ROBERT JENKINS (MASTER MARINER)

'Robert Jenkins' (fl. 1731–1745) was an English master mariner, known as the protagonist of the "Jenkins's ear" incident, which, magnified in Britain by the press and the opposition, became a contributory cause of the War of Jenkins' Ear between Britain and Spain (1739). Bringing home the brig ''Rebecca'' from the West Indies in 1731, Jenkins had his ship boarded by Spanish guarda-costa, whose commander cut off one of his ears. On arriving in England, Jenkins stated his grievance to the king, and a report was furnished by the Commander-in-Chief in the West Indies confirming his account. At first the case created no great stir, but in 1738 he repeated his story with dramatic detail before a committee of the House of Commons, producing what purported to be the ear that had been cut off. (Afterwards it was suggested that he might have lost the ear in the pillory.)
Jenkins was subsequently given the command of a ship in the British East India Company's service, and later became supervisor of the company's affairs at Saint Helena. In 1741 he was sent from England to that island to investigate charges of corruption brought against the acting governor, and from May 1741 until March 1742 he administered the affairs of the island. Thereafter he resumed his naval career, and is stated in an action with a pirate vessel to have preserved his own vessel and three others under his care.

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References

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★ T. H. Brooke, ''History of the Island of St Helena'' (London, 2nd ed., 1824).

★ H. R. Janisch, ''Extracts from the St Helena Records'', 1885.