Constable Jones is a minor character in Mary Poppins.
Background[]
Constable Jones is a police officer with Scotland Yard and is often seen patrolling the neighborhood where the Banks family lives. He appears to be a kind and dutiful man but shows a dislike for how Mr. Banks treats his family and servants.
Role in the film[]
Constable Jones appears early in the film as a spectator of Bert's one-man band. When Bert solicits donations from the crowd for his performance, Constable Jones is specifically told that there is no charge.
That evening, he arrives at the Banks' home, just as George is calling the police to report his children, Jane and Michael, missing. Constable Jones reveals that he found them, and urges George not to be too hard on them. When they excuse themselves by stating that they had lost control of their kite, Constable Jones agrees and begins a conversation. However, George cuts him off, thanking him for returning Jane and Michael, and offers him "a plate of something" from the kitchen. He leaves, muttering about George's attitude.
For most of the film, he appears only as an extra in certain scenes. He is briefly mentioned midway through the film, when Bert counsels the children about their strained relationship with their father. Bert reminds Jane and Michael that they have other people besides their father to look after them, and he names the constable as one of them.
Near the end of the film, Constable Jones is summoned to the Banks home again. George has been missing since the night before, and his family fears he may have become suicidal after losing his job. While Constable Jones is on the phone with his boss giving George's description, George abruptly appears from the cellar, having spent the night repairing Jane and Michael's broken kite. Constable Jones, amazed by George's sudden change in behavior, recounts George's arrival to his boss and watches them go kite flying.
Trivia[]
- A constable is a rank often seen in British police forces and is generally equivalent to a sergeant.
