Rita Jenkins was the round-faced, middle-aged secretary of London University's archaeology department chairman William Pencroft in 1927. When Indiana Jones turned up at Pencroft's office to request a sabbatical that spring, Jenkins tried to turn him away as Pencroft, whom she watched like a mother, was due to go to a meeting half an hour later, claiming that he was resting. However, Pencroft then showed up in the doorway and invited Jones inside anyway.[1]
By 1930, she was replaced as Pencroft's secretary by Sally Strickland.[2]