Thomas Jenkins was born in Kingston, Hereford in about 1870 while his wife of the same age was born in Dowlais, Merthyr Tydfil. Thomas was a seam ripper working at the coal face in a mine.

They only had one child, Samuel who was born in Porth in the Rhondda Valley, South Wales in 1895.

Some time after Samuel was born, the family moved to the Pontypridd area and made their home at:

50, Cilfynydd Road, Pontypridd

News:

Sat 1^st April 1916.

Another Nelson soldier has been killed in France. The latest victim is Private Samuel Jenkins, 13^th Welsh Regiment, who was killed on the 13^th March. Deceased was the son of Mr & Mrs Thomas Jenkins, 7, Llanfabon Road, Nelson. His parents have received a letter of sympathy from Lieut J.B. Evans, the officer commanding of the deceased’s platoon.

The letter reads:

13th Battalion, Welsh Regiment. 19^th March 1916
Dear Madam,
I was privileged to be the officer in charge of the platoon to which your honoured and departed son was attached, and I feel constrained to offer you a short expression of not only the heartfelt condolency of the company officer, Captain R.D. Williams, but also of the officers and men among and with whom your deceased son laboured. His devotion to all his duties, his excellent character, and his amiable disposition made him agreeable to one and all, and he was very popular, particularly among my brother officers, who with myself, had formed very good opinions of his qualities. We therefore share, madam, (eve though the comparison be indeed poor) with you and the bereaving relatives in this distressing hour of your affliction.
Your deceased son was killed on the 13/14^th March when on duty in the trenches. He was buried at noon 14^th March in a British Cemetery.
J.B. Evans, Officer.

[Source: Merthyr Express]