Edward Enoch Jenkins

Sir (Edward) Enoch Jenkins (8 February 1895 – 25 February 1960[1][2]) was a British lawyer and judge. He served as Attorney General of Fiji from 1938 to 1945. He subsequently served as Chief Justice of Nyasaland.

The Honourable Sir (Edward) Enoch Jenkins
16th Attorney General of Fiji
In office 1938–1945
Monarch	George VI
Governor	Sir Harry Luke Sir Philip Mitchell Sir John Rankine(Acting) Sir John Nicoll(Acting) Sir John Rankine(Acting) Alexander Grantham
Preceded by	Ransley Thacker
Succeeded by	John Henry Vaughan
Solicitor General of Northern Rhodesia
In office 1936 – c1938
Monarch	Edward VIII George VI
Governor	Sir Hubert Young
Preceded by	Ransley Thacker
Succeeded by	John Henry Vaughan
Chief Justice of Nyasaland
In office 8 November 1944 – c. 1950
Monarch	George VI
Governor	Edmund Richards Geoffrey Colby
Justice of Appeal, Eastern Africa
In office c. 1950 – c. 1955
Monarch	George VI Elizabeth II
Governor	Sir Evelyn Baring
Personal details
Born	8 February 1895 Cardiff, Wales
Died	1960 (aged 64–65)
Nationality	British subject
Alma mater	University College of South Wales and Monmouthshire Peterhouse, Cambridge
Profession	Lawyer, Judge
Military service
Rank	Lieutenant
Unit	Royal Field Artillery

Early life

Jenkins was born in Cardiff, Wales, on 8 February 1895 to William Jenkins and Briar Dene. He was known by his middle name.[3] Educated initially at Howard Gardens Municipal Secondary School in Cardiff, he later studied at University College of South Wales and Monmouthshire, also in Cardiff.

Jenkins served as a lieutenant with the Royal Field Artillery during and after the First World War (1914-1920, and again in 1925).[4]

He was admitted to Cambridge University on 16 May 1919, taking up residence in Peterhouse on 8 October and beginning his matriculation on 21 October that year. He graduated with B.A. and LL.B degrees in 1922. He subsequently earned a postgraduate M.A. degree in 1928.[5]

Legal career

Jenkins was called to the bar at Gray's Inn on 14 May 1924. He entered the colonial service in Nyasaland in 1925, before becoming Solicitor General of Northern Rhodesia in 1936.[6] He then served as Attorney General of Fiji from 1938 to 1945;[7] towards the end of his term, he was appointed Chief Justice of Nyasaland on 8 November 1944.[8] As Chief Justice, he headed a commission of inquiry into a riot that had taken place at Zomba Prison in November 1949. He was criticised by both Sir Geoffrey Colby, the Governor of Nyasaland, and the Legislative Council, for allegedly paying undue attention to "matters of relatively minor significance" and of ignoring what they believed was the fundamental cause of the problem: the breakdown of discipline in the prison over the previous two years.[9]

Sometime before September 1953, he was appointed a Justice of Appeal on the Kenya-based Court of Appeal for Eastern Africa.[10] He sat as one of the judges on Jomo Kenyatta's unsuccessful appeal against his conviction for organizing the Mau Mau movement.[11] He was still reported as serving on the Court of Appeal as of 24 December 1954.[12]

Government offices
Preceded by	Solicitor General of Northern Rhodesia 1936-c.1938	Succeeded by
Preceded by Ransley Thacker	Attorney-General of Fiji 1938-1945	Succeeded by John Henry Vaughan
Preceded by	Chief Justice of Nyasaland 1944-c.1950	Succeeded by
Preceded by	Justice of Appeal, Eastern Africa c.1950-c.1955	Succeeded by

References

1. The Law Journal. Law Journal. 1960. p. 178.
2. "Sir (Edward) Enoch Jenkins (1895-1960), Judge". National Portrait Gallery. Retrieved 27 September 2015.
3. "Sir (Edward) Enoch Jenkins (1895-1960), Judge". National Portrait Gallery. Retrieved 27 September 2015.
4. "Lieutenant Edward Enoch Jenkins. Royal Field Artillery". National Archives. Retrieved 27 September 2015.
5. Ansell, E. "Admissions to Peterhouse". Google Books. Retrieved 27 September 2015.
6. Ansell, E. "Admissions to Peterhouse". Google Books. Retrieved 27 September 2015.
7. "Previous Attorneys-General". Office of the Attorney-General. Archived from the original on 4 July 2015. Retrieved 27 September 2015.
8. "Downing Street" (PDF). The London Gazette. 10 November 1944. p. 5159. Retrieved 27 September 2015.
9. "Development Governor: A Biography of Sir Geoffrey Colby". Google Books. Retrieved 27 September 2015.
10. "Reversions". Kenya Gazette. 6 October 1953. Retrieved 27 September 2015.
11. "Institute of Current World Affairs" (PDF). Institute of Current World Affairs. 30 August 1953. Retrieved 27 September 2015.
12. ""Softening up" in Kenya Camps". The Glasgow Herald. 24 December 1954. Retrieved 27 September 2015.