Kenneth Hamilton Jenkin

Alfred Kenneth Hamilton Jenkin (29 October 1900 – 20 August 1980) was a Cornish bard and historian with a particular interest in Cornish mining, publishing The Cornish Miner, now a classic, in 1927.

Birth and education He was born in Redruth on 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.

Cornish activities

Jenkin was a founder bard of the Gorseth Kernow in 1928, taking the bardic name Lef Stenoryon ('Voice of the Tinners'). 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.

Recognition as a historian Portrait of A K Hamilton Jenkin by Leonard Fuller in the Cornish Studies Library collection. In 1954 he was elected a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries and was awarded his honorary degree of Doctor of Letters by the University of Exeter in 1978.

Personal life He married Luned Marion Jacobs (2nd daughter of W. W. Jacobs, the famous humourist) and had two daughters: Jennifer Hamilton Jenkin and Honor Bronwen Jenkin. The marriage ended in divorce and his second marriage was to Elizabeth Lenton.

Death

He died 20 August 1980 at Treliske Hospital, Truro

Publications "Boulton and Watt in Cornwall" in Royal Cornwall Polytechnic Society 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 ; reprinted in facsimile with an introduction by John H. Trounson, Launceston: Westcountry, 2004 ) "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 ) 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 Pt. II. St. Agnes, Perranporth Pt. III. Around Redruth Pt. IV. Penzance-Mount's Bay Pt. V. Hayle, Gwinear and Gwithian Pt. VI. Around Gwennap 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) 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 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 ) Both volumes reprinted by Landmark, 2005 Wendron Tin (commissioned by Poldark Mine), 1978