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Thomas Jenkins was born in c1807 of Welsh parentage (only learning English when he was about 10). He emigrated to South Africa, along with his sister Anne and her husband James Kidd, departing England aboard the 'Aurora' in February 1820. They became resident in the British settlement at Kaffraria [Eastern Cape] and Jenkins joined the Methodist Church whilst living in Salem. Jenkins initially worked as a missionary assistant but became a missionary himself in 1832 when asked to evangelise amongst 'Vossanie's tribe' [Vusani, Xhosa]. However, much of Jenkins' missionary career was dedicated to evangelising (principally in Kaffir [Xhosa]) to the Amampando [Pondo] under the chiefdom of Faku (born 1780) including at Buntingville, Morley, Palmerton and Emfundisweni. In fact Jenkins would follow Faku and his tribe in their migrations, leading to the foundation of Palmerton (1844) and the founding of a Wesleyan Methodist mission at Emfundisweni (c1862). Jenkins became a trusted advisor of Faku (who named Jenkins 'Marwanqana') and became familiar with the tribe's customs and practices. Faku himself never converted to Christianity but did assist the mission with resources and a number of his tribe did convert (including his mother). Faku died on 29 October 1867 with Jenkins dying the following year at Emfundisweni on 2 March. Mrs Jenkins continued to work at the mission at Emfundisweni until her death in 1880.
Further Reading:
Hewson, L, An introduction to South African Methodists (1950);
Methodist missionaries no. 4. Herbert Louis Bishop, John William Househam, the Bechuana mission, Samuel Broadbent, Thomas Laidman Hodgson, James Archbell, John Edwards, Thomas Jenkins, James Scott (1958);
Whiteside, J, History of the Wesleyan Methodist Church of South Africa (1906). |
Thomas Jenkins was born in c1807 of Welsh parentage (only learning English when he was about 10). He emigrated to South Africa, along with his sister Anne and her husband James Kidd, departing England aboard the 'Aurora' in February 1820. They became resident in the British settlement at Kaffraria [Eastern Cape] and Jenkins joined the Methodist Church whilst living in Salem. Jenkins initially worked as a missionary assistant but became a missionary himself in 1832 when asked to evangelise amongst 'Vossanie's tribe' [Vus ... View more |
