The history of the Jones family firm is somewhat convoluted: Clifton records William and Samuel Jones as working from 30 Holborn between 1800 and 1860, although during this time they were to be found also at 32 Holborn Hill (1801-1805). They are recorded as having been active between 1791 and 1859. Dekker and van der Krogt, however, record that Samuel joined only in 1810, and that the firm in fact started production in 1782. This may be due to the fact that, as Clifton records, the firm of John Jones and Son (William) worked between 1784 and 1790 from 135 near Furnival's Inn, Holborn, and that John Jones & Sons (William and Samuel) worked between 1790 and 1792 from 168 High Holborn and from 135 High Holborn. A trade label in Clifton from 1852 shows that 30 High Holborn was opposite Furnival's Inn, and that their establishment was named The Archimedes.

The Jones firm was one of the first 19th-Century English firms to combine the manufacture and sale of instruments and globes, although as was common pactice, they would often overlay their own cartouche onto that of the globe maker before sale (in this case, often Thomas Bardin, although conversely often designed by William Jones in the first place).