Memorials & Monuments
on the Isle of Wight
- Biography -
- John William Jenkins -

ISLE OF WIGHT MERCURY

Friday, May 5, 1916 Page 1

One or two Ventnor men are home from the eastern theatre of war, time expired, among them being Sergt.-Major J. Jenkins and Sergt. L. Channing. [*] We hear that Sergt. Niblett, of the Howitzer Battery, is on his way home from India.

ISLE OF WIGHT MERCURY

Friday, May 12, 1916 Page 5

Marriage of Coy.-Sgt.-Major J.W. Jenkins

PRETTY CEREMONY AT THE PARISH CHURCH.

A marriage which aroused unusual local interest was solemnised yesterday between Company-Sergeant-Major J.W. Jenkins, only son of Sergt. and Mrs. C. Jenkins, of Albert Street, and Miss Edith Mary Lyddon.
The marriage took place from Westfield, the residence of Miss Brown, in whose service the bride has been for some time.
The bridegroom has been on active service with the Isle of Wight Rifles at Gallipoli, Egypt, and since mobilisation has been promoted to the rank of Company-Sergeant-Major. The ceremony at the Parish Church was witnessed by a large number of friends and relatives of both families. It was a motor wedding. The Rev. R.W. Colquhoun officiated. The bride, who was given away by her father, looked very happy in her wedding gown of white merve silk with tunic of Gimpure, wreath and veil. She carried a sheaf of lilies, which together with the bouquets of roses and lilies carried by the bridesmaids came from the conservatories at Westfield, and were the artistic work of the gardener. Sergt. Lewin Channing, [*] a colleague of the bridegroom's, who has been on active service with him, was best man, and gallantly carried out his onerous duties. The bridesmaids were the Miss Lily E. Lyddon, Ethel B. Jenkins and Nora L. Jenkins, who were attractively attired in biscuit coloured eoline with black Tagel hats. The Vicar gave a brief address to the young couple. The reception was held at Westfield, Bonchurch, kindly lent by Miss Brown, who also gave the breakfast and bridal cake. The bridegroom's gift to the bride was a gold pendant and chain, and to the bridesmaids gold brooches. The bride's gift to the bridegroom was a wristlet watch. The presents from relatives and friends were numerous and useful. Company-Sergeant-Major and Mrs. Jenkins left later on in the day for their honeymoon, which will be passed in London and in Somerset. The many friends of the newly-married couple in Ventnor and elsewhere will wish them the utmost happiness and prosperity. Mr. E.H. Crinage supplied the motors.

ISLE OF WIGHT MERCURY

Friday, November 16, 1917 Page 2

KILLED IN ACTION JENKINS. - Killed in action on Nov. 2nd, Coy.-Sergt.-Major J. Jenkins, only son of Sergt. and Mrs. C. Jenkins, Albert Street, Ventnor.

Page 2

Sergt. "Jack" Jenkins
Killed in Action
The news which came this morning that Sergt. John Jenkins, son of Sergt. and Mrs. C. Jenkins, Albert Street, had been killed in action, caused feelings of deep regret and sorrow in the town. Sergt. Jenkins went on active service overseas with the 1/8th Hants Regiment in 1915, and was married while home on leave in May, 1916. He almost immediately left again for service with the Egyptian Expeditionary Force, and was killed in Palestine on Nov. 2nd. He had been acting for some time as Company-Sergt.-Major, having made considerable progress in the efficiency and care which always characterised the performance of his duties. He was an enthusiastic member of the Ventnor Volunteers, as became one where family tradition in this respect always stood high. He has met his death in the highest Cause, but it is a tremendous blow for his young wife and parents, in which they will have the sincerest sympathy of Ventnor people generally.

ISLE OF WIGHT MERCURY

Friday, November 23, 1917 Page 1

In our notice last week of the regretted death of C.S.M. J. Jenkins, he was described as Sergt. Jenkins, and acting as Coy.-Sergt.-Major, whereas his promotion to the latter rank took place two years ago. Few men in Ventnor held a higher place in the esteem of his friends than C.S.M Jenkins. Soldiering seemed to come to him as second nature. He made rapid promotion and was looked up to by those under him, while his officers had the fullest confidence in his management. Among all ranks he stood in the highest estimation as a brave and efficient soldier. His career was most promising, and his death while practically on the threshold of life is deeply deplored. His wife and parents have received wide-spread sympathy in their heavy loss.

Page 2

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
MRS. J. JENKINS desires to return heartfelt thanks for the numerous kind expressions of sympathy and condolence she has received in the death of her husband, Coy.-Sergt.-Major Jack Jenkins, killed in action Nov. 2nd, 1917.

SERGT. AND MRS. C. JENKINS AND FAMILY wish to thank all friends for the many expressions of sympathy received in the death of their son and brother, Coy.-Sergt.-Major John Jenkins.

ISLE OF WIGHT MERCURY

Friday, December 14, 1917 Page 2

Tributes to the late C.-S.-M. J. Jenkins.

Several letters are to hand from those who were immediately associated on active service with the late C.-S.-M. Jenkins, of Ventnor, who was killed in action in Palestine recently. The following are extracts, actual names and places being omitted: - From B.C., Regt.-S.-M.: I saw Jack before he was buried. His grave is just behind the trenches which our battalion captured. Jack was in a trench with another man and they had just captured five Turks. As they were moving down the trench themselves the Turks fired a machine gun, shooting Jack through the back and his companion through the head. Your husband simply said before he died "They have got me." I cannot properly express my regret at losing so great a friend, and my sympathy is with you and his father and mother. He was a good soldier and did his duty. We have very few in the regiment to come up to him, and his death is a great loss. A photograph of the grave has been taken and will be sent to you later. From A.C.E. - I was not near your husband when he was killed, but from enquiries I have made since, I have ascertained that he died, as he lived, a typical soldier. We were all proud of him and extend to you our utmost sympathy. We have beautified his grave. Little did we think when we were with you on your wedding day that Jack would so soon be called upon to make the great sacrifice, and we can hardly realize that he is no longer with us. He is a great loss to the battalion, and his fellow N.C.O.'s will miss him very much. From C.H.H.: I have known your husband since the beginning of the war and feel proud to have numbered him among my friends. He was a gentleman, a sportsman, and a fine soldier, liked and respected by all above and below him in the regiment. You will be proud to know that this last action before meeting his death was to carry a wounded officer for some considerable distance. Your husband died bravely cheering on his men, he was in no pain. He was buried by our own fellows. I am enclosing a letter which was in his possession and addressed to you.

ISLE OF WIGHT MERCURY

Friday, December 14 1917 Page 2

Ventnor District Council.
CONDOLENCE.
The Chairman said he was sorry to say there were further reports of local men having been killed in action and died for their country, Rifleman Godsell, son of Mr. and Mrs. C. Godsell, C.-S.-M. Jenkins, son of Sergt. and Mrs. C. Jenkins, who were killed in Palestine, Pte. Milligan, who they all knew, and Pte. Drudge. Nothing they could say could compensate the parents and relatives of those who had given their lives, but they offered them all the sincerest sympathy in their bereavement. The Councillors stood in their places as a mark of sympathy in their bereavement.
(not all the report has been transcribed)

ISLE OF WIGHT MERCURY Friday, May 24, 1918 Page 1 A letter from the Middle East gives some interesting particulars of the movements of Ventnor men now serving. The writer refers with deep regret to the death of C.S.M. J. Jenkins, and adds, "A fine soldier to be under. We all got on well with him and were deeply grieved at his death."

ISLE OF WIGHT MERCURY

Friday, December 26, 1919 Page 3

Firemen at Dinner.
ENJOYABLE GATHERING OF THE VENTNOR BRIGADE.
On Friday last the members of the Ventnor Fire Brigade, past and present, held a dinner at Booth's Restaurant, to mark the home-coming of several members from active service. There were about forty present.
...
Responding to the toast "The Brigade", Captain Pearson said he had hoped to have called the members together much earlier this year, but demobilization as regards the brigade members had been very slow and consequently the meeting had been delayed. When the war broke out and men were called upon to do their duty to King and country, the Ventnor brigade was hit pretty hard. Every member of the brigade was called up, excepting himself (the Captain) being above the age limit, and Fireman R. Spencer, who went up for examination three times, but was ultimately rejected on account of deafness. Other townsmen were called on and nobly came forward to form a temporary brigade (applause). That, of course, entailed a lot of extra work in the way of drill, etc. In course of time, as the war went on, several of these temporary members were called up, which meant more drilling to keep the brigade in a fairly efficient state. So it went on. Fortunately they had no serious outbreak of fire, but those that did occur were very soon attended to (applause). The speaker went on to express his personal thanks to those who so willingly came forward to fill the places of those who had been called away. All had done their utmost to keep the brigade as efficient as possible (applause). During the war they lost four members. Fireman J. Wheeler and Turncock George Pearson had passed away through sickness. Two others - one of their enrolled members, and one of the temporary members - he referred to Coy.-Serg.- Major Jack Jenkins and Theodore Drudge - had given their lives for King and country, both being killed in action. All honour to them. Others had been wounded but happily had recovered and were with them on that occasion (applause).
...
(not all the report has been transcribed)

ISLE OF WIGHT MERCURY

Friday, August 23, 1940 Page 2

GOLDEN WEDDING
JENKINS-MEADUS. - On August 21st, 1890, at Christchurch Church, Freemantle, Southampton, by the Rev. J. d'Arcy W. Preston, Charles Jenkins, of Ventnor, and Beatrice A. Meadus, of Freemantle. - Present address: 17 Albert Street, Ventnor, I.W.

MR. AND MRS. CHARLES JENKINS.
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Jenkins, of 17 Albert Street, Ventnor, celebrated their golden wedding on Wednesday and, needless to say, were the recipients of hearty congratulations from their many friends. They were married at Christchurch Church, Freemantle, Southampton, on August 21st, 1890.
The fifty years of their happy married life cover an interesting period in the history of the town of which Mr. and Mrs. Jenkins are such well-known and respected residents, and as they cast their thoughts back over the years that have gone they can recall many happy experiences enjoyed at times which provide a striking contrast to those, alas! through which we are now passing.
Mr. Jenkins started work as a chimney sweep under his father, the late Mr. John Jenkins, as long ago as January, 1881, at the time of the great snowstorm, and upon the death of his father, in 1905, succeeded to the business, which, by the way, was established 100 years ago. Mr. Jenkins efficiency in his work has been a byword in the town throughout his long association with the business, and as a result he has enjoyed the patronage of a very widely scattered public.
Mr. Jenkins is, of course, one of the best known former members of the old Rifle Volunteers, and the Territorials which succeeded them, and had no fewer than 33 years service to his credit. For a long period he had the rank of Colour-Sergeant, and was always regarded as one of the most efficient non-commissioned officers attached to Princess Beatrice's I.W. Rifles. An expert rifle shot, Mr. Jenkins won many trophies for his prowess in this art, and probably the one he most treasures is the challenge cup presented by the late Lady Seely to "F" Company (Ventnor), which he won in 1907, 1910 and 1911. Mr. Jenkins always took the keenest interest in his work and it is on record that over a period of 28 years he missed only two detachment parades and one company drill, and on one occasion when away from home he travelled specially from London in order not to miss a drill. In his long and honoured association with the Volunteers, Mr. Jenkins was but emulating the fine example set by his father, who was a sergeant in the I.W. Rifles, and a typical patriot of the old school. When the Great War broke out, Mr. Jenkins enlisted with his old comrades and with the rank of sergeant served his country for four years and 52 days, being engaged principally in the work of looking after prisoners of war.