Alfred Stowell Jones

Born in Liverpool in 1832, Alfred Stowell Jones was educated at Liverpool College and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst. He served in the British Army with the 9th Lancers and became known for his actions during the Indian Rebellion, for which he received the Victoria Cross. He later reached the rank of lieutenant colonel.

After his military career, Jones worked as a civil engineer, especially in sanitary engineering. That second career seems to be the reason his name appears on technical books rather than on military memoirs: he wrote about practical problems of drainage and sewage treatment at a time when growing towns were paying much closer attention to sanitation and public health.

He died in 1920. For readers coming to him through his books, Jones is an interesting example of a Victorian author whose experience ranged from cavalry service to the very practical business of making modern urban life cleaner and safer.