Henry Irwin Jenkinson, the original Lakeland Guide Writer. 1838 - 1891

Henry Irwin Jenkinson was born at Brotherton, near Pontefract, Yorkshire on 22^nd December 1838. He was christened there on 1^st May 1839 and was the son of Robert and Mary (nee Shillito) Jenkinson; Robert was a grocer at the time of Henry’s birth. When he was born, he had five older siblings, Robert (11 years older), Mary (9yrs), Benjamin (7yrs), Elizabeth (5yrs), James (2yrs).  Little is known of his early upbringing, but he became a member of the Yorkshire Union of Mechanics Institute and the York Institute of Popular Science and Literature. In the former in 1857 he was awarded certificates in algebra, geometry, mensuration and trigonometry. In the latter institute in 1858 he was awarded a first-class certificate for excellence in arithmetic, a second-class certificate for geometry and a third-class certificate in trigonometry.

In the 1861 census Henry is shown as 22 years of age with employment as a railway clerk, still in the Brotherton area. He moved to Keswick to work as the station master of the newly opened railway station, but it is unclear if this was in 1861, or when the station opened for passenger traffic in 1865. It was here that he developed his love of the surrounding fells and began to walk them with ardour. In 1867 he was initiated as a Freemason at the Greta Lodge in Keswick; this may be an indicator of his arrival in 1865. By 1869 he is described in local papers as the ‘late station master’, and now he was giving tuition at the Keswick Mechanics Institute for the April examinations of the Keswick Society of Arts.

In 1871 Henry was shown in an advert in the local papers to be the Secretary of the Threlkeld Sheep Show dated 30^th August and was one of the earliest indicators of his deep involvement in all thing’s lake district related. At that time, he was living as a lodger on High Street, at the premise of a Mr. Thomas Woof, a boot and shoemaker. Henry was by now a coal and lime agent.

Also in 1871 he was known to show Flintoff’s celebrated model of the English Lake District and in the summer of that year the well-known publisher of maps and books, Mr. Edward Stanford of Charing Cross, visited Keswick and viewed the model. In discussion with Mr. Stanford Henry expressed a desire to publish a guidebook and was encouraged to do so by his visitor. Once the tourist summer season had waned Henry than set about this new project with zeal. He had re-lived the walks, through the winter months, starting on 15^th October and ending in mid-May of 1872. He had become benighted on the fells on several occasions, and at times had to struggle through deep snow drifts, conditions uncommon to the usual tourist traveller. He was meticulous in his detail and walked Great Gable on no less than four occasions in order to correctly describe the ascent to his would-be readers. This was the beginning of his fame as ‘Jenkinson’s Practical Guide to the English Lake District’ was published on 15^th August 1872 and contained 9 maps of the area. Despite what initially appeared to be a high cost of six shillings, it received excellent reviews and went on to be re-printed on nine occasions over the years, the later ones by Canon Rawnsley, the famous vicar of Crosthwaite.

H. I. Jenkinson's 1st Edition Guide Book

Pall Mall Gazette 15th August 1872

 Other guidebooks covered the lakes, but none covered the depth of material that the Jenkinson’s Practical Guide did. If the book had a fault it was his own opinions on the Geology of the area, but in that they added to the readers debate on the book’s merits. That they had been written by a man who lived and breathed the English Lakes was perhaps their greatest selling point, for here was the most authoritative guide for any traveller. One account, reported to be well attested, was of him setting off at midnight on 17^th June 1871 to walk over Great Gable, Scafell Pike, Bow Fell, Helvellyn, Blencathra, and finally Skiddaw. The distance was said to be 70 miles, coupled with the huge cumulative ascent. On his way up Scafell Pike he had encountered drizzling rain and mist. Then at Hanging Knott he felt it necessary to descend due to the lack of view, but then met two shepherds who were able to direct him, having once again ascended with them. In time he would go on to write similar books on The Isle of Man, The Isle of Wight, North Wales, and the Roman Wall; also other books not ‘Guide’ related.

Now Henry was a celebrated man of the Keswick area and his life would go on to form newsworthy events, causes being given greater authority by his involvement in them. On Wednesday 31^st December 1873 an ‘Old Folks’,( or ‘over 60’s’) day was organised for those eligible residents of Keswick and surrounding areas. The organiser of the event was Henry himself, acknowledged as such by the vice chairman, Mr. Mumberson, who was the Keswick auctioneer. The oldest male present was 87-year-old John Twentyman and the eldest female was the 84-year-old quilter (3,570 in total), Mrs. Thompson. Those that could not be present due to infirmity had their celebratory dinner taken to them, making a grand total of 219 elderly residents given a hearty free meal and day of merriment. After songs, poetry recitals, and games, the day concluded with Auld Lang Syne, followed by the National Anthem, with carriages then ready to take the more infirm to the homes. These ‘days’ would go on to become an annual event, thanks largely to the driving force of Henry. He had also tried to organise a ‘Young Folks’ day along similar lines, but the interest was not found, and it became too impractical.

By 1876 the books were essential carrying companions for any serious tourist, especially in the Lake District. A London Silversmith called Edward Barnard had travelled to Keswick with his wife and daughter. He set off on 14^th August on his own to walk from the Scafell Hotel in Borrowdale, first to Wasdale Head, then over Black Sail Pass, Gatesgarth Pass, and when there, to catch a coach back to Borrowdale; but he never arrived there. Mr. Jenkinson was called to organise the search for him, himself assisting in the hunt. On Sunday 10^th September two farmhands from Wasdale eventually found Mr. Barnard’s body resting against a stone in Ennerdale, below Green Cove. Mr. Jenkinson was called and when they searched the deceased, they found his guidebook in a pocket. In the second week of October of that year, his wife's brother, David Reid of Newcastle, presented Mr. Jenkinson with a gold hunting, keyless, chronometer watch and chain and compass, valued at 70 guineas, with the inscription: 'To Henry Irwin Jenkinson, from the widow, brothers, and sisters of the late Edward Barnard, in recognition of the services they can never repay. September, 1876.' I wonder where this lost piece of Keswick history is now?

 https://scafellhike.blogspot.com/2015/12/the-disappearance-of-edward-barnard-in.html

Henry immersed himself in all things Keswick and Lake District related. On 22nd October 1879 Henry organised a concert at 7:30pm at The George Assembly Room, Penrith. Part of the concert was a 'Rock Band', namely Messrs. Till & Sons, performing on their famed 80 piece musical stones, gathered from Skiddaw and the surrounding mountains. Part of their Performance was Handel's Harmonious Blacksmith. The performers had been engaged for eight years in the creation of the instrument, which was regarded as the greatest musical wonder of its age. Reserved tickets were 3s, 1st class, 2s, 2nd class 1s, 3rd class 6d, although the last were limited. On 26th August 1878, the Derwentwater Regatta was held, organised by Henry, who was the Honorary Secretary. These name but two ways he saw hos duty to his adopted town and community.

1880 saw Mr. Jenkinson now openly proposing and speaking of the purchase of Fitz Park as a public amenity. The ground was offered for sale as building plots and he then broached the subject of its use by the public as a park. Its loss would deprive Keswick of a location for the agricultural show and a place to practice volunteer drill, cricket, football and other games. His appeal struck a chord with townspeople, which led to the eventual purchase; it was said that a further day’s hesitation would have been fatal to the project. The price of the land was £7,000 and although the land was purchased it took monies raised from benefactors, with other sums from the public, to finally clear the debt and provide the nucleus of an endowment. Had Henry Irwin Jenkinson been given his full reign he would have gone on to fulfil his wider project for the park, namely a free library, gymnasium and public baths, but others had feared the spiralling debt. The final £500 debt was cleared on the day of the Queen’s Golden Jubilee, celebrated across 20^th and 21^st June 1887, across the nation. Part of those celebrations were the organising of bonfires across the country. In the Lake district Mr. Jenkinson was the Keswick representative on the bonfire committee meeting held in Ambleside.

When Rawnsley and Jenkinson came to work closely together is unclear, but they joined in a right of access crusade on behalf of the general public. In that period of the Jubilee there was a growing concern of access to ‘public’ footpaths, none more-so than around the Keswick area. Rawnsley was the local Preservation of Footpaths Association president, with Mr. Jenkinson as the secretary and they were seeking funds to defend the public use of such paths in law. The access to Latrigg became an issue of national importance, as the landowner, Mr. Spedding, stated that the public had no right of access. The association disagreed, claiming the right of ancient users. On 30^th August 1887 a protest march was organised by the group. This was high-lighted in a letter written and published in the local press where the vice-president, W. Routh Fitzpatrick, and the Honorary Secretary Henry Irwin Jenkinson, both thanked the members of the society, public and visitors, for their support in asserting their public right of way onto Fawe Park and Latrigg. On the afternoon of Saturday 1^st October, a crowd of 2,000 people joined the association in the removal of barriers for a further ascent of Latrigg via Calvert’s Road and Greta Bank, without the landowner’s permission. They took the zig-zag path to the summit, where their loud cheers could be heard the town itself. This finished with the National Anthem being sung and people then made their way off the fell, fully satisfied with their day’s efforts.

Other issues had arisen, such as access to Aira Force, in the Ullswater area, but these were largely resolved through discussion between Mr. Jenkinson and the Association, and the owner of the land, Mr. Howard. What was now becoming ‘The Latrigg Case’, still needed resolving and funds were still gathered through adverts in local and more national papers, with Mr. Jenkinson as the Hon. Secretary. The case was before Lord Justice Grantham at Carlisle Assizes in the first week of July 1888. The matter revolved around there being two routes; one described as a ‘private occupation road’, and the other of a more public character. After hearing from all the witnesses, most of an elderly nature who described to the court their earlier experiences of access to the fell, the lawyers finally got together prior to the retiring of the jury. Finally, a compromise was agreed; Mr. Spedding was to retain the only access via the private road, with the public having access by use of the other. This meant that the principle of access to Latrigg summit had been achieved, so all were satisfied. Not only had this Yorkshireman become the accepted expert guide and author of Lakeland, but now he was the champion of its residents and visitors.

The work of the footpaths association continued into 1889 with meetings to discuss access to Derwentwater; Mr. Jenkinson was still listed as the Honorary Secretary. The paths to Friar’s Crag and to the summit of Castlehead had always been considered public, now this access was more formalised.

The Herculean body of work Jenkinson subjected himself to, for the betterment of the residents and visitors to Keswick, took its toll on his well-being. He had been known as a strong and hearty man, but his friends noticed a serious change in him. Due to the workload he subjected himself to he worked well into the night on these projects and to the clearing of debts.

In 1891 he was known to be living as a lodger at 4 Southey Street, and recorded as a Common Writer of Guidebooks. On Tuesday 26^th May 1891 he was travelling to Ingleton when he was struck down seriously ill. At the age of 52 years he had suffered a debilitating stroke and suffered paralysis and lost the power of speech. He was a single man, but on 2^nd June his nearest family had him taken to the Essex Asylum at Brentwood, London, where he could receive the best care to hopefully aid his recovery. That outcome never occurred and following a period of three months debility, he died there at 1pm on Friday 28^th August. He was interred in West Ham Cemetery on Tuesday 1^st September with his brother (Benjamin Shillito Jenkinson), and his wife, also his nephew and his wife, present. Due to the distance it could be understood that a man who was held in such reverence by the people of Keswick, should have so few at his funeral. Canon Rawnsley was so moved by his sad departure that he wrote one of his many sonnets for such occasions:

IN MEMORIAM

HENRY IRWIN JENKINSON

28^th August 1891.

On moor and fell, in silent mountain places,

We meet him still to ask him of the way,

By pathless crag, where streams perplexing stray,

Each Shepherd’s track familiarity he traces;

Or, where the Greta by the grey town races

And brims its pools, now solemn and now gay,

He mingles with the old men at their play

Or gazes on the children’s happy faces.

But whether through green park or purple mountain,

Free on the sunny height, by shore or wood,

That never resting spirit haunts us still!

His heart of hope springs upward like a fountain,

Who blessed the far-off future, and whose will

Was ever set to serve the public good.

Now the funeral had occurred it fell on the good people of Keswick to recognise their friend who had given the best part of his life to the people and causes of Keswick, but what was the best way to do this? On Monday 14^th September a public meeting was called and Mr. Mumberson put forward a suggestion that a public shelter or pavilion be built in his memory. A further meeting was held on Wednesday 23^rd where Mr. Hewitson suggested an obelisk in Higher Fitz Park be at least erected. Canon Rawnsley seconded a motion to a monument with an inlaid medallion likeness and inscription. Finally, a set of gates were decided upon and on Thursday 6^th July 1893, the same day as the Royal Marriage of the Duke of York, the Jenkinson Memorial Gates were formerly opened at Keswick. They were designed by Thomas Hodgson, (who was also the Fitz Park Treasurer) who also designed the medallion portrait that is displayed above them. The gates themselves cost £130, with Mr. Hodgson charging only for his material costs and workmen’s wages. The anti-friction rollers were supplied by Mr. Henry Powley. Canon Rawnsley gave a fine eulogy to his parted friend, saying he needed no memorial, as this was there for all to see by merely looking around them. He was a man later worn down in life by his public service, concerned also in the clearing of personal debt, and debts from the projects he had instigated on behalf of the town. Some believed that those ought to have been cleared prior to the erection of memorials, and people on the day agreed to work to that aim in the near future.  He died a poor man, but his memorials were the gates, the Old Folks Dinner and the books he had written, especially his lakes guide. 

The Memorial Gates

To this day the park stands as his greatest contribution. Other walking guidebooks have come along and inspired new generations. The early Jenkinson 1^st edition books command a high price when they come up for auction. Still, the tribute to him is to sit and rest in the park, especially when the traffic is light, and one can sense the beauty he felt in his adopted town of Keswick 160 years previous. The houses are far more built up, the traffic cannot fully be escaped, but the eye can be cast upward, or the memory invoked, that peers onto the mountains and lakes that inspired Mr. Jenkinson on his first arrival. He was a single man, so there were no family to remember him. The town of Keswick however was his family, he provided for their wellbeing and they loved and remembered him.

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