The Cone Gatherers

Background

Author: Robin Jenkins

• John Robin Jenkins was born on September 11, 1912, in Flemington, near Cambuslang in Lanarkshire.
• His father passed away in 1919, and his mother worked as a cook and housekeeper to support her four children.
• Jenkins received a bursary to attend Hamilton Academy and later studied English at the University of Glasgow, earning an MA in 1936.
• He got married in 1937 and taught in Glasgow for several years.

World War II and Conscientious Objector (CO):

• At the outbreak of World War II, Jenkins accompanied his primary school pupils on evacuation to the Borders.
• As a committed pacifist, he registered as a conscientious objector (CO), refusing to engage in military service.
• COs were assigned to various roles that supported the war effort without direct combat involvement.
• Jenkins worked for the Forestry Commission during the war, an experience that influenced his writing, particularly in "The Cone Gatherers."

Themes and Writing Career:

• Jenkins's anti-war stance was evident in his stories, viewing war as a product of evil men.
• Good versus evil themes permeated much of his work, evolving throughout his literary career.
• His use of metaphors, similes, and symbols contributed to the depth and impact of his writing.
• He began writing seriously after the war and taught in various countries, using these experiences as settings for his novels.

---

Prose

• Jenkins returned to Scotland in 1968, retired from teaching in 1970, and became a full-time writer.
• He resided in Toward, near Dunoon, until his passing in 2005.
• Throughout his career, Jenkins authored 30 novels and received accolades such as the OBE in 1999 and the Andrew Fletcher of Saltoun award in 2002 from the Saltire Society for his lifetime achievements as a writer.