Simon Jenkins

Sir Simon Jenkins (born 10 June 1943) is a British newspaper columnist currently associated with "The Guardian" after fifteen years with News International titles. He was educated at Mill Hill School and St John's College, Oxford.

A former editor of The Times newspaper, he received a knighthood for services to journalism in the 2004 New Year honours. Among his many other awards, he was named "What the Papers Say" Journalist of the Year in 1988. He also holds honorary degrees from the University of London, the City University, Exeter, Central England, the London Institute of Education and an Honorary Fellowship from the University of Wales, Lampeter.

Jenkins lives in London and is separated from his wife, the American-born actress, Gayle Hunnicutt. They have one son, and his stepson is Nolan Hemmings (Lady Jenkins's son from her previous marriage to David Hemmings).

Career

Jenkins started his career at Country Life magazine, then moved to the Times Educational Supplement and from there to the Evening Standard, before editing the "Insight" page of The Sunday Times.

He was editor of the London Evening Standard from 1976-78, and then political editor of The Economist magazine from 1979-86. After founding and editing The Sunday Times Books section, he was editor of The Times from 1990-92. On 28 January, 2005, he announced he was leaving "The Times" and he joined "The Guardian" that summer after a break to write a book [http://media.guardian.co.uk/presspublishing/story/0,7495,1400219,00.html Times columnist Simon Jenkins to join the Guardian | Media | MediaGuardian ] ] .

He has written glowingly about Queen Elizabeth on the occasion of her birthday (see Sunday Times, Apr 16, 2006. p. 16).

Since May 2005, he has been a contributing blogger at The Huffington Post.

He was voted Journalist of the Year in 1988 and Columnist of the Year in 1993.

Other activities

Jenkins has a great knowledge of architecture and has written books about England's churches and country houses. He presented the Channel 4 series based on his own book, "England's Thousand Best Churches".He also enjoys sailing and is a current member of aberdovey sailing club in north wales.

In addition to his journalism, Jenkins has served as:

* a board member of British Rail (1979-90)
* board member of London Transport (1984-86)
* deputy chairman of English Heritage (1985-90).
* member of Britain's Millennium Commission (1994-2000)
* Chair of the Independent Commission on Local Democracy (1994-5)
* Chairman of the Buildings Book Trust, which sponsors Pevsner's Buildings of England guidebooks.
*Member of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) (2005-2007)

In the media

Jenkins was interviewed about the rise of Thatcherism for the 2006 BBC TV documentary series "Tory! Tory! Tory!".

elected works

*Jenkins, Simon (2006) "Thatcher & Sons - A Revolution in Three Acts" Penguin, ISBN 9780713995954
*Jenkins, Simon (2003) "England's Thousand Best Houses" Allen Lane, ISBN 0-7139-9596-3
*Jenkins, Simon (1999) "England's Thousand Best Churches" Allen Lane, ISBN 0-7139-9281-6
*Jenkins, Simon (1995) "Accountable to None: Tory Nationalization of Britain" Hamish Hamilton, ISBN 0-241-13591-5
*Jenkins, Simon (1994) "Against the Grain" John Murray, ISBN 0-7195-5570-1
*Hastings, Max and Simon Jenkins (1992) "Battle for the Falklands" M Joseph, ISBN 0-7181-2578-9
*Jenkins, Simon (1993) "The Selling of Mary Davies and Other Writings" John Murray, ISBN 0-7195-5298-2
*edited by Simon Jenkins and Robert Ilson (1992) "The Times" English Style and Usage Guide" Times Books ISBN 0-7230-0396-3
*Jenkins, Simon (1986) "The Market for Glory: Fleet Street Ownership in the Twentieth Century" Faber and Faber, ISBN 0-571-14627-9
*Jenkins, Simon, Anne Sloman (1985) "With Respect, Ambassador: Enquiry into the Foreign Office" BBC, ISBN 0-563-20329-3
*Jenkins, Simon and Andrew Graham-Yooll (1983) "Imperial Skirmishes: War And Gunboat Diplomacy In Latin America" Diane Publishing, ISBN 0-7567-7468-3
*Jenkins, Simon (1981) "Newspapers Through the Looking-glass" Manchester Statistical Society, ISBN 0-85336-058-8
*Jenkins, Simon (1979) "Newspapers: The Power and the Money" Faber, ISBN 0-571-11468-7
*Jenkins, Simon (1975) "Landlords to London: Story of a Capital and Its Growth" Constable, ISBN 0-09-460150-X
*Jenkins, Simon (1971) "Here to Live: Study of Race Relations in an English Town" Runnymede Trust ISBN 0-902397-12-5
*Jenkins, Simon (1969) "Education and Labour's Axe" Bow Pubns., ISBN 0-900182-79-2

References

External links

* [http://www.channel4.com/history/microsites/H/history/c-d/churches.html Channel 4 History — "England's Thousand Best Churches"] official programme site
* [http://www.bbccharterreview.org.uk/seminars/bio/jenkins_bio.html biography from the BBC Charter Review]