Tom Jenkins (teacher)
Tom Jenkins[1] | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1797 Guinea coast, West Africa (nou Sierra Leone) |
| Dee'd | Juin 1859 (aged 61–62) |
| Ither names | Thomas Joseph Jenkins |
| Thrift | teacher |
| Kent for | Britain's first Black teacher |
Tom Jenkins (c.1797–1859) wis a West African dominie, educate in Scotland an is thocht tae hiv been Scotland's (and Britain's) first Black schule teacher.[1]
Early life
[eedit | eedit soorce]Jenkins us thocht tae hiv been born in whit is nou modren day Sierra Leone, aiblins the son o a sclave-tradin chief cried "King Cock-eye"[2]. In 1803, Jenkins wis taen abuird The Prudence bi James Swanson, a surgeon frae Haaick, an brocht tae Scotland. Whit Jenkins' umwhile birthname wis isna kent. He wis gien the name "Tom Jenkins" bi the ships crew whiles sailin tae Scotland.[2] Suin efter they wan tae Haaick, Swanson dee'd an Jenkins wis taen intae the hame o a local hotelier. He wis leart Inglis an Scots an syne wis sent tae the schule at Teviotheid.[2]
Education
[eedit | eedit soorce]Jenkins duin weel at the schule whiles bein fee'd tae fermers rounabout Teviotheid tae dae messages an herd kye. He leart himsel mathematics, Greek an Latin frae buiks at nicht efter his darg i the ferms.[3]. He wis aye seen about Haaick buyin buiks wi his pey.[1]
Thrift in Scotland
[eedit | eedit soorce]In 1814, Teviotheid wis needin a new dominie for the paroch schule an Jenkins wis pit forrit bi the minister an local heritors for the job, but the heids o the Presbytery o Jethart wadna gie Jenkins the job acause o his "pagan birth".[1] No sweir bi siccan prejudice, the Duke o Buccleuch an ither donors stertit a new schule in the toun's auld smiddy an peyed Jenkins tae be the dominie. Jenkins leart bairns o Teviotheid in this schule atween 1814 an 1818 an wis sae weel respectit as teacher at naur eneuch nae bairns went tae the paroch schule avaa.[1]
Whiles dominie at Teviotheid, Jenkins wis learin wi a maister o gremmar i Haaick. In 1818 he went tae the Borough Road College i Lunnon an wis teacher for a while at the Fitzroy Schule there. In 1820 he cam awa back tae Haaick and Teviotheid tae gie fareweel tae his friends afore gaun awa tae Mauritius tae be dominie o a schule there in 1821.[2]
Thrift in Mauritius
[eedit | eedit soorce]Jenkins wan at Mauritius in November 1821. The British war rinnin colonizin missions frae Mauritius' capital toun, Port Louis tae Madagascar an mony Malagasy fowk cam back tae Mauritius for education. Jenkins wis suin learin Malagasy princes an ither bairns.[4] The British Governor o Mauritius thocht it weel tae stert a schule for the non-white woners o Mauritius an in 1824 Jenkins wis gart dominie o the schule. In this new job, Jenkins graitht wi heezin up education in Mauritius, an bi 1840 helpt tae big 4 mair schules[4].
The heid bummers o the schule system in Mauritius dung Jenkins doun for uisin 'creole' leids i the schule house insteid o Inglis--he wis ane o the first dominies tae wat the guid o learin fowk i their ain mither tongue.[4] Mony o the teachers an schule monitors apprenticed tae Jenkins syne war dominies o schules athort Mauritius.
Faimly an later life
[eedit | eedit soorce]In 1843, Jenkins tint his job for a while efter he wis fand tae be livin 'en concubinage' wi Augustine Laurencia, anither teacher. The pair was syne marriet an haed fower o a faimly. Tom Jenkins dee'd in Juin 1859.[4]
References
[eedit | eedit soorce]- ↑ a b c d e Bowen, R. (2 October 2019). "The Smiddy and the School Teacher | Historic Environment Scotland". Historic Environment Scotland Blog (in Inglis). Retrieved 14 November 2020.
- ↑ a b c d Kalla, Abdool Cader. "Tom Jenkins in Mauritius" (in Inglis). Retrieved 14 November 2020.
- ↑ Campsie, A. "The boy from the Borders who became Britain's first black schoolteacher". www.scotsman.com (in Inglis). Retrieved 14 November 2020.
- ↑ a b c d "JENKINS THOMAS JOSEPH: An african educator for the non-white population in Mauritius | Le Mauricien". web.archive.org. 4 October 2017. Archived frae the original on 4 October 2017. Retrieved 14 November 2020.CS1 maint: BOT: original-url status unknown (link)