Mr Stephen Curnow Jenkin

(Courtesy: Katie Pascoe, UK / Bill Curnow, USA)

Mr Stephen Curnow Jenkin, 32, was born 5 November 1879, at Nanjivey, the Stennack, St Ives, Cornwall, the son of John Jenkin (Tin Miner and latterly a Blacksmith) and his wife Catherine "Kate" Michell Curnow of St. Ives, Cornwall. He was the fourth of seven children (the third of three boys), his siblings included: Annie,William, John (born & died 1871), Katie (born 1885 died 1891), and Dorothy May.

Stephen and his elder brother William John Jenkin emigrated to Painesdale, Houghton County, Michigan in about 1903 where he worked in the copper mining industry. They subsequently became citizens. The family received postcards from St. Paul (Minnesota?), Hancock (Michigan?), and a place called South Range.

Stephen Curnow Jenkin (in centre) in America
(Courtesy: Katie Pascoe, UK / Bill Curnow, USA)

He returned to St Ives in the summer of 1911 for a visit to his family. He was not due to return to the USA on Titanic but the coal strikes meant his second class reservation (ticket number C.A. 33111 , £10 10s) was switched to that ship. According to his family he had 'roughed it' from New York to Southampton but preferred to return to America in a little more luxury. It was later reported that shortly after leaving St Ives for Southampton he had misgivings about the new ship and returned to his parents to leave his valuables (including his watch) with them in case anything should happen to him.

A postcard he sent from the ship read as follows:

Dear Father and Mother and Sisters. I am sending another photo of the same ship. This is the 3rd one I sent you. This goes from Queenstown and the last one I sent from Cherbourg, the first one from Southampton. They are three different views of the same ship. I am not sick yet. She is a nice ship to ride on. I'll write from New York next time.From Your loving son Stephen.

 
(Courtesy: Katie Pascoe, UK / Bill Curnow, USA)

Stephen Jenkin died in the sinking. His body, if recovered, was never identified.

He left effects to the value of £201 8s 2d to his father, the Probate was dated 21 November 1912 and had been lodged at Bodmin. His father and mother were subsequently awarded the weekly amount of 3s 6d from the Mansion House Titanic Relief Fund. He is remembered on the family memorial in the Barnoon Cemetery, St Ives, Cornwall with his father John Jenkin (1847-1916) and mother Catherine Michell Curnow (1847-1930).

Acknowledgements
Stephen Coombes, UK
Bill Curnow, USA
Chris Dohany, USA
Mrs Katie Pascoe (née Perry), UK (daughter of Stephen's sister Dorothy Mary Perry (née Jenkin, 1889-1963)
Homer Thiel, USA
Brian Ticehurst, UK
Geoff Whitfield, UK