On December 6, 2011 David Jones died in Port Fairy hospital, only 10 weeks after the death of Isobel, his wife of 55 years. In what has been described as a 'grim irony', just 36 hours later, "the company that he and his father before him had built into an Australian icon passed into the hands of adminstrators and ceased to be." John Box, Obituary David Fletcher Jones (1935-2011): A Man In Full. Link below.
Just a few days later again, it was announced by the administrators that the Fletcher Jones retail outlet at the factory in Warrnambool would close.
"The final chapter of Warrnambool's Fletcher Jones story closed today with the announcement the retail outlet and last connection to the original factory would be closed. Fletcher Jones managing partners today announced 15 of its stores across Australia would close immediately.
Including head office staff, 61 employees will be made redundant as administrators seek to save the clothing business through a sale.
At the height of its power in the 1970s more than 1300 workers clocked in at Fletcher Jones in Warrnambool, but numerous cutbacks brought staff numbers down to just two at the retail outlet - store manager John Hogan and Colleen Gurry.
After experiencing 43 years of ups and downs with Fletcher Jones, Mr Hogan said the final closure was simply a sign of the times." Warrnambool Standard December 14, 2011.
