Born in Oakland, California, Harry Jones moved to Vancouver, Canada at the age of two, where he attended school while his father, Henry, ran a fleet of tug boats. Jones returned to the United States to study at the University of Washington, but settled in British Columbia after graduation and entered the towing business. He joined the Royal Vancouver Yacht Club in 1919 and founded the Vancouver Tugboat Company in 1924, firmly establishing himself in the city’s martime culture. He soon became involved in yacht racing and joined several British Columbia and Washington sailing clubs, but his most important race came in 1932 as a member of the RVYC, when he was selected to represent Canada in the 8 metre class at that year’s Summer Olympics, alongside Ernest Cribb, Peter Gordon, George Gyles, Ronald Maitland, and Hubert Wallace. Despite losing all four races, the Canadians brought home a silver medal from the Games because the only other nation to enter the 8 metre tournament was the United States.
Jones served as Commodore of the RVYC in 1939 and again from 1944 through 1947. He was made an honorary life member in 1953. His business ventures were very successful and he was president of at least two major companies at the time of his death from a heart attack in 1956. The Vancouver Tugboat Company would eventually become a part of the Seaspan Marine Corporation, which now supports the Harold A. Jones Memorial Scholarship at the University of British Columbia.
Canada