Richard Jenkin
Encyclopedia
Richard Garfield Jenkin was a Cornish
politician who was involved with Cornish nationalism projects as one of the founder members of the Cornish political party Mebyon Kernow
. and a Grand Bard of the Gorseth Kernow
.
, Derbyshire
, where his Cornish father was in training as a clergyman. He was proud of his Cornish
identity.
through Cornish language qualification, while serving in the British Army. He chose the Bardic name “Son of Exile” (Map Dyvroeth). He a Grand Bard of the Gorseth Kernow
twice between 1976 and 1982 and between 1985 and 1988 .
.
Richard and his wife Ann Jenkin produced a magazine in 1952 called New Cornwall, which publicised Mebyon Kernow news and policies. He was chairman of Mebyon Kernow in 1973 and became its life president in 1998.
parliamentary elections (Falmouth and Camborne in 1970
and St Ives
1983
).
In 1979 he stood for the European parliamentary constituency
on a platform of a “Cornwall
Only” seat rather than one shared with part of Devon
and polled 10,205 votes, 5.9% of the total vote .
He was a member of Crowan
Parish Council from 1964 until 1995.
. He was secretary of the International Celtic Congress
and later its president. He gave strong support to the Cornish Constitutional Convention.
He was president of the Federation of Old Cornwall Societies
from 1991 to 1992.
He was a teacher at Helston
Grammar School.
He married Ann Trevenen, from Redruth
in 1954. They had four children, Morwenna, Loveday, Gawen and Conan, two of whom have stood as Mebyon Kernow candidates for Parliament. Ann Trevenen Jenkin became the first female Grand Bard from 1997 until 2000.
He died in Truro on 29 October 2002, aged 77.
Cornish people
The Cornish are a people associated with Cornwall, a county and Duchy in the south-west of the United Kingdom that is seen in some respects as distinct from England, having more in common with the other Celtic parts of the United Kingdom such as Wales, as well as with other Celtic nations in Europe...
politician who was involved with Cornish nationalism projects as one of the founder members of the Cornish political party Mebyon Kernow
Mebyon Kernow
Mebyon Kernow is a left-of-centre political party in Cornwall, United Kingdom. It primarily campaigns for devolution to Cornwall in the form of a Cornish Assembly, as well as social democracy and environmental protection.MK was formed as a pressure group in 1951, and contained as members activists...
. and a Grand Bard 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:...
.
Background
He was born on 9 October 1925 in IlkestonIlkeston
Ilkeston is a town within the Borough of Erewash, in Derbyshire, England. It lies on the River Erewash, from which the local borough takes its name. Its population at the 2001 census was 37,550...
, Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
, where his Cornish father was in training as a clergyman. He was proud of his Cornish
Cornish people
The Cornish are a people associated with Cornwall, a county and Duchy in the south-west of the United Kingdom that is seen in some respects as distinct from England, having more in common with the other Celtic parts of the United Kingdom such as Wales, as well as with other Celtic nations in Europe...
identity.
The Gorseth
In 1947 he was made a Bard of the Gorseth KernowGorseth Kernow
Gorseth Kernow is a non-political Cornish organisation, which exists to maintain the national Celtic spirit of Cornwall in the United Kingdom.-History:...
through Cornish language qualification, while serving in the British Army. He chose the Bardic name “Son of Exile” (Map Dyvroeth). He a Grand Bard 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:...
twice between 1976 and 1982 and between 1985 and 1988 .
Mebyon Kernow
In 1951, he was one of the founder members of the Cornish political party Mebyon KernowMebyon Kernow
Mebyon Kernow is a left-of-centre political party in Cornwall, United Kingdom. It primarily campaigns for devolution to Cornwall in the form of a Cornish Assembly, as well as social democracy and environmental protection.MK was formed as a pressure group in 1951, and contained as members activists...
.
Richard and his wife Ann Jenkin produced a magazine in 1952 called New Cornwall, which publicised Mebyon Kernow news and policies. He was chairman of Mebyon Kernow in 1973 and became its life president in 1998.
Election candidacies
Jenkin fought two WestminsterWestminster
Westminster is an area of central London, within the City of Westminster, England. It lies on the north bank of the River Thames, southwest of the City of London and southwest of Charing Cross...
parliamentary elections (Falmouth and Camborne in 1970
United Kingdom general election, 1970
The United Kingdom general election of 1970 was held on 18 June 1970, and resulted in a surprise victory for the Conservative Party under leader Edward Heath, who defeated the Labour Party under Harold Wilson. The election also saw the Liberal Party and its new leader Jeremy Thorpe lose half their...
and St Ives
St Ives (UK Parliament constituency)
St. Ives is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.-History:...
1983
United Kingdom general election, 1983
The 1983 United Kingdom general election was held on 9 June 1983. It gave the Conservative Party under Margaret Thatcher the most decisive election victory since that of Labour in 1945...
).
In 1979 he stood for the European parliamentary constituency
Cornwall and Plymouth (European Parliament constituency)
Cornwall and Plymouth was a European Parliament constituency covering Cornwall and Plymouth in England.Prior to its uniform adoption of proportional representation in 1999, the United Kingdom used first-past-the-post for the European elections in England, Scotland and Wales...
on a platform of a “Cornwall
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...
Only” seat rather than one shared with part of Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
and polled 10,205 votes, 5.9% of the total vote .
He was a member of Crowan
Crowan
Crowan is a village and civil parish in Cornwall, United Kingdom. It is situated approximately three-and-a-half miles south of Camborne. The River Hayle rises near Crowan and flows through the village and the railway branch to Helston passed nearby. Crowan has a population of 2,375...
Parish Council from 1964 until 1995.
Other activities
He was a teacher and fluent writer of the Cornish languageCornish language
Cornish is a Brythonic Celtic language and a recognised minority language of the United Kingdom. Along with Welsh and Breton, it is directly descended from the ancient British language spoken throughout much of Britain before the English language came to dominate...
. He was secretary of the International Celtic Congress
Celtic Congress
The International Celtic Congress is a cultural organisation that seeks to promote the Celtic languages of the nations of Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Brittany, Cornwall and the Isle of Man. It was formed out of previously existing bodies that had sought to advance the same goals such as the Celtic...
and later its president. He gave strong support to the Cornish Constitutional Convention.
He was 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...
from 1991 to 1992.
He was a teacher at Helston
Helston
Helston is a town and civil parish in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is situated at the northern end of the Lizard Peninsula approximately 12 miles east of Penzance and nine miles southwest of Falmouth. Helston is the most southerly town in the UK and is around further south than...
Grammar School.
He married Ann Trevenen, from Redruth
Redruth
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 1954. They had four children, Morwenna, Loveday, Gawen and Conan, two of whom have stood as Mebyon Kernow candidates for Parliament. Ann Trevenen Jenkin became the first female Grand Bard from 1997 until 2000.
He died in Truro on 29 October 2002, aged 77.
Publications
- Early life of R. M. NanceRobert Morton NanceRobert Morton Nance was a leading authority on the Cornish language, nautical archaeologist, and joint founder of the Old Cornwall Society....
ed. Richard & Ann Jenkin (1961).
- Cornwall the Hidden Land (with Ann Trevenen Jenkin, introduction by Philip PaytonPhilip PaytonPhilip John Payton is a British historian and Professor of Cornish and Australian Studies at the University of Exeter and Director of the Institute of Cornish Studies based at Tremough, just outside Penryn, Cornwall.-Birth and education:...
), Bracknell : West Country Publications, 1965.
- Book of Sermons in Cornish produced by R.G. Jenkin (1983)
- 40 Years of Mebyon Kernow, by Richard Jenkin and others. Publisher: Mebyon Kernow (1991)
- Cornwall the Hidden Land (with Ann Trevenen Jenkin,new introduction by Philip PaytonPhilip PaytonPhilip John Payton is a British historian and Professor of Cornish and Australian Studies at the University of Exeter and Director of the Institute of Cornish Studies based at Tremough, just outside Penryn, Cornwall.-Birth and education:...
), 2nd edition, including new material, Leedstown: Noonvares Press, (2005) ISBN 0-95246015-7
- Delyow DerowDelyow DerowDelyow Derow was a literary magazine in Cornish, published from 1988 to 1996 by former Grand Bard of Gorseth Kernow Richard Jenkin. Printed in Robert Morton Nance's Unified Cornish orthography, it published a number of new writers as well as providing a platform for established poets and authors....
(Oak Leaves) - Cornish Language Literary Magazine, vols 1-15 (1988-1996)
- New Cornwall - Political magazine. Founded by Richard GendallRichard GendallRichard Gendall is a British expert on the Cornish language, born in 1924. He is the founder of "Modern Cornish"/Curnoack Nowedga, which split off during the 1980s. Whereas Ken George mainly went to Medieval Cornish as the inspiration for his revival, Gendall went to the last surviving records of...
in 1952. Edited by Richard and Ann Jenkin from 1956 to 1973.