He served his entire working career in the force, save for a spell in the Army Infantry in the First World War, where he was a member of the Royal West Kent Regiment.
He was notable for opening an inquiry into serious allegations of misconduct by a number of officers of the Folkestone Borough Police at a time when Britain was suffering heavy bombing by the Luftwaffe and cross-channel shelling from occupied France.
William Jenkins was a woodcutter and farmer, and lived with Bertha and Robert at Darby’s Court in Stalisfield, near Faversham, Kent.
[1] Jenkins served in the First World War in the Royal East and West Kent Regiments, starting on 15 September 1914, seeing active service in France.
He was mentioned in dispatches by Field Marshall Sir Douglas Haig and the certificate issued in March 1919 is signed by Winston Churchill, Secretary of State for War at the time.
[4] Jenkins gained his experience by observing and heeding the advice of his more seasoned colleagues, notably George Smith, Harry Robinson and the aforementioned Bertie Inge.
[5] In 1931 he made an application for the post of Chief Constable of the Rochester City Police after the then CC Arnold retired due to ill-health after 52 years of service.
[6] Due to the sheer volume of applicants, he was not successful, with Herbert Allen of the Gravesend Borough Police attaining the appointment.
[8] Jenkins remained in Penzance until 8 December 1941 when he was appointed Chief Constable of Folkestone Borough Police at the height of the Second World War.
Jenkins spent his time in Penzance expanding the small borough force, introducing a motor patrol and criminal investigations department.
This painting was left on the death of his wife to his grandson P.B.Jenkins who when informed of his grandfather's original wish that it should go to Devon and Cornwall police he transferred it to them accordingly.
The austere Mr Beesley was already unpopular even before his integrity was brought into question due to his dogmatic nature and difficulty in getting on with his colleagues.
[12] In 1942 Beesley’s position became untenable when one of his men, a PC Eric Morgan, was charged with 32 accounts of burglary to domestic and business premises.
[13] In the reference book The Gentleman at War, Jenkins is described by the author as a ‘strict but fair disciplinarian.’[14] In 1942 he set up an inquiry into the crimes of the aforementioned PC Morgan.
At his trial, Morgan’s wife asked loudly ‘what about the others?’ and alleged that an additional 13 officers in the force were guilty of similar crimes dating back to 1935.
The inquiry was assisted by two detectives from Scotland Yard, and it was determined that due to the large timeframe of the alleged crimes, bringing sufficient evidence to charge them and/or issue disciplinary action would be extremely difficult.
[15] This scandal left the force utterly demoralised at a time when the town was being subject to heavy bombing by the Luftwaffe, and cross-channel shelling from mainland France.
Sillitoe also introduced the chequered band that now adorns the standard UK police flat cap (to distinguish the mid-twentieth century bobby from postmen and bus drivers.
Even before Jenkins’ arrived at Folkestone, Germany had attempted to land spies in the county in preparation for invasion, which by 1940 had been well-planned by Hitler.
The police had the unenviable task of training up the local Home Guard, managing the disorder caused by visiting allied troops and dealing with the aftermath of German air raids.
Amongst those killed included members of the Kent Special Constabulary, some of whom had served in World War 1 and had offered their services to the county irrespective of age or infirmity.
[25] In 1952, he was seconded to Newport Borough Police to see the force through a period of upheaval when its Chief Constable Clifford Montague Harris was reprimanded for a number of indiscretions in office.
In his retirement he wrote articles for local newspapers, including a piece for the Kentish Gazette in 1964, in which he reminisced about his time at the Canterbury City Police, almost fifty years after his tenure at the small force.
Whilst at Canterbury, before he was married, he took lodgings at 8 New Street, St. Dunstan’s, the marital home of his colleague and mentor PC Bertie Inge, and his wife Julia [nee Jordan] and their three children.
Roy married Kitty (Kathleen Ann nee Delaney) and became a fruit farmer at Court Lane Farm, Hadlow, Kent.
Jenkins and his wife Ethel backed their son Roy in a fruit growing venture and were founder members of R.C.Jenkins Limited.