Kenneth Hamilton Jenkin
Encyclopedia
Alfred Kenneth Hamilton Jenkin (29 October 1900 - 20 August 1980) was best known as a historian with a particular interest in Cornish
mining, publishing The Cornish Miner, now a classic, in 1927.
in 29 October 1900, the son of Alfred Hamilton Jenkin, and his wife, Amy Louisa Keep. He attended University College, Oxford
, where in 1919 he became a friend of the famous author, C.S. Lewis: both were members of the Martlets Literary Society. He graduated as M.A. and B.Litt. at the University of Oxford.
of the Gorseth Kernow
in 1928, taking the bardic name
Lef Stenoryon ('Voice of the Tinners'). He was involved in persuading Cornwall County Council
to set up Cornwall Record Office
in the 1950s, and served on its committee until his death. In 1959 he was elected President of the Federation of Old Cornwall Societies
, a position he also held in 1960 and in 1962 he became its first life President.
He was elected President of the Royal Institution of Cornwall
for the years 1958, 1959 and was Vice President in 1977.
and was awarded his honorary degree
of Doctor of Letters
by the University of Exeter
in 1978.
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
mining, publishing The Cornish Miner, now a classic, in 1927.
Birth and education
He was born in RedruthRedruth
Redruth is a town and civil parish traditionally in the Penwith Hundred in Cornwall, United Kingdom. It has a population of 12,352. Redruth lies approximately at the junction of the A393 and A3047 roads, on the route of the old London to Land's End trunk road , and is approximately west of...
in 29 October 1900, the son of Alfred Hamilton Jenkin, and his wife, Amy Louisa Keep. He attended University College, Oxford
University College, Oxford
.University College , is a constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. As of 2009 the college had an estimated financial endowment of £110m...
, where in 1919 he became a friend of the famous author, C.S. Lewis: both were members of the Martlets Literary Society. He graduated as M.A. and B.Litt. at the University of Oxford.
Cornish activities
Jenkin was a founder bardBard
In medieval Gaelic and British culture a bard was a professional poet, employed by a patron, such as a monarch or nobleman, to commemorate the patron's ancestors and to praise the patron's own activities.Originally a specific class of poet, contrasting with another class known as fili in Ireland...
of the Gorseth Kernow
Gorseth Kernow
Gorseth Kernow is a non-political Cornish organisation, which exists to maintain the national Celtic spirit of Cornwall in the United Kingdom.-History:...
in 1928, taking the bardic name
Bardic name
A bardic name is a pseudonym, used in Wales, Cornwall and Brittany, by poets and other artists, especially those involved in the eisteddfod movement....
Lef Stenoryon ('Voice of the Tinners'). He was involved in persuading Cornwall County Council
Cornwall County Council
Cornwall Council is the unitary authority for Cornwall, in England, United Kingdom. The council, and its predecessor Cornwall County Council, has a tradition of large groups of independents, having been controlled by independents in the 1970s and 1980s...
to set up Cornwall Record Office
Cornwall Record Office
Cornwall Record Office , part of Cornwall Council, is situated at Old County Hall in Truro and is the main repository for the historical archives of Cornwall....
in the 1950s, and served on its committee until his death. In 1959 he was elected President of the Federation of Old Cornwall Societies
Federation of Old Cornwall Societies
The Federation of Old Cornwall Societies was formed in 1924, on the initiative of Robert Morton Nance, with the objective of collecting and maintaining "all those ancient things that make the spirit of Cornwall — its traditions, its old words and ways, and what remains to it of its Celtic language...
, a position he also held in 1960 and in 1962 he became its first life President.
He was elected President of the Royal Institution of Cornwall
Royal Institution of Cornwall
The Royal Institution of Cornwall was founded in Truro, Cornwall, United Kingdom, in 1818 as the Cornwall Literary and Philosophical Institution. The Institution was one of the earliest of seven similar societies established in England and Wales. The RIC moved to its present site in River Street...
for the years 1958, 1959 and was Vice President in 1977.
Recognition as an historian
In 1954 he was elected a Fellow of the Society of AntiquariesSociety of Antiquaries of London
The Society of Antiquaries of London is a learned society "charged by its Royal Charter of 1751 with 'the encouragement, advancement and furtherance of the study and knowledge of the antiquities and history of this and other countries'." It is based at Burlington House, Piccadilly, London , and is...
and was awarded his honorary degree
Honorary degree
An honorary degree or a degree honoris causa is an academic degree for which a university has waived the usual requirements, such as matriculation, residence, study, and the passing of examinations...
of Doctor of Letters
Doctor of Letters
Doctor of Letters is a university academic degree, often a higher doctorate which is frequently awarded as an honorary degree in recognition of outstanding scholarship or other merits.-Commonwealth:...
by the University of Exeter
University of Exeter
The University of Exeter is a public university in South West England. It belongs to the 1994 Group, an association of 19 of the United Kingdom's smaller research-intensive universities....
in 1978.
Publications
- "Boulton and Watt in Cornwall" in Royal Cornwall Polytechnic SocietyRoyal Cornwall Polytechnic SocietyThe Royal Cornwall Polytechnic Society is an educational, cultural and scientific charity, based in Falmouth, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. The Society exists to promote innovation in the arts and sciences...
Annual Report, 1926 - The Cornish Miner: an Account of his Life Above and Underground from Early Times. London: George Allen & Unwin, 1927: three editions, including 3rd edition, 1962 (reprinted by David & Charles, Newton Abbot, 1972 ISBN 0715354868; reprinted in facsimile with an introduction by John H. Trounson, Launceston: Westcountry, 2004 ISBN 190239506-9)
- "The Nationalisation of West-Country Minerals". (New Fabian Research Bureau. Publications series; no. 3) 17 pages. [London, 1932]
- Cornish Seafarers: the Smuggling, Wrecking and Fishing Life of Cornwall. London: J. M. Dent, 1932
- Cornwall and Its People: being a new impression of the composite work .... London: J. M. Dent, 1945 (reprinted 1970 by David & Charles, Newton Abbot ISBN 0-7153-4702-0) including:
- "Cornish Seafarers", 1932
- "Cornwall and the Cornish: the story, religion and folk-lore of ’The Western Land’", 1933
- "Cornish homes and customs", 1934
- Cornwall and the Cornish: the story, religion and folk-lore of ’The Western Land’", London: J. Dent, 1933
- Cornish Homes and Customs. London: J. M. Dent, 1934
- The Story of Cornwall. London: Thomas Nelson, 1934 (reprinted by D. Bradford Barton, Truro, 1962)
- The Western Land. London: Great Western Railway, 1937
- News from Cornwall. London: Westaway Books, 1946
- News from Cornwall, edited, with a memoir of William Jenkin, by A. K. Hamilton Jenkin. 1951
- Mines and Miners of Cornwall in 16 volumes, vols. 1-14 originally published by the Truro Bookshop, 1961 onwards and reprinted by various organisations:
- Pt. I. Around St. Ives ISBN 0-904662-04-7
- Pt. II. St. Agnes, Perranporth ISBN 0-904662-05-5
- Pt. III. Around Redruth ISBN 0-904662-06-3
- Pt. IV. Penzance-Mount's Bay ISBN 0-904662-08-X
- Pt. V. Hayle, Gwinear and Gwithian ISBN 0-904662-10-1
- Pt. VI. Around Gwennap ISBN 0-904662-11-X
- Pt. VII. Perranporth-Newquay
- Pt. VIII. Truro to the clay district
- Pt. IX. Padstow, St Columb and Bodmin
- Pt. X. Camborne and Illogan
- Pt. XI. Marazion, St Hilary and Breage
- Pt. XII. Liskeard area
- Pt. XIII. The Lizard-Falmouth-Mevagissey
- Pt. XIV. St Austell to Saltash
- Pt. XV. Calstock, Callington and Launceston Penzance: Federation of Old Cornwall Societies, 1969 (reprinted Bracknell: Forge Books, 1976) ISBN 0-902660-00-4
- Pt. XVI. Wadebridge, Camelford and Bude Penzance: Federation of Old Cornwall Societies, 1970
- Index to Mines and Miners of Cornwall: Volumes 1-16. St. Austell: Federation of Old Cornwall Societies, 1978
- Mines of Devon. Newton Abbot: David & Charles, 1974
- Volume 1: South Devon ISBN 0715367846
- Volume 2: Mines of Devon, north and east of Dartmoor: Sydenham Damerel, Lydford, Wheal Betsy, Wheal Friendship, Okehampton, Sticklepath, Chagford, Buckfastleigh, Ashburton, Ilsington, Teign Valley, Newton St. Cyres, and Upton Pyne. (Reprinted by Devon Libraries 1981 ISBN 0861143175)
- Both volumes reprinted by Landmark, 2005 ISBN 1843061740
- Wendron Tin (commissioned by Poldark MinePoldark MinePoldark Mine was a tin mine in Cornwall worked sometime between 1720 and 1780. The mine was originally called Wheal Roots and little is known of its early workings. In 1856 it became part of the Wendron Consols Mine and is shown on the surface plan of that mine as 'old men's workings' meaning that...
), 1978
External links
- The Cumberland River Lamp Post (C.S. Lewis appreciation website) accessed 26 March 2008.
- A list of personal names of miners and other people mentioned in the series "Mines and Miners of Cornwall", has been compiled by Michael Messenger, and can be found at http://www.twelveheads.com/mjm/mmcnames.htm