Abercarn Martial Arts Centre - Judo History

The year 2002 saw the opening of a Martial Arts Centre at the Old Rechabite Hall, Gwyddon Road, Abercarn

The Budokan was opened by Mr Don Touhig MP and dinguist guest's..

A display of all disciplin's of Martial Art's followed

Hanshi Box, was a guest Teacher on the day

" Consider carefully act decisively"

Jigaro Kano

Leighton Jenkins, 9th Dan Hanshi (1926-2004)

Picture taken in Abercarn Budokan Dojo

Honbu of Tenshin Ryu Budo Kai & Yodokan Budo Association

The Abercarn Judo club was founded in 1949 with Leighton Jenkins Sensei,

Larry Evans Sensei, and some other local people. They initially practiced in the Old Salvation Hall at the bottom of Newbridge park. Members belonged to the Gramaphone Club where they played records and exchanged them with one another. When the premises was closed, Fred Taylor invited them to use the Newbridge Boxing Club premises where they practiced on nights not used by the boxers.

Hanshi Leighton Jenkin,s is pictured 2nd from the right back row

Larry Evans, whose parents kept the rent department of Llanover Estate in the Commercial, Abercarn joined the club and his mother, Mrs Evans persuaded Llanover Estate to help. They cleaned up the old basement under Victoria Buildings, which was in a bad state of repair and after a great deal of hard work the Judo Club moved in. Their first priority was to obtain a mat to practice on but could not afford to purchase one, so Leighton, being a carpenter by trade, had the idea of using wood shavings from a wood planer, which he collected weekly from his employer. Eventually they had enough shavings to form the mat and purchased the covering canvas from the sail makers in Newport

Hanshi; Leighton Jenkin's is pictured 4th from left back row.

Larry Evan's is pictured left on picture.

and Tom Garland, pictured middle of front row.

other members include:

other's will be noted when I can trace who they are.

The Judo Club finally opened in May 1955. Dr Forbes and Mrs Evans were made President and Vice-President. Because very little Martial Arts was practiced in South Wales at that time, the club had to travel frequently for instruction. A senior teacher, Mr Len Crew, was invited to the club at weekends every quarter to instruct and grade. Gunji Kiosumi who was the head of the British Judo Association (BJA), put up a cup for competition in Wales and Abercarn Judo Club were the first to win. The cup was presented by Sensei Gunji Kiosumi himself at a display in Cardiff.

Tom Garland 3rd from left back row, Hanshi Leighton Jenkin's 4th, Terry Edmunds & Larry Evans back row

far right.I will try and trace other's

The Abercarn Club produced seven Dan grades (black belts) of which the most famous was the late Terry Edmunds, Police Judo Champion of Great Britain for five years running. Sadly the premises were given up and the club folded as not enough interest was shown at the time to cover costs.

During this 50 years Leighton Jenkins has continued his teaching locally, all over the United Kingdom and in Europe. He has finally achieved the highest honour that a Martial Artist can be awarded outside Japan.

Leighton was honoured to have his 7th Dan (Shichidan) and title Master Teacher

(Kyoshi) awarded to him on 18th May 1995 when the first ever Martial Arts Seminar was held in Great Britain by the Greater Japan Martial Virtues Society (Dai Nippon Butoku Kai). He received this rank and title from Dr Hiroyuki Tesshin Hamada, 9th Dan Hanshi, the international representative of the DNBK.

The rank of 8th Dan (Hachidan) and samurai title Master of the Way (Hanshi) was bestowed on him at the Summer Training Camp held in Tenby, South Wales in 2001 by 'Kancho' Alfred Bates, UK representative of the DNBK and head of Tokushima Budo Council International.

Left to right: Back row: ? Sensie Larry Evans, Sensei Leighton Jenkins, ?

Front Row: ? ? Tom Garland, ? Terry Edmunds

Leighton Jenkins' rank and title have been fully endorsed by His Excellency Higashi Fushimi, Jigo, the Chairman of the Dai Nippon Butoku Kai in Kyoto, Japan.

The new Martial Arts Centre will be a centre of excellence for anyone wishing to learn Martial Arts and self defence and will be a fitting tribute to Leighton and all the other instructors from the Abercarn Club which sowed the seeds for others many years ago. Having traveled in the UK and Europe with Leighton, it is obvious how highly he is respected and what great moral standards he has set for others to follow.

It was at the Original Abercarn Judo Club, that Hanshi Taylor,as a young 8 year old first started to study Martial Art's under Sensei Leighton Jenkin;s Larry Evans, Tom Garland and other Instructor's, my thank's to them for sewing the seed's for me to follow the path, Way, (Do) I hope that I have followed their teaching's and passed them on straight and well.

It is unusual for a small little Village like Abercarn, to have two Teacher's to attain the Rank of 9th Dan and Professional Title of Hanshi, it is my task to develop the martial Art's in the Community and to encourage the Youth of this Generation to bring a well balanced society for the future good of the community.

The Martial Arts centre will be run by qualified instructors who were presented with rank and title by Dr Hamada, 9th Dan Hanshi of the Dai Nippon Butoku Kai at the first International Martial Arts Seminar in 1995 and have been privileged to have been associated with Leighton for the past 25 years.

R.Wayne Taylor. (Kudan Hanshi)

The new Centre will be opened in Leighton's honour with respect for his loyalty and dedication to the Martial Arts for over 70 years.

Hanshi Jenkins

A bench was placed in the Remembrance garden and Cenotaph at Abercarn, in memory of Hanshi Leighton Jenkins

Hanshi Tudor Box and Kancho Bates.

The Budokan held a charity event to raise the money for the bench purchased from the Caerphilly Borough Council

The event was arranged by Hanshi Taylor, a friend and fellow martial Artist for many year's

The Bench will be pictured later on the photo

Leighton was like a Father to me and Hanshi Box a Brother and Kancho a guiding light.

I will alway's remember them

Hanshi R.Wayne Taylor. Ku(9th)Dan Hanshi

Copying of these photograph's restricted

The Emblem that I chose to be for the Association

At the Funeral of Hanshi, Leighton Jenkins 9th Dan, I was one of the bearer's, as we carried the coffin into the Chapel, a butterfly flew onto the coffin

stayed on there until the coffin was positioned near the Alter

and then flew around the chapel, during the service, the butterfly flew from the area and landed by Kancho Bates, and then by Hanshi Tudor box.

this seemed to be an Omen to me, and therefore chose the butterfly inside the flower of Japan.

Restricted To Tenshin Ryu Budo Kai

to be continued