 Jones was born in South Africa and grew up in Chile and England, studying at St. John's School, Leatherhead before winning a scholarship to Jesus College, Oxford.He then worked for the Colonial Service in Nigeria (1926–1946), serving as District Officer for Bende and the surrounding area.He became interested in the culture of the peoples of southeastern Nigeria, using a Rolleiflex camera to build up an extensive record of life in the area at the time.