lakeshore in Salmon Arm. Amy died of cancer in 1951.

While attending UBC, son David died in 1942 with an infection subsequent to an appendicitis attack. The elder son Herb died tragically in a plane crash while working for Trans-Canada Air in 1946. Following the deaths of his sons, coupled with failing health and poor orcharding conditions of the Big Freeze in 1950, the Tapson-Jones sold the orchard and moved to Canoe Point. Amy became ill and died in 1951.

Tapson-Jones married neighbor Mary-Lou Woods in 1952. The couple had a twenty-five year marriage. Mary-Lou Tapson-Jones is the author of the book, Perilous Charmers.

John Tapson-Jones was author many articles on Shuswap history published in the Salmon Arm Observer.