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.
Birth and education
He was born in Redruth 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.
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.
Dr. Hamilton Jenkin was elected President of the Royal Institution of Cornwall 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 Antiquaries and was awarded his honorary degree of Doctor of Letters by the University of Exeter in 1978.
Death
He died 20 August 1980 at Treliske Hospital, Truro [ODNB Article by Justin Brooke, ‘Jenkin, (Alfred) Kenneth Hamilton (1900–1980)’, [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/47748 Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004, accessed 26 March 2008.] ] ]Publications
*"Boulton and Watt In Cornwall" in "Royal Cornwall Polytechnic Society Annual Report, 1926".
*The Nationalisation of West-Country Minerals. [New Fabian Research Bureau. Publications series. no. 3] 17 pages. [London, 1932]
* "Cornwall and Its People: being a new impression of the composite work including:
**Cornish seafarers, 1932
**Cornwall and the Cornish: the story, religion and folk-lore of ’The Western Land’, 1933
**Cornish homes and customs, 1934". ::J M Dent & Sons. 1945. Reprinted 1970 by David & Charles, ISBN 0-7153-4702-0
* "The story of Cornwall" London, Thomas Nelson, 1934. Reprinted by D. Bradford Barton of Truro, 1962.
* "The Western Land", London, Great Western Railway, 1937.
* "News from Cornwall" Westaway Books, 1946.
* "News from Cornwall, edited, with a memoir of William Jenkin by A.K.Hamilton Jenkin, 1951.
* "The Cornish Miner: An account of his Life Above and Underground from Early Times", London, George Allen & Unwin, 1927, three editions. Third edition (1962) reprinted by David & Charles, 1972 ISBN 0715354868. Reprinted in facsimile with an introduction by John H. Trounson, Launceston, Westcountry, 2004 ISBN 190239506-9.
* "Cornish Seafarers: The Smuggling, Wrecking and Fishing Life of Cornwall", London, J.M.Dent, 1932.
* "Mines of Devon", 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 Landmark, 2005. ISBN 1843061740
* "Wendron Tin" (commissioned by Poldark Mine) 1978
* "Mines and Miners of Cornwall" in 16 volumes, originally published by the Truro Bookshop between 1961 and 1970 and reprinted by various organisations:
** "Around St. Ives Pt. I" ISBN 0-904662-04-7
** "St. Agnes, Perranporth Pt. II" ISBN 0-904662-05-5
** "Around Redruth Pt. III" ISBN 0-904662-06-3
** "Penzance-Mount's Bay Pt. IV" ISBN 0-904662-08-X
** "Hayle, Gwinear and Gwithian Pt. V" ISBN 0-904662-10-1
** "Around Gwennap Pt. VI" ISBN 0-904662-11-X
** "Perranporth-Newquay. Pt. VII
** "Truro to the clay district Pt VIII."
** "Padstow, St Columb and Bodmin Pt IX."
** "Camborne and Illogan Pt X."
** "Marazion, St. Hilary and Breage Pt XI."
** "Liskeard area Pt. XII"
** "The Lizard-Falmouth-Mevagissey Pt XIII."
** "St. Austell to Saltash. Pt XIV."
** "Calstock, Callington and Launceston Pt. XV." ISBN 0-902660-00-4
** "Wadebridge, Camelford and Bude Pt. XVI"
* "Index to Mines and Miners of Cornwall : Volumes 1-16", St. Austell : Federation of Old Cornwall Societies, 1978.
Links and references
* [http://www.crlamppost.org/jenkin.htm The Cumberland River Lamp Post (C.S. Lewis appreciation website) accessed 26 March 2008.]
* "Old Cornwall." Vol IX, No 4, Sping, 1981. OBIT
* ODNB Article by Justin Brooke, ‘Jenkin, (Alfred) Kenneth Hamilton (1900–1980)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/47748] , 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
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