JENKIN, Penelope Margaret

JENKIN_PENELOPE_MARGARET

Catalogue of the papers and correspondenceof Penelope Margaret Jenkin DSc (1902 - 1994) by Simon Coleman NCUACScatalogue no. 134/7/04 P.M. Jenkin NCUACS134/7/04 1 Title: Catalogue of the papers and correspondence of Penelope Margaret Jenkin DSc (1902-1994), biologist Compiled by: Simon Coleman Description level: Fonds Date of material: 1926-2004 Extent of material: 40 items Depositedin: The library, Freshwater Biological Association, The Ferry House, Far Sawrey, Ambleside, Cumbria Reference code: Penelope Jenkin UC 171 © National Cataloguing Unit for the Archives of Contemporary Scientists, University of Bath. NCUACS catalogue no. 134/7/04 P.M. Jenkin NCUACS134/7/04 The workof the National Cataloguing Unit for the Archives of Contemporary Scientists is supported by the following societies and organisations: The Biochemical Society The British Computer Society The Geological Society Girton College Cambridge The Institute of Physics The Royal Society The Royal Astronomical Society The Royal Society of Chemistry St John’s College Cambridge Trinity College Cambridge The Wellcome Trust P.M. Jenkin NCUACS134/7/04 NOT ALL THE MATERIAL IN THIS COLLECTION MAY YET BE AVAILABLE FOR CONSULTATION. ENQUIRIES SHOULD BE ADDRESSEDIN THE FIRST INSTANCE TO: THE LIBRARIAN FRESHWATERBIOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION THE FERRY HOUSE FAR SAWREY AMBLESIDE CUMBRIA LA22 OLP P.M. Jenkin NCUACS 134/7/04 LIST OF CONTENTS GENERAL INTRODUCTION Items Page SECTION A FAMILY CORRESPONDENCE A.1-A.18 SECTION B ARTICLE IN FRESHWATER FORUM B.1-B.9 SECTION C RESEARCH C.1-C.13 INDEX OF CORRESPONDENTS 11 15 P.M. Jenkin NCUACS 134/7/04 GENERAL INTRODUCTION PROVENANCE 5 The papers werereceived from the Freshwater Biological Association in April and August 2004. OUTLINE OF THE CAREER OF PENELOPE MARGARET JENKIN For a comprehensive survey of Jenkin’s early career see ‘Dr P.M. Jenkin (1902-1994) and the earliest days of the FBA’s laboratory at Wray Castle’, by J.W.G. Lund and E.B. Monaghan, Freshwater Forum Vol. 13, 2000. Penelope Jenkin was born in London in 1902, the daughter of Bernard Maxwell Jenkin, consultant engineer, and Mary May Jenkin (neé Giles), sculptor. She was admitted to Newnham College, Cambridge, in 1921 and achieved a First Class in Part | of the Natural Sciences Tripos and,surprisingly, a Third Class in Part II (Zoology). After graduating (1925) she took up a research post at the University of Glasgow and made important measurements of photosynthesis in Loch Awe thefirst time that results using a single alga (i.e. a clone) were obtained in British fresh water. Her continued research in freshwater biology involved visits to many locations in Britain and Africa, including the Kenyan lakes (1929) where she worked on plankton and carried out a new study on the feeding mechanism of the flamingo. From 1930 to 1931, with J.T. Saunders, she carried out a detailed survey of temperature, chemical composition and plankton in Wicken Fen, Cambridgeshire. In September 1931, while still a Newnham College postgraduate student, Jenkin moved to the new laboratory of the FreshwaterBiological Association at Wray Castle, Lake Windermere. She made some of the FBA’s earliest measurements of oxygen, chemical concentrations and temperature in the lake at various depths, and wasthe first independent research worker at an FBA laboratory. In the summer of 1932 she took the oral examination for her PhD, the examiners being the two keyfigures in the early days of the FBA, W.H. Pearsall and J.T. Saunders. They recommended her for an MSc, as the interview revealed herinsufficient knowledge of phytoplankton. While at Wray Castle she also supervised work on the construction of the equipment, designed by herfather, for the FBA’s marine launch. After leaving Wray Castle, Jenkin worked at the Marine Biological Association’s laboratory, Plymouth (1933-1934). It was there that she achievedthe correlation betweenlight penetration and photosynthesis, something which had frustrated her at Windermere. In 1934 she took up the post of Assistant Lecturerin Zoology at the University of Bristol, later becoming Senior Lecturer, and she remained there until her retirement in 1962. For some of her years at Bristol she was a Wardenof Clifton Wood House. P.M. Jenkin NCUACS 134/7/04 6 Soonafter arriving at Bristol Jenkin joined the Society of Friends. During World WarII she formed the Bristol Committee for the Friends Relief Service which helped to find homes for evacuees. She travelled much in Europe, attending Friends’ meetings and retreats and spent much time at the Dyffryn Clwyd meeting in north Wales. The University of Bristol awarded her a DSc in 1958. She was a keenflautist and gardener and remained very active in old age. She died in 1994. DESCRIPTION OF THE COLLECTION The papers date from 1926 to 2004. Section A, Correspondence, dates from 1931 to 1933 and consistsof letters to Jenkin from her father and mother, with oneof hers to her father. Manyof herfather’s letters relate to work on the equipmentfor the FBA’s marine launch. The remainder cover personal and general matters, as do the letters from her mother. Section B, Article in Freshwater Forum (see above), dates from 1978 to 2004, but mostly 1998 to 2000. It comprises correspondence between the authors and various individuals, universities, archive repositories etc, with photocopies of documents, concerning the details of Jenkin’s career,particularly the early part. The correspondents include Winifred Tutin and other scientists with knowledge of Jenkin’s career; Conrad Jenkin, her cousin and executor; and variousinstitutions for which she worked. Thereis a small amount of correspondence between J.W.G. Lund and Penelope Jenkin (1978-1980). Included are photocopied documentsrelating to her grandfather, the celebrated engineer Fleeming Jenkin. Section C, Research, chiefly consists of manuscript data and notes in Jenkin’s hand, including two notebooks, recording her experiments in Wicken Fen, Cambridgeshire, 1931 to 1932. The two notebooks also contain manuscript records of Jenkin’s research at Loch Awe during the summers of 1926, 1927 and 1930. There are also data and notesin the hand of J.T. Saunders whodirected the work at Wicken. The remainderof the papers - a typescript of an apparently unpublished paper by Jenkin and pagesof data - relate to experiments in Lake Windermere, 1931-1932, during her time at Wray Castle. The papersin this section had already been catalogued by the FBAaspart ofits series of ‘Unpublished Collections’. There is also an index of correspondents. Simon Coleman Bath, August 2004 P.M. Jenkin NCUACS 134/7/04 SECTION A FAMILY CORRESPONDENCE, A.1-A.18 1931-1933 Contents of a file, the cover of which has been kept and is described in A.1. The correspondence wasgivento the Freshwater Biological Assocation by Jenkin's cousin and executor, Conrad Jenkin. A.1-A.16 Bernard Maxwell Jenkin (father) A.17-A.18 Mary May Jenkin (mother) A.1-A.16 BERNARD MAXWELLJENKIN (FATHER) 1931-1933 B.M. Jenkin was an engineer and washired by the FBA to design equipmentforits first motor launch on Lake Windermere. The work on the launch, carried out at Borwick's shipyard during 1931 and 1932, was overseen by Penelope Jenkin while she was engaged on research on the lake. Almost all the letters are to Penelope Jenkin from her father. The majority (1931 to early 1932) relate to detailed technical matters associated with the motor launch, often including diagrams. Further pages of notes and diagrams in B.M. Jenkin's hand, and a few in Penelope Jenkin's hand, are interspersed with theletters. The remainder of the letters cover personal and general matters. There is one letter from Penelope Jenkin to her father (A.1). A.1 Variousletters. January-July 1931 Cover of the original file containing the papers in A.1- A.18. On it is an inscription by Conrad Jenkin (briefly describing B.M. Jenkin’s letters) and one in Penelope Jenkin's hand: 'BMJ '31 - '32 re Lake W'mere'’. Letter (January 1931) to B.M. Jenkin from The National Physical Laboratory re the design of a plankton recorder. Letter (July 1931) from Penelope Jenkin (at Cambridge) to her father, chiefly re equipmentfor the motor launch. P.M. Jenkin NCUACS 134/7/04 Family correspondence A.2-A.16 Letters from B.M. Jenkin to Penelope Jenkin. 1931-1933 A.5 and A.7 include notes in Penelope Jenkin's hand. There are a few undated, incomplete letters which were found among the 1931 letters. These have been left where they were found in the original chronological sequence. A.2-A.7 October-November 1931. 6 folders. A.8-A.12 December 1931-January 1933. 5 folders. A.13-A.15 February-May 1933. 3 folders. A.16 Other material found among the correspondence in A.2- A.15. 1931, c.1931 Reprint of a paper by Penelope Jenkin, 1931. Photograph of a group of mentaking [?plankton] samples from freshwater, c.1931. Annotated on the back in Penelope Jenkin's hand and crossedout. A.17-A.18 MARY MAY JENKIN (MOTHER) March-May 1933 Letters to Penelope Jenkin from her mother re personal and general matters. 2 folders. P.M. Jenkin NCUACS 134/7/04 SECTION B ARTICLE IN FRESHWATER FORUM,B.1-B.9 1978-2004 ‘Dr P.M. Jenkin (1902-1994) and the earliest days of the FBA's laboratory at Wray Castle’, by J.W.G. Lund and E.B. Monaghan, Freshwater Forum Vol. 13, 2000. In the introduction the authors state that their original intention wasto write a brief article on the earliest days of the FBA's laboratory at Wray Castle. It was to be based on the manuscript material described in this catalogue but, the authors explain: 'It became clear that there were inconsistencies and published statements about Penelope's work and career, as well as in some statements in FBA Annual Reports. Further, the realisation that apparently there was no account of her scientific career led to the production of this article, written with special reference to her work at WrayCastle’. unpublished between certain archive repositories The material described in this section was used by the authors in the preparation of the article and documents their wide-ranging research to establish the facts of Jenkin's early career. A large part comprises their correspondence with universities and organisations at which she worked, including significant correspondence with of Cambridge (B.1-B.2). Most of the other correspondents are individuals who knew Jenkin or were familiar with some of her work. There is a small amount of Jenkin's correspondence (some photocopied). Included also are photocopies of papers by Jenkin and photocopies of various documentsrelating to her and to her grandfather, Fleeming Jenkin. A list of organisations and individuals consulted by the authorsis at B.1. University the etc at The existing arrangement of the material by the authors has been almost entirely retained. The contents of B.9 were inscribed ‘Miscellaneous’. Most of the material is dated 1998-2000. folded paper within a piece of Included are the following: At B.3: correspondence with Conrad Jenkin re papersof Penelope Jenkin and her MScthesis, 1995-2004 At B.4: correspondence between J.W.G. Lund and Penelope Jenkin, 1978-1980, chiefly re the former's requestfor information about B.M. Jenkin's core sampler. Photocopied Jenkin entitled ‘Notes on Professor W.H. (inscribed Pearsall during the first year's work of the FBA at Wray Castle, 1931-1932', containing her reminiscences of her time at Wray Castle and of her PhD oral examination. 3pp '1964') typescript Penelope by P.M. Jenkin NCUACS 134/7/04 10 Article in Freshwater Forum the original for MSc with At B.6: photocopy of ‘Substance of [Jenkin's] dissertation submitted plates’. The dissertation for her MSc (awarded by the University of Cambridge, May 1948)is lost but Lund and Monaghan, in their article, explain the circumstances surrounding the lost dissertation and the significance of the photocopyin this folder. At B.8: correspondence between J.W.G. Lund and Winifred Tutin, 1998-1999, concerning Jenkin’s career, with accompanying notes by Anne Richards. P.M. Jenkin NCUACS 134/7/04 11 SECTION C RESEARCH, C.1-C.13 1926-1983 Contents of two envelopes whosetitles are given below. The material had already been catalogued by the Freshwater Biological Association. The FBA's original catalogue numbersare givenin bracketsafterthetitles of the envelopes. C.1-C.11. ‘Wicken Brickpits 1930-1931’ (UC 171) C.12-C.13 ‘Chemical data for Windermere 1931-1932...’ (UC 47) C.1-C.11 'Wicken Brickpits 1930-1931' (UC 171) 1926-1983 Notebooksand files, mostly containing data and notesin Jenkin's hand, relating to her experiments in Wicken Fen, Cambridgeshire, May 1930 - August 1931. Parts of the notebooks in C.1 and C.2 cover her work at Loch Awe during the summers of 1926, 1927 and 1930. The work at Wicken Fen was eventually published by Jenkin as a paper ‘Temperature, hydrochemistry, and plankton in Wicken Brickpits, 1930-1931. A year's survey of two alkaline, dimictic ponds directed by the late J.T. Saunders, from the Zoological Laboratory, Cambridge’, Hydrobiologia 97, 1982. For various reasons (see the off-print of the paper in C.11), the work was not published in Saunders’lifetime. In the 1970s Jenkin heard of new research being carried out at one of the Wicken brickpits and, realising the historical value of the original studies, preparedthe recordsfor publication. C.1 Pocket hardback notebook in Jenkin's hand with the title (typewritten) 'Wicken Brickpits field notes 1930-31. P.M. Jenkin’. 1926-1931 Experimental data and notes (mostly pencil). the weather and other observations are included. Notes on From thefront: The first part (approximately one third) records work at Loch Awe, August 1926 and August 1927. The second part relates to measurements at Wicken Fen, May 1930- August 1931. P.M. Jenkin NCUACS 134/7/04 12 Research la. From the back: Brief further notes re the Loch Awe experiments, August 1926; several pagesof notes re later experiments at Loch Awe, August-September 1930, preceded by a note (written later) by Jenkin: 'Notes on recorded work on Loch Awe, Argyllshire, trying out our unsuccessful plankton recorder. PMJ'. C.2 C.3-C.8 C.3 records. Jenkin's hand with title Softback notebook in Laboraotory (typewritten) 'Wicken Brickpits, 1930-1931. [sic] Oa, Phophtes[sic] and silicates. from May 27th 1930 to June 11th 1931 (Those for July and August 1931 are mssing[sic] from myfile. PMJ)’. Penelope Jenkin analyses the for Experimental data, calculations and notes (mostly pencil). There are a few later pen annotations by Jenkin. From front: Experiments at Wicken Fen, 1930-1931. Included is an intercalated page of manuscript notes signed ‘JTS [J.T. Saunders]’ at the bottom. From back: Several pages relate to experiments at Loch Awe, July- September 1927. A few pages are dated August 1930 and probably relate to Jenkin's later work at Loch Awe (see C.1). Another page is dated 'Ap. 23 1930’. J.T. 'Wicken Brickpits 1930-1931. Saunders reserve, Chlorides, Ca and Mg. Conductivity (Not in PMJ 1982)’, contents of an envelopesoinscribed. Laboratory records. analyses Alkali NH3, and for: Manuscript experimental data in J.T. Saunders’ hand, divided into six groups of papers with typescript labels which are reproduced below. There are some brief later annotations in Jenkin's hand. ‘Trial runs on methodsbefore 24.ix.'30. NHB - 18.vi.'30 to 20.ix.'30 Alkali reserve 25.v.'30 to 20.ix.'30 Cl. undated. WickenBrickpits 1930’. 1930-1931 1930-1931 May- September 1930 P.M. Jenkin NCUACS 134/7/04 Research C.4 CS C.6 C.7 C.8 C.9 C.10-C.11 'NH3, Alkali reserve - | 24.ix.'30 to 21.xii.'30. Records either on same, or adjacent, sheets for each date. WickenBrickpits III and Br’. September- December 1930 ‘Conductivity. Wicken Brickpits IIl and Br. 8.iv.'31. Not referred to in P.M. Jenkin, 1982’. 25.x.'30 to October 1930 - April 1931 ‘Ca & Mg. WickenBrickpits III & Br. 25.x.'30 to 25.v.'31'. October 1930 - May 1931 November 1930 - May 1931 January- August 1931 September 1930 - June 1931 c.1981-1983 ‘Chlorides. Wicken Brickpits II] and Br. 26.xi.'30 to 25.v.'31'. ‘NHS, Alkali reserve - II 3.1.'31 to 21.viii.'31. Records on same or adjacent sheets for each date. Wicken Brickpits, II] and Br’. Contents of an untitledfile. Manuscript data and notesin Jenkin's hand. At the top of the first page is a later note by Jenkin: 'Raw data of some plankton counts’. data on Fen of full copy '‘Photostat Temperature, Hydrochemistry & Stability in Wicken Brickpits, 1930- 1931, from field and laboratory records, deposited with Wicken Jenkin. Hydrobiologia (1982) 97: 37-61', contents of a file so entitled. Committee. Penelope M._ Photocopies of (mostly) manuscript data (in Jenkin's hand), some with later annotations in her hand. Included at C.11 are later typescript notes, signed by Jenkin (1983), relating to her paper in Hydrobiologia (1982); and an off-print of the paper with a few annotations in her hand. 2 folders. P.M. Jenkin NCUACS 134/7/04 14 Research C.12-C.13 ‘Chemical data for Windermere 1931-1932. Penelope Jenkin' (UC47) 1931-[after 1942] C.12 C.13 Typescript data, some photocopied. On some pages are later annotations in Jenkin's hand. 1931-1932 ‘Seasonal changesin chemical analysis of water samples from Windermerein 1931-1932". [after 1942] 9pp photocopied typescript by Jenkin, so entitled, with later corrections and annotations in her hand. Apparently unpublished. Jenkin's survey of temperature in Lake Windermere, referred to in the typescript, was publishedin ‘Journal of Animal Ecology’, Il, 1942. P.M. Jenkin NCUACS 134/7/04 INDEX OF CORRESPONDENTS BONEY,A.D. (‘Don’) JENKIN, Bernard Maxwell JENKIN, (David) Conrad JENKIN, Mary May (née GILES) JENKIN, Penelope Margaret 15 B.1 A.1-A.16 B.3 A.17, A.18 B.4, B.6, B.9 LUND, John Walter Guerrier B.1, B.3-B.5, B.8 MONAGHAN, Elaine B. MORTIMER, Clifford H. SAUNDERS, John Tennant TUTIN (née PENNINGTON), Winifred Anne WORTHINGTON, EdgarBarton B.1, B.2, B.5 B.5 AQ, B.6 B.8 B.8