SLINGSBY-JENKINS, THOMAS DAVID (1872 - 1955), secretary of a shipping company and philanthropist
Date of birth: 1872
Date of death: 1955
Spouse: Margherita Slingsby-Jenkins (née Vita)
Spouse: Roma Beatrice Evlyn Marie Slingsby-Jenkins (née Slingsby)
Parent: Mary Jenkins
Parent: Evan Jenkins
Gender: Male
Occupation: secretary of a shipping company and philanthropist
Area of activity: Business and Industry; Philanthropy
Author: Mary Auronwy James
Born 25 December 1872, eldest son of Evan Jenkins, Bodhyfryd, Bridge Street, Aberystwyth, and Mary, his wife, but when he was two years old his father was lost at sea. He attended the local grammar school and worked in a solicitor's office in the town before joining the shipping company of Mathias and Son, Cardiff, where he became company secretary. He was a member of the board of the British Sailors' Society and made generous contributions to the society. His work often took him to Italy where he was awarded a medal by the king of that country in 1940 for fostering friendship between Italy and Britain. But he did not sever his connection with his native county. He became a J.P. and High Sheriff of Cardiganshire, and a member of the court of governors and council of U.C.W., Aberystwyth. He presented to the college a statue by Mario Rutelli of the Duke of Windsor as Prince of Wales (the only such large statue made) and an endowment to establish a scholarship for local pupils. He also served on the court and council of the National Library of Wales to which he was a generous benefactor. He donated the marble sculpture of Sir John Williams to the Library, and a bronze war memorial to Tabernacl (Presb.) church in the town (these also by Rutelli who was commissioned to erect the town War Memorial), desiring that the fund established by the members of the Church for the memorial be transferred to the local hospital to open a children's ward there. He served the Cymmrodorion Society as treasurer (1934-49) and vice-president, and contributed much towards publishing Y Bywgraffiadur Cymreig hyd 1940.
He changed his name to Slingsby-Jenkins on his marriage (1), c. 1937, to Roma Beatrice Evlyn Marie Slingsby (died 7 February 1948), and they made their home in 9 Victoria Square, London and Devil's Bridge, Cardiganshire. He married (2) in Italy Margherita Vita, grand-daughter of a friend, shortly before he died at her home in Imperia, 5 April 1955.
Author
- Dr Mary Auronwy James
- The Transactions of the Honourable Society of Cymmrodorion, 1955
- Adroddiad Tabernacl (MC), Aberystwyth, 1921, 29
- Calendar of grants and probate, 1948 and 1955
- The Welsh Gazette, 7 April 1955
Sources
Published date: 2001
Article Copyright: http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/
The Dictionary of Welsh Biography is provided by The National Library of Wales and the University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh and Celtic Studies. It is free to use and does not receive grant support. A donation would help us maintain and improve the site so that we can continue to acknowledge Welsh men and women who have made notable contributions to life in Wales and beyond.
Find out more on our sponsorship page.