The late Mr. H. M. Jenkins. 
211 
was often his companion, I have been told that on one occasion 
it was insisted that he shoukl remain in order that he might 
duly receive the official recognition of his services ; he found, 
however, that by starting immediately he could get to Barnet 
on the Saturday night, and he didn't take the decoration — he 
took the train. The charm and comfort of the home life 
were, I may add, the real source and spring of his official success. 
The town residence provided for the Secretary at the Society's 
house in Hanover Square was soon found to aggravate the 
asthmatic trouble which was his life-long difficulty ; and he went 
back to New Barnet, where he had formerly established him- 
self soon after his marriage. And there from day to day he 
spent his evenings, as his mornings, mid-days, afternoons, had 
been spent, in the service of the Society. There he wrote and 
there he worked, ever revolving the aims, and interests, and 
efforts of the Society — meditating new subjects, planning new 
projects, enlisting new allies. The courage and the resolution, 
to which reference has been made in connection with his official 
life, continued till the last. The unusually severe access of 
asthmatic weakness from which he suffered in December — he 
was unable to be present at the General Meeting of Members 
on the 9th — was aggravated later on by an attack of bronchitis, 
and he lost power from day to day. And often as he had before 
recovered from illness of this kind, he foresaw that this was to 
be the last. The end was, indeed, close at hand. Not imagin- 
ing immediate danger, his wife had urged him once more to 
try and take the medicine which had been sent. It was early 
in the morning before Christmas Day, and he died almost 
immediately afterwards. To the last he was clear, resolute, 
and strong in mind and will, and his last word was characteristic 
of the man. " I will, my dear," he replied with difficulty, and 
again emphatically, " I WILL ! " * 
The funeral took place on Thursday, December 30, at East 
Barnet Parish Church. Our late President, H.R.H. the Prince 
* Mrs. Jenkins is left with three sons and three daughters — the two youngest 
still at school. The education of all had been planned and prosecuted always 
witli a distinct end in view. The eldest son, now twenty-one years of age, was 
at the Cranleigh County School for a while, aftervvards in the office of Mr. John 
Thornton, well known to all stock-owners, and subsequently at the great French 
Agricultural School at Grignon ; and he has since been among the ranchemen of 
Western America, where he is, I believe, still working in the intended groove. 
The second son, intended for land agency, has been educated in Germany and 
also at the Bedford County School, and has distinguished himself there and 
since elsewhere by the position he has taken in all his examinations. He won 
the junior scholarships of the Koyal Agricultural Society in 1881 and 1882. He 
has since passed at the head of all competitors in the examination before the 
Surveyors' Institute. He has latterly been with Mr. W. B. Canning, and with 
Mr. G. M. Allender on his dairy farms near Horsham, acquiring a knowledge of 
the practical side of agriculture. 
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