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Dictionary of Miramichi Biography

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JENKINS, WILLIAM (1794-1863)

JENKINS, WILLIAM, principal of the County Grammar School, 1833-40; b. c1794; m. Martha - ; d. West Frampton, Canada East, 31 Dec 1863.

William Jenkins, who was reputed to have been educated at Trinity College, Dublin, became the 'preceptor' of the Queens County Grammar School at Gagetown in 1825. Four years later he was defending himself in the Saint John press against accusations that his disciplinary practices were unduly harsh. One of his pupils at Gagetown was Leonard (later Sir Leonard) Tilley, who referred in his autobiography to the vigor with which Jenkins "applied the birch."

Jenkins remained at the Gagetown school until August 1832. At the beginning of January 1833 he announced in The Gleaner that he was about to open a new school called "The Newcastle Classical and Commercial Academy." Anticipating that his reputation would have preceded him, he stated that he would be endeavoring to command the obedience and respect of his students with a minimum of coercion, and "without austerity and moroseness."

The "Classical and Commercial Academy" may not have opened. Within a few weeks of the appearance of the announcement Jenkins was appointed principal of the County Grammar School. At the time, this school was located just east of Clarke's Cove, and the inconvenience of the location may explain why it had only eleven and thirteen boys in attendance during the two earliest of Jenkins's terms. In 1835 the residents of Chatham petitioned the Assembly to move the school to town, and after it was relocated there in 1836 enrollments doubled. One of the school's more able students was Joseph R. Hea, the future president of the University of New Brunswick, whom Tilley described as Jenkins's nephew. Also in attendance were George E. Letson and John Shirreff.

In 1835 Jenkins was among the original members of the Chatham Amateur Band. While he had "only a rudimentary knowledge of composition and instrumentation," he composed at least one waltz. This is "Chatham Waltz No. 2," which is said to be "like a Schubert waltz or perhaps a Mozart minuet." Found in a conductor's score book that is thought to have lain dormant for more than 125 years, Chatham Waltz No. 2, by William Jenkins, was played in 1987 in Elm Park in Chatham by the Chatham Firemen's Band.

Jenkins was vice-president of the Chatham Temperance and Total Abstinence societies in 1839. The fact that he retained his position at the grammar school for seven years would suggest that he was not entirely unsuccessful, but no assessments of his performance are to be had. Little notice was taken of him by the press, and when he decided to leave, The Gleaner stated simply that the master of the grammar school had submitted his resignation and that a successor was being sought. His final term ended in May 1840, and he departed for Quebec City, where he subsequently conducted a "large school." He was a resident of that city for many years, according to his death notice in the Quebec Mercury. He died at the Anglican rectory in the nearby village of West Frampton, where his son, the Rev. John Hea Jenkins, was rector.

Sources

[d] Quebec Mercury 9 Jan 1864 / church records (Gagetown, N.B., re. children's baptisms); Francis research; Fraser (C); Gleaner 2 Jun 1835, 3 May 1836, 12 Mar 1839, 29 Sep 1840; Leeman; Religious Intelligencer 12 Feb 1864; scrapbook #23 (re. Sir Leonard Tilley)

Notes

There are two references to "Mr William Jenkins, Trinity College, Dublin" in the school records, and in his autobiography Sir Leonard Tilley refers to Jenkins as a graduate of Dublin University. However, his name is not included in Alumni Dublinenses, a register of students of Trinity College in the University of Dublin, 1593-1860.


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