Dr. Edward Jenks
| Date | 01 January 1940 |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2230.1939.tb00760.x |
| Published date | 01 January 1940 |
DR. EDWARD JENKS
215
DR.
EDWARD
JENKS
The death of Dr. Edward Jenks removes
a
personality who had as wide
an influence in the law during his generation as anyone of his contemporaries.
In modern times the teacher has come to play as great
a
part as the judge,
or an even greater part, for the judge’s decisions are insensibly moulded by
the teaching which he received as a student. Dr. Jenks was a great teacher
who numbered among his personal pupils both in this country and Australia
many who have achieved eminence in the law. By means of his writings,
which were marked by an unusual lucidity and breadth of outlook, he
reached and influenced
a
much wider legal public. The
Digest
of
English
Civil
Law,
for which he was in the main responsible, has been accepted on
the Continent as the most authoritative exposition of English law. By
building up
a
great school of law for articled clerks, as he did at the Law
Society’s School, of which he was Principal from
1903
to
1924,
he ensured
that one whole generation of solicitors should be leavened with sound
legal scholarship. While by the Solicitors’ Act,
1922,
which was largely
the result of his advocacy, he did his best to ensure that
all
future genera-
tions of solicitors should be educated to
at
least as high a standard. From
1924,
when he might well have retired to
a
well-merited leisure he devoted
six years to helping to build up the Law Faculty in the University of
London, where he was the first occupant
of
the Chair in English Law, to
a
position of wide influence. Even in the ten years of actual retirement which
followed Dr. Jenks continued to wield
a
prolific pen, and to prove that his
mind had not lost its grasp or acuteness. His work did not lack critics,
for he had pronounced views over
a
wide field
of
law, and held to his
opinions with tanacity. But he was
a
great liberal and always looked
forward to progressive developments. His support and commendation of
THE
MODERN
LAW
REVIEW
has been one of our great encouragements.
Finally must be mentioned his founding of the Society of Public Teachers
of Law in
1909.
Often referred to familiarly
as
fenks’ Trade Union, this
body has undoubtedly done
a
great work in improving the standard
of
legal education in England, and has for many years been accepted by the
Lord Chancellor’s Department as the mouthpiece of the legal teaching
profession.
Personally Dr. Jenks did not wear his great qualities on his sleeve, and
his rather dry demeanour sometimes alienated people. He was, however,
a
man of real charm, and passed that great test of character, popularity and
friendliness with little children. He was a loyal friend and colleague, am
always had a warm welcome for old pupils and
for
those who had been
associated with him in his many activities. This smaller group will mourn
not only the passing of
a
man who in his time rendered great service to
the community, but also the loss of
a
very human friend.
R.
S.
T.
C.
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