Basic Biographical Details

Name: George Henderson
Designation:  
Born: 3 October 1846
Died: 24 March 1905
Bio Notes: George Henderson was born in Edinburgh on 3 October 1846, the son of John Henderson and Hannah Matilda Exley. He was enrolled in the Royal High School in Edinburgh from 1858 to 1861 and then trained with his father until his death in June 1862, completing his apprenticeship with David Cousin who took over at least one of his father's commissions. He left to emigrate to Australia, arriving in May 1867 and joining the office of his former fellow assistant in his father's office, Alexander Davidson in Rokewood, Victoria. At first he acted as an unpaid associate to Davidson, though before long both Henderson and Davidson were able to send money home to assist their respective families, a number of large commissions coming their way in late 1868 and in early 1869 when the practice moved to Geelong in Victoria. A partnership was formalised in late 1869, with Davidson receiving 2/3 of the profit and the younger partner 1/3. In early 1870 the partners won the important commission of Geelong College in Newtown and in line with stylistic developments in Britain used for the first time 'constructional polychromy'. A venture in the field of speculative building in Geelong was however not a success and a series of unfortunate episodes of losing jobs to other architects and disputes with contractors (relating to a clause written by the practice in their terms of agreement about their right to be the sole judge of quality without arbitration) caused them financial difficulties. Moreover in the early 1870s there was a short depression in the wool industry and some sources of work temporarily dried up.

The first partnership ended in December 1873. Although a new one was formalised in July 1874 with Davidson now receiving 5/9 of the profits, by this time Henderson, who had lived with Davidson and his wife since his arrival in Australia, found this arrangement a strain. Moreover he was becoming disillusioned with the work. Henderson largely fulfilled the role of office manager and was responsible for the costing of the jobs. It is unclear how much hand he had in design work. Only occasionally did he make site visits. In December 1875 he received an offer of work from William Hay, a former assistant of his father's who had returned to Edinburgh after a very successful; career in Toronto and the Davidson-Henderson partnership was terminated on less than friendly terms in April 1876, Henderson sailing home later that year. A partnership with Hay officially began in the following year. Like his father's it attracted both episcopal and presbyterian clients.

Henderson continued the practice after Hay's death in May 1888. He married Mary Elizabeth Leith Malcolm in 1897 and had two daughters, Elizabeth Stella and Amy Louise Huntly. He died on 24 March 1905 at 25 Hermitage Gardens and was buried at Grange. His office was then at 12 Queen Street.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 7Rokewood, Victoria, AustraliaBusiness18671869 
Item 2 of 7Geelong, Victoria, AustraliaBusiness1869  
Item 3 of 731, Scotland Street, Edinburgh, ScotlandPrivate1877  
Item 4 of 717, Hill Street, Edinburgh, ScotlandBusiness1878 or 1879  
Item 5 of 77, Greenhill Park, Edinburgh, ScotlandPrivatec. 1879  
Item 6 of 712, Queen Street, Edinburgh, ScotlandBusiness1888 or 1889  
Item 7 of 725 (or 26?), Hermitage Gardens, Edinburgh, ScotlandPrivatec. 1903  

Employment and Training

Employers

The following individuals or organisations employed or trained this (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate fromDate toPositionNotes
Item 1 of 5John Henderson18611862Apprentice 
Item 2 of 5David Cousin18621868Apprentice 
Item 3 of 5Alexander Davidson1867Late 1869Assistant 
Item 4 of 5Davidson & HendersonLate 1869April 1876Partner 
Item 5 of 5Hay & Henderson18771905Partner 

Buildings and Designs

This was involved with the following buildings or structures from the date specified (click on an item to view details):
 Date startedBuilding nameTown, district or villageIslandCity or countyCountryNotes
Item 1 of 1171869Barwon ParkWinchelsea VictoriaAustralia 
Item 2 of 1171869Episcopal ChurchColac VictoriaAustralia 
Item 3 of 1171869Homestead EilyerLake Bolac VictoriaAustralia 
Item 4 of 1171869National Insurance Company BuildingGeelong VictoriaAustralia 
Item 5 of 1171869Victoria Woollen and Cloth Manfacturing CoGeelong VictoriaAustralia 
Item 6 of 1171869Wesleyan ParsonageAshby VictoriaAustralia 
Item 7 of 1171870sSchoolWest Linton PeeblesshireScotland 
Item 8 of 1171870sWest Linton School and Episcopal ChurchWest Linton PeeblesshireScotlandAdapted for use as church alone.
Item 9 of 1171870BellevilleGeelong VictoriaAustralia 
Item 10 of 1171870Geelong College, Newtown HallGeelong VictoriaAustralia 
Item 11 of 1171870Honddu double villasGeelong VictoriaAustralia 
Item 12 of 1171870Oddfellows HallColac VictoriaAustralia 
Item 13 of 1171870Presbyterian ChurchCeres VictoriaAustralia 
Item 14 of 1171870Residence, Myer StreetGeelong VictoriaAustralia 
Item 15 of 1171870Titanga Residence and Station BuildingsLismore VictoriaAustralia 
Item 16 of 1171871Erskine ChurchCarlton VictoriaAustralia 
Item 17 of 1171871Grandstand for Geelong Racing ClubGeelong VictoriaAustralia 
Item 18 of 1171871Mooleric ResidenceMount Gellibrand VictoriaAustralia 
Item 19 of 1171871Presbyterian ManseShelford VictoriaAustralia 
Item 20 of 1171871Prsebyterian ChurchSkipton VictoriaAustralia 
Item 21 of 1171872Excell Lonargon & Co warehouseGeelong VictoriaAustralia 
Item 22 of 1171872Geelong Hospital, Lunatic WardsGeelong VictoriaAustralia 
Item 23 of 1171872Larra Homestead, stable and officesLismore VictoriaAustralia 
Item 24 of 1171872Monument to Thomas AustinGeelong VictoriaAustralia 
Item 25 of 1171872Narrepumelap HomesteadWickliffe VictoriaAustralia 
Item 26 of 1171872Presbyterian ManseLismore VictoriaAustralia 
Item 27 of 1171872Residence, Mount MercerMount Mercer VictoriaAustralia 
Item 28 of 1171872Sydney HotelGeelong VictoriaAustralia 
Item 29 of 1171873Dwelling House, Myers and Fenwick Street cornerGeelong VictoriaAustralia 
Item 30 of 1171873Eastern Cemetery, lodge and gatesGeelong VictoriaAustralia 
Item 31 of 1171873EurackMount Hesse VictoriaAustralia 
Item 32 of 1171873Geelong Infirmary and Benevolent AsylumGeelong VictoriaAustraliaAcaded verandahs
Item 33 of 1171873Mooramong HomesteadSkipton VictoriaAustralia 
Item 34 of 1171873Residence, Cooinda Elliots HillBellarine VictoriaAustralia 
Item 35 of 1171873Residence, Newtown HillGeelong VictoriaAustralia 
Item 36 of 1171873Residence, Victoria ParadeGeelong VictoriaAustralia 
Item 37 of 1171873United Methodist Free ChurchGeelong VictoriaAustralia 
Item 38 of 1171873Yeo HomesreadColac VictoriaAustralia 
Item 39 of 1171874Barwon Woollen MillGeelong VictoriaAustralia 
Item 40 of 1171874George Street WoolstoresGeelong VictoriaAustraliaNew store
Item 41 of 1171874Glen AlvieColac VictoriaAustralia 
Item 42 of 1171874Synnot and Co Wool WarehouseGellong VictoriaAustralia 
Item 43 of 1171875Geelong Free LibraryGeelong VictoriaAustralia 
Item 44 of 1171875Victoria HotelGeelong VictoriaAustralia 
Item 45 of 1171875Wesleyan ParsonageChilwell VictoriaAustralia 
Item 46 of 1171876Homestead EilyerLake Bolac VictoriaAustraliaAdditions
Item 47 of 1171876Mountside HomesteadMount Hesse VictoriaAustralia 
Item 48 of 1171876Wesleyan ChurchNewtown VictoriaAustralia 
Item 49 of 117After 1877Philorth House  AberdeenshireScotlandFireplace
Item 50 of 1171878St Giles Cathedral  EdinburghScotlandRestoration of south transept
Item 51 of 1171878St Paul's ChurchGalashiels SelkirkshireScotland 
Item 52 of 1171879St Mary's Episcopal ChurchHamilton LanarkshireScotlandChancel extended
Item 53 of 1171880Christ Episcopal Church RectoryDuns BerwickshireScotland 
Item 54 of 117c. 1880Volunteer Drill HallPeterhead AberdeenshireScotland 
Item 55 of 1171881Old St Paul's Episcopal Church  EdinburghScotlandSucceeded to commission.
Item 56 of 1171881St Giles Cathedral  EdinburghScotlandRestoration of nave and north transept. .
Item 57 of 1171881St Peter's Episcopal ChurchGalashiels SelkirkshireScotlandChancel, south aisle, hall and schools
Item 58 of 1171882St Peter's Episcopal ChurchPeebles PeeblesshireScotlandChancel, organ chamber, vestry and porch
Item 59 of 1171883Old Kirkyard, Memorial to Broun FamilyKirkoswald AyrshireScotland 
Item 60 of 1171883St Andrew's ChurchPeebles PeeblesshireScotlandRestoration of medieval tower
Item 61 of 1171883St Giles Cathedral  EdinburghScotlandVestry, session house, west door, north door, screen in north transept
Item 62 of 1171884AuchgealRavelston EdinburghScotland 
Item 63 of 1171884Church of the Holy SpiritDistington CumberlandEngland 
Item 64 of 1171884ResidenceNorth Berwick East LothianScotland 
Item 65 of 1171884St Giles Cathedral  EdinburghScotlandRoyal Pew
Item 66 of 1171884Woodlands HouseGalashiels SelkirkshireScotlandExtensive additions
Item 67 of 1171884Woodlands; also lodge, coachhouse, Rose Cottage and entrance gatewayGalashiels SelkirkshireScotlandRecasting of main house
Item 68 of 1171885Government HouseHamilton?BermudaBermudaWest Indies 
Item 69 of 1171885Holy Trinity CathedralHamiltonBermudaBermudaWest IndiesEastern half of the church
Item 70 of 1171885St Baldred's VillaNorth Berwick East LothianScotland 
Item 71 of 1171885St John the Baptist CathedralSt John's NewfoundlandCanadaReredos
Item 72 of 1171886Edinburgh Municipal Buildings  EdinburghScotlandUnsuccessful competition design
Item 73 of 1171886St Paul's ChurchGalashiels SelkirkshireScotlandAddition of spire
Item 74 of 1171888Douglas Castle  LanarkshireScotlandChapel
Item 75 of 1171888Library for Solicitors to the Supreme Courts of Scotland  EdinburghScotlandCompetition design - unplaced
Item 76 of 1171889Craiglockhart ChurchCraiglockhart EdinburghScotlandChurch and tower
Item 77 of 1171889Dalhousie Memorial ArchEdzell AngusScotland 
Item 78 of 1171889Free LibraryGalashiels SelkirkshireScotlandAddition
Item 79 of 1171889Old St Paul's Episcopal Church  EdinburghScotlandSouth end of nave - also altar and reredos in chancel at unspecified date
Item 80 of 1171889St Peter's Church HallGalashiels SelkirkshireScotland 
Item 81 of 1171890Bowland HouseWhitehill MidlothianScotlandAdditions to rear
Item 82 of 1171890Holy Trinity Episcopal ChurchLamington LanarkshireScotlandAlterations
Item 83 of 1171892Corstorphine Parish ChurchCorstorphine EdinburghScotlandProposed restoration - not executed until c.1903
Item 84 of 1171892St Mark's Episcopal ChurchPortobello EdinburghScotlandAlterations
Item 85 of 1171892St Mary's ChurchHaddington East LothianScotlandRestoration of nave; scheme for choir, transepts and tower; pulpit, font and west gallery
Item 86 of 1171892Trinity College GlenalmondGlenalmond PerthshireScotlandRebuilding after fire of block between chapel and hall, new wing and laboratories
Item 87 of 1171893Arbroath Parish ChurchArbroath AngusScotlandCompetition design for rebuilding - placed second
Item 88 of 1171893Dalserf HouseDalserf LanarkshireScotlandAdditions - porch, billiard room etc
Item 89 of 1171893Holy Trinity CathedralHamiltonBermudaBermudaWest IndiesNave
Item 90 of 1171893Old St Paul's Episcopal Church  EdinburghScotlandTriptytch
Item 91 of 1171894Colliston Castle  AngusScotlandAdditions
Item 92 of 1171894Dalserf ChurchDalserf LanarkshireScotlandAlterations
Item 93 of 1171894Masonic Temple   EdinburghScotlandDesign exhibited for new hall or chapter room?
Item 94 of 117After 1894Printing Works, Causewayside  EdinburghScotland 
Item 95 of 1171896Holy Trinity Episcopal Church and Rectory, Kilbride HillDunoon ArgyllScotlandEnlargement
Item 96 of 1171896St Baldred's Episcopal ChurchNorth Berwick East LothianScotlandTower
Item 97 of 1171896Woodlands; also lodge, coachhouse, Rose Cottage and entrance gatewayGalashiels SelkirkshireScotlandLodge and stable offices
Item 98 of 1171898Holy Cross Epicsopal ChurchDavidson's Mains EdinburghScotland 
Item 99 of 1171898St Mary's Episcopal Cathedral  EdinburghScotlandFurnishing of Lady Chapel (Morning Chapel)
Item 100 of 1171898St Mary's Episcopal Cathedral, Montgomery Memorial  EdinburghScotland 
Item 101 of 1171898The HirselColdstream BerwickshireScotlandChapel and other additions
Item 102 of 1171899 or 1900Holy Trinity Episcopal ChurchMelrose RoxburghshireScotlandChancel and transepts added
Item 103 of 1171900Dalry House  EdinburghScotlandAddition of chapel and classrooms (to north east)
Item 104 of 1171900The HirselColdstream BerwickshireScotlandStables - drawings indicate Hay & Henderson but other sources say Watherston & Sons - perhaps the latter were the contractors?
Item 105 of 117c. 1900Duart Lodge  EdinburghScotland 
Item 106 of 1171901Holy Cross ParsonageDavidson's Mains EdinburghScotland 
Item 107 of 1171901St Mary's Episcopal Cathedral, Montgomery Memorial  EdinburghScotlandOrgan console
Item 108 of 117c. 1901Memorial Pulpit to Rev J A Legh (?) CampbellCrieff PerthshireScotland 
Item 109 of 1171902St Paul's ChurchGalashiels SelkirkshireScotlandMemorial window to Queen Victoria
Item 110 of 117Before 1902St James the Less Episcopal Church School and HallLeith EdinburghScotland 
Item 111 of 1171903Coates Hall  EdinburghScotlandAlterations and additions, including residence - completed by A L Goodwin after Henderson's death
Item 112 of 1171903Corstorphine Parish ChurchCorstorphine EdinburghScotlandRestoration - completed by A L Goodwin after Henderson's death
Item 113 of 1171903Easter Coates House  EdinburghScotlandAlterations - recasting of north wing
Item 114 of 1171903ParsonageMoffat DumfriesshireScotland 
Item 115 of 1171904Old St Paul's Episcopal Church  EdinburghScotlandSeabury aisle - completed by A L Goodwin after Henderson's death
Item 116 of 1171905Holy Trinity CathedralHamiltonBermudaBermudaWest IndiesTower - completed by A L Goodwin after Henderson's death
Item 117 of 1171911St Paul's ChurchGalashiels SelkirkshireScotlandMemorial to Queen Victoria

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 2Bailey, Rebecca M1996Scottish architects' papers: a source book Edinburgh: The Rutland Pressp212
Item 2 of 2Willingham, Allan1983Two Scots in Victoria: the architecture of Davidson and Henderson  Willingham draws on letters formerly in the possession of Mrs Elizabeth Stella Philliips, since destroyed by her executors. In this dissertation there is an image of George Henderson.

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this :
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 1Scotsman29 March 1905  Obituary

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this :
 SourceArchive NameSource Catalogue No.Notes
Item 1 of 1National Monuments Record of Scotland/NMRS, RCAHMSHay and Henderson Collection