JENKINSON, JOHN EDWARD (1858-1937) was born in Dunedin, the son of John Hartley Jenkinson, wharfinger. Educated at state schools, he served his time to boilermaking in a Dunedin foundry and shipbuilding yard. In 1882 he joined the first labour union—the Dunedin boilermakers—by which he was elected president and deputed in 1883 to form unions in other cities. He also represented the union at the conference with New South Wales boilermakers in 1883, with a view to forming an Australasian federation. Jenkinson was one of the committee of three appointed to draw up rules for the Canterbury trades council and for the railway servants' union. He inaugurated technical classes under the auspices of the unions in Christchurch and represented his trades council at several annual conferences. For some years he was president of the tailoresses' union and treasurer of the Labour Day celebrations committee.

Jenkinson was called to the Legislative Council in 1892 (one of the number appointed to create a Government majority), and was a member till 1914. On retiring, by the effluxion of his third term in 1914, he contested the Clutha seat in the House of Representatives. He was keenly interested in New Zealand history and was president for some years of the Wellington Early Settlers' association. Jenkinson died on 29 Nov 1937.

N.Z.P.D., 1 Mar 1938; Who's Who N.Z., 1908; Otago Witness, 17 Mar 1931; Evening Post and The Dominion, 30 Nov 1937. Portrait: Parliament House.

Reference: Volume 1, page 234

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