Philadelphia Real Estate Record and Builders' Guide, March 13, 1895: "John R. Wiggins, contractor, 1111 Arch Street, will erect a fine house at Narberth for W. J. Jones after plans prepared by George Lovatt, architect."
These are photos of 103 South Narberth Avenue, house and garden, which no longer stands. It stood on the property where apartments are now, across from the Baptist Church of the Evangel. The house was built for William Jones (1870-1920) and Lillian Pickering Jones (1870-1934), sometime between 1890 and 1895, I believe. The architect was George Ignatius Lovett, Sr. of Philadelphia.
In 1900 William Jones's mother, two sisters and three brothers (including my grandfather Charles Rumford Jones) lived in this house.
As far as the 1910 census is concerned, at this point in time my grandfather was married, had his first child (Robert Seymour Jones) in 1909, and obviously had moved out [to 305 S. Narberth]. The King family were renters, and William was also renting [at 310 Chestnut]. Since Mr. King was also in the insurance business, it may explain the short rental. Perhaps he was new to the area and was a new co-worker. Wiliam's Chestnut address, also a rental, was convenient to his insurance office, I suspect.
—Ken Jones, 11 August 2011 and 18 June 2022
Updated March 19, 2024.
