Mr Stephen Curnow Jenkin was born on 5 November 1879 at Nanjivey, Stennack, St Ives, Cornwall, England.

He was the son of John Jenkin (b. 1847), a tin Miner and latterly a blacksmith, and his wife Catherine "Kate" Mitchell Curnow (b. 1847), both natives of Gwennap, Cornwall who had married in 1870 before going on to have seven children, five surviving childhood.

Stephen's siblings were: John Curnow (1871-1871), Annie Jane (b. 1872), William John (1876-1953), Etta Thomas (b. 1882), Katie (1885-1891) and Dorothy Mary (b. 1890).

He first appears on the 1881 census living with his family at Stennack; aged 11 by the time of the 1891 census he and his family were recorded as living at 2 Nanjivey, Trenwith. By the time of the 1901 census Stephen was described as a quarryman and still living with his family at Trenwith.

Stephen emigrated in 1903 followed by his brother William and his family two years later; they settled in Houghton, Michigan and both worked as copper miners, both appearing on the 1910 census living there at an unspecified address with his brother's wife Emily, née Wickens (1883-1946) and son William John (1904-1961).

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

Jenkin 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  which had cost £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 and his probate report 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.

Jenkin is remembered on the family memorial in the Barnoon Cemetery, St Ives, Cornwall with his father John Jenkin (1847-1916) and mother Catherine (1847-1930).

His brother William in America went on to have another child in 1913 who died aged 8. He moved to Detroit where he worked in an automobile factory before his death in 1953.