Author. She penned roughly a dozen well received biographies and a like number of novels, the latter often dealing with complex familial relationships. Raised in a moderately well-to-do family, she attended The Modern School and St. Christopher's, both in Letchworth, before entering Newnham College, Cambridge, where she studied English and history. The success of "Virginia Water", her 1928 first novel, led to the offer of a book contract which she fulfilled while teaching at King Alfred's School, Hampstead. Her second novel, "Harriet" (1934), was centered on a feeble minded woman starved by relatives in order to get her money and won the Femina Vie Heureuse Prize; the 1930s also saw her publish biographies of Lady Caroline Lamb in 1932 and of Jane Austen in 1938. Indeed, she had a lifelong interest in Miss Austen, founding the Jane Austen Society, which aimed to buy and restore Austen's home, in 1940, and seeing her biography republished in 1996. Jenkins held various civil service jobs during World War II, then released a 1947 study of Henry Fielding. Probably her best known work of fiction was 1954's "The Tortoise and the Hare" which dealt with the collapse of a 'good' marriage as two women compete for a wealthy lawyer. She next published two well respected works on Queen Elizabeth I, "Elizabeth the Great" (1958) and the 1961 "Elizabeth and Leicester", the last named containing some controversial speculation about the monarch's sex life. Jenkins received the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1981 and continued writing for much of her life. Her memoir, "The View From Downshire Hill" was published in 2004. She died after several years in a nursing home. At her death, several of her books were in print.
Author. She penned roughly a dozen well received biographies and a like number of novels, the latter often dealing with complex familial relationships. Raised in a moderately well-to-do family, she attended The Modern School and St. Christopher's, both in Letchworth, before entering Newnham College, Cambridge, where she studied English and history. The success of "Virginia Water", her 1928 first novel, led to the offer of a book contract which she fulfilled while teaching at King Alfred's School, Hampstead. Her second novel, "Harriet" (1934), was centered on a feeble minded woman starved by relatives in order to get her money and won the Femina Vie Heureuse Prize; the 1930s also saw her publish biographies of Lady Caroline Lamb in 1932 and of Jane Austen in 1938. Indeed, she had a lifelong interest in Miss Austen, founding the Jane Austen Society, which aimed to buy and restore Austen's home, in 1940, and seeing her biography republished in 1996. Jenkins held various civil service jobs during World War II, then released a 1947 study of Henry Fielding. Probably her best known work of fiction was 1954's "The Tortoise and the Hare" which dealt with the collapse of a 'good' marriage as two women compete for a wealthy lawyer. She next published two well respected works on Queen Elizabeth I, "Elizabeth the Great" (1958) and the 1961 "Elizabeth and Leicester", the last named containing some controversial speculation about the monarch's sex life. Jenkins received the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1981 and continued writing for much of her life. Her memoir, "The View From Downshire Hill" was published in 2004. She died after several years in a nursing home. At her death, several of her books were in print.
Bio by: Bob Hufford
Advertisement
