Charles Frewen Jenkin, CBE, FRS (24 September 186523 August 1940) was a British engineer and academic. He held the first chair of engineering at the University of Oxford as Professor of Engineering Science. Early life Jenkin was born on 24 September 1865 in Claygate, Surrey. He was the second son of Fleeming Jenkin who was Regius Professor of Engineering at the University of Edinburgh. He was educated at Edinburgh Academy, then an all boys private school in Edinburgh. He attended the University of Edinburgh, before matriculating into Trinity College, Cambridge in 1883. As the University of Cambridge had no engineering degree, he instead studied the Mathematical Tripos. He graduated in 1886 with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree; as per tradition, this was later promoted to a Master of Arts (MA (Cantab)) degree. Career Upon graduation, Jenkin joined Mather & Platt, an engineering company based in Manchester. He then worked for London and North Western Railway based in Crewe, having been granted a Miller scholarship from the Institution of Civil Engineers. In 1891, he joined the Royal Gunpowder Factory in Waltham Abbey as a mechanical assistant superintendent. From 1893 to 1898, he worked for Nettlefolds at their steelworks in Wales. From 1898 to 1908, he worked for the Siemens Brothers. He ended his time with them as head of Siemens's railway department and manager of the works based in Stafford. Academic career On 21 May 1908, Jenkin was elected to the newly constituted position of Professor of Engineering Science at the University of Oxford. In addition to the Chair, he was granted fellowship of New College, Oxford. In 1912, he moved from New College to become a fellow of Brasenose College, Oxford. On 17 May 1913, he was re-elected Professor of Engineering Science to serve for a further five years. In 1914, the Department of Engineering Science was finally collected into one building having previously been spread among many, temporary buildings. During World War I, from 1915 to 1919, he took a break from academia to serve in the Royal Navy and then in the Royal Air Force. Jenkin returned to Oxford after his military service ended in 1919. He continued the research he undertook at the Ministry of Munitions, and specialised in corrosion fatigue. On 24 May 1923, he was re-elected Professor of Engineering Science to serve for a further five years. In 1929, he resigned from his appointment