Nigel Jenkins facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Nigel Jenkins
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Jenkins in the Khasi Hills
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| Born | 20 July 1949 Gower, Wales |
| Died | 28 January 2014 (aged 64) Swansea, Wales |
| Resting place | St Mary's Church, Pennard, Gower, Wales |
| Occupation | Poet, playwright, lecturer |
| Language | English, Welsh |
| Nationality | Welsh |
| Period | 1972–2014 |
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| Notable awards |
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Nigel Jenkins (born July 20, 1949 – died January 28, 2014) was a talented writer from Wales. He was known for his poetry, but he also worked as an editor, journalist, and broadcaster. He taught creative writing at Swansea University.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Nigel Jenkins was born on July 20, 1949, in Gorseinon, Wales. He grew up on a farm located on the beautiful Gower Peninsula, close to the city of Swansea. He later went on to study at the University of Essex.
A Career in Writing
Starting as a Poet
Jenkins first became well-known as one of the "Three Young Anglo-Welsh Poets." This was the title of a 1974 book that featured his work alongside Tony Curtis and Duncan Bush. All three writers had won the Welsh Arts Council's Young Poets Prize. In 1976, Nigel Jenkins received an important Eric Gregory Award from the Society of Authors.
Poetry Collections and Translations
Throughout his life, Jenkins published several collections of his own poetry. In 2002, he released Blue: 101 Haiku, Senryu and Tanka. This was the first collection of haiku poems from a Welsh publisher. His poems have been translated into many languages, including French, German, and Russian. He also translated modern Welsh poetry into English. These translations appeared in many magazines and books around the world. In 1998, a Russian magazine called Literatura Innostranya featured a selection of his poems. Jenkins also created poems for public spaces. These poems were made from materials like stone, steel, and glass.
Writing Prose and Travel Books
Before becoming a full-time writer, Jenkins worked as a newspaper journalist. He was also a very skilled writer of prose, which means regular written text, not poetry. In 1996, he won the Wales Book of the Year prize for his travel book, Gwalia in Khasia (published in 1995). This book tells the story of a Welsh religious mission to the Khasi Hills in north-east India. In 2002, the book was re-released in India by Penguin under a new title, Through The Green Door: Travels Among the Khasis. Jenkins also put together a collection of poetry and prose from the Khasi Hills, called Khasia in Gwalia.
In 2001, a collection of his essays and articles was published as Footsore on the Frontier. Later, in 2008, he released Real Swansea. This was the first of three books he wrote for Seren's series of guide books about places. These books explored the feeling and history of different locations. A second book, Real Swansea Two, came out in 2012. A third book, Real Gower, was published after his death in 2014. This completed a series of three books about his home area.
Editor and Educator
Nigel Jenkins was also a very good editor. He helped with many important projects and publications. One major project was The Welsh Academy Encyclopaedia of Wales, published in 2008. He was also a respected expert on haiku poetry in Wales. In 2011, he helped edit Wales' first national collection of haiku poetry, called Another Country. Jenkins was a lecturer at Swansea University. He taught on their Creative and Media Writing program. At the time of his death, he lived in Mumbles, a town near Swansea.
Later Life and Legacy
Passing Away
Nigel Jenkins passed away on January 28, 2014, at the age of 64. He died in a hospice in Swansea after a short illness. His funeral was held at St. Mary's Church in Pennard on February 10, 2014. So many people came to the service that it was broadcast by audio to hundreds of mourners in a nearby community hall. Jenkins was buried in the churchyard of St. Mary's. This is also the resting place of other famous poets, Vernon Watkins and Harri Webb.
Remembering Nigel Jenkins
In July 2014, a book called Encounters with Nigel was published. It was a collection of essays, creative pieces, and tributes to Jenkins. These were written by fellow writers, former students, and family members. This book was part of a series that also honored other famous Welsh writers. The book was launched at Swansea's Dylan Thomas Centre as part of an event celebrating Jenkins' life.
The punk band Helen Love mentioned Nigel Jenkins in their song 'Where Dylan Thomas Talks To Me', released in November 2014. The band wanted the cycle path from Mumbles to Swansea to be renamed 'The Nigel Jenkins Way'. The lead singer felt this would be a great way to honor "a fantastic writer and poet, a maverick, a punk rocker, somebody Swansea should be really proud of."
Posthumous Publications
After his death, several of Jenkins' works were published. Real Gower, which he was writing when he died, was finished with extra chapters by Peter Finch and published in 2014. Two more books were released later. The first was Damned for Dreaming, published in 2021. This book brought together essays, interviews, and tributes that had not been collected before. The second book was Wild Cherry, a collection of his selected poems. This book was edited by Patrick McGuinness and published in 2023. The title poem, 'Wild Cherry', is even studied as part of the GCSE in English Literature throughout Wales.
Radio and Television Work
Nigel Jenkins also worked on several radio and television programs:
- Fields of Praise: A documentary about the Urdd (a Welsh youth movement) for BBC Radio 4 in 1987.
- Gwalia yng Nghasia: A three-part documentary series for S4C in 1994.
- TV Ballads: At Home: A program for BBC Wales in 1995 and BBC 2 in 1996.
- Gwalia in Khasia: A one-hour documentary for BBC Wales in 1995.
- Kardomah Boys: A program about Dylan Thomas and other Swansea artists for BBC Wales in 1997.
Awards and Recognitions
Nigel Jenkins received many awards for his writing:
- 1998: John Tripp Spoken Poetry Award
- 1996: Wales Book of the Year, for Gwalia in Khasia
- 1991: John Morgan Writing Award (Welsh Writers' Trust)
- 1976: Eric Gregory Award (Society of Authors)
- 1974: Welsh Arts Council's Young Poets Prize
- He also received two Welsh Arts Council bursaries (grants).
