Peter and Waveney Jenkins worked and lived in Malaysia for over 40 years. Peter was employed in the construction industry before joining the Malaysian International Chamber of Commerce and Industry. He has written a history of the organisation. Waveney has worked with the Heritage of Malaysia Trust to preserve the country’s historic buildings, and with the Kandis Resource Centre to support traditional wood-carving on the country’s east coast.

Their joint interest in Malayan history and culture is reflected in the monograph, ‘The planter’s bungalow: a journey down the Malay peninsula’ (2007). It is a study of the bungalow’s architectural development from the foundation of the plantation industry in the mid-nineteenth century to recent times. The book reconstructs the working and living experience of the pioneer planters and succeeding generations, drawing upon a wealth of material including manuscripts diaries and correspondence; interviews with planters and their families; maps and plans; and archival and contemporary photographs.
The Jenkinsons’ extensive research entailed visits to more than 300 bungalows and 100 estates, and interviews with over 250 planters in Malaysia and the United Kingdom. The collection preserves notes taken during research trips; notes of interviews with planters and their letters; floor plans and building information; and photographs of planters, estates and bungalows. Some of the images were not reproduced in ‘The planter’s bungalow’.