JAMES, JENKIN (1875 - 1949), first secretary of the University of Wales Council, and author

Born 28 December 1875, in the parish of Llannarth, Cardiganshire. As a student of the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth, he obtained the B.A. degree of the University of London in 1895, and proceeded to the degree of M.A. of the same university in 1900. From 1897 to 1899 he taught at Beaumaris grammar school, and from 1900 to 1904 at Barry intermediate school. In 1904 he became clerk of the Cardiganshire education committee and director of education in 1908, a post which he held until 1920 when he was appointed director of education for the county borough of Barnsley. He was awarded the O.B.E. in 1920. In 1921 he became secretary of the University of Wales Council a post which he held until his retirement in 1945.

As secretary he was deeply involved in the establishment and the development of the University Press Board and the Board of Celtic Studies. The University of Wales conferred the degree of LL.D. honoris causa, upon him in 1946. He edited two small volumes of an anthology of the poems of Cardiganshire poets for the use of school children under the title of Gemau Ceredigion, 1914-15, and these were reissued as one volume in 1930. He was a devoted Sunday School teacher and compiled scriptural handbooks, such as Gwerslyfr ar Hanes yr Iesu (1918) and Llawlyfr ar y rhan gyntaf o Actau'r Apostolion (1920), and a number of articles and pamphlets. He was a member of the Cardiff panel which was responsible for the University of Wales translation of parts of the New Testament in the 1930s. He died 31 October 1949 at Heath Park Avenue, Cardiff and was buried in Aberystwyth.

Author

• Griffith Milwyn Griffiths

Sources

• Who's who in Wales, (1921)
• Western Mail, 2 November 1949
• Y Goleuad, 14 December 1949
• Glyn Lewis Jones, Llyfryddiaeth Ceredigion, 1600-1964 (Aberystwyth 1967)

Additional Links

• Wikidata: Q20804714

Published date: 2001

Article Copyright: http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/