William Jenkins Joy Jenkins

Margaret Elizabeth Jenkins (1905-2010) was an English writer, known for both her novels and biographies. Born in Hertfordshire, she studied English and history at Newnham College, Cambridge. During World War II, she assisted refugees and victims of air raids before working for government departments. After the war, she served as a reader for her publisher, Gollancz, and was instrumental in recommending John Braine's "Room at the Top" for publication.

Jenkins' literary career began with her first novel, "Virginia Water," which garnered attention from prominent writers like Virginia Woolf. Her 1934 novel, "Harriet," a fictionalized account of a notorious murder case, won the Prix Femina. She authored numerous other novels, including "The Tortoise and the Hare," praised for its psychological depth and realistic depiction of marriage, and "Dr. Gully's Story," which explored a controversial 19th-century medical case. As a biographer, she focused on figures such as Jane Austen, Elizabeth I, and Henry Fielding, often bringing a psychological dimension to her subjects. She was involved in establishing the Jane Austen Society and worked to preserve Austen's home. Jenkins was awarded an OBE in 1981 and lived to be 104.

Margaret Jenkins' literary journey commenced with her debut novel, "Virginia Water" (1929), which received early praise from Virginia Woolf. Her publisher, Victor Gollancz, was impressed by her initial work and offered her a contract for multiple books. Jenkins' novel "Harriet" (1934), a fictionalized retelling of a real-life inheritance murder, achieved significant recognition by winning the Prix Femina, outshining works by Evelyn Waugh and Antonia White. Throughout her career, she explored complex human relationships and societal dynamics in novels such as "Doubtful Joy" (1935), "The Phoenix' Nest" (1936), "Robert and Helen" (1944), and "A Silent Joy" (1992). Her most commercially successful novel, "The Tortoise and the Hare" (1954), was lauded for its astute portrayal of a troubled marriage, with critics noting Jenkins' deep understanding of female psychology and life arrangements.

Beyond her fiction, Margaret Jenkins established herself as a respected biographer. Her early biographical works included studies of Lady Caroline Lamb (1932) and Jane Austen (1938). She played a role in founding the Jane Austen Society and actively supported the preservation of Austen's former home in Chawton. Jenkins' biography of Elizabeth I, "Elizabeth the Great" (1958), was particularly acclaimed for its psychological depth, offering insights that other historians had reportedly overlooked. This approach was also evident in her study of Joseph Lister (1960). In "Elizabeth and Leicester" (1961), she proposed a theory regarding Elizabeth I's intimate relationships, suggesting that the fates of Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard influenced her ability to form a full sexual connection with Robert Dudley due to an association of sex with death.

Margaret Jenkins continued to write prolifically into her later years, authoring a dozen novels and a dozen biographies. She was honored with an OBE in 1981. Her memoir, "The View from Downshire Hill" (2004), reflected on her life in a Regency-style home she had meticulously decorated, creating an impression of wealth that belied her financial circumstances. In her personal life, Jenkins revealed she had an affair with gynecologist Sir Eardley Lancelot Holland, who served as the inspiration for the character Eardley in her novel "The Tortoise and the Hare," which she described as autobiographical in feeling. Jenkins never married, expressing a personal aversion to childbirth.

“among the most distinguished living English novelists.”

“a sweet white grape of a book”

“I do not think there is a sentence in this book out of character.”

“seems to know a good deal about how women think and how their lives are arranged”

“showed her biographical talents at their most effective”