| | | Mike
JenkinA rugby romantic, Mike was a passionate ‘Pirate’
throughout his life. His father Jack had been Treasurer of Penzance RFC and of
us in our formative years (1945-55). He, along with the
indefatigable Rex Carr of St. Erbyn’s (where ‘JMJ’ later taught)
would have been Mike’s early mentors before he received further education
at Kelly College and then Oxford University. His playing career, mainly
as a wing/centre, proved illustrious – capped 21 times for Cornwall (playing
in the 1958 County Championship Final), he was also in the Cornwall & Devon
team which drew (3-3) with the 1958 ‘Wallabies’. Club Captain
1954/55, Mike was seriously injured but still scored 55 points in eleven games
played. | | Awaiting
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Perhaps his greatest honour
though occurred a couple of seasons earlier in 1952 when he won his Oxford ‘Blue’
– on a day when Rodda Williams, said master of the epigram, had succinctly
wired ‘Congratulations, the Coombe River at Newlyn flows Dark Blue tonight!’
His other clubs included Gloucester, Harlequins, Devonport
Services and Torquay Athletic. Mike eventually ‘hung
up his boots’ after receiving our 300 games tankard in 1963/64 – a time
when he happily orchestrated moves (often planned over a lunchtime pre-match pint
in the St. John’s House – now the Humphry Davy) from fly-half when playing
for the thirds. He was our Coach (1969-71), wrote programme notes and became Chairman
of the County Selectors. He was also Chairman of the Pirates
(1981-84), a role he took very seriously, reminding us of an amusing incident
on an occasion when post-match ties and plaques were exchanged in a packed clubhouse.
Standing on a chair to call order, Mike fell awkwardly with drink in hand, but
amazingly not a drop was spilt – the visiting players and officials thinking
that this was Mike’s party piece! Being a rugby columnist
for the ‘Sunday Independent’ in his later years enabled him to draw
on a wealth of rugby knowledge. He had always loved to put pen to paper, his fertile
mind never failing to conjure up matters of interest. Mike’s
enthusiasm was infectious and his love for the game of rugby football singularly
unique. He sadly passed away in January, 1995, aged 64 years.
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