Peter Henderson

by untangledwebl

 Reply to the Toast  “The Lasses”   1887

Served on the Club Committee

1883,  1884,  1885,  1886,  1887,  1888

Peter was probably one of the “the 23 Gentlemen who attended the first ‘Let it Blaw’ in 1881.

Peter was the son of Alex Henderson, one of the Founder Members of ‘Let it Blaw’ and owner of Henderson’s Inn.

Peter attended all AGMs and Suppers occasionally singing as part of the harmony. At a Meeting of the Club Committee on 4th January 1889, the following was recorded: “Much regret was expressed by the Meeting at the illness of Mr Peter Henderson who had been laid up for some time and was still very weak. On this account it was doubtful if the Supper could be held in the Inn, but they agreed to issue the invitations as usual with the hope that by that time, Mr Henderson would be sufficiently recovered.”

The next Committee Meeting on 17th January 1889 recorded: “Mrs Henderson having signified that on occasion of the continued illness of Mr Peter Henderson, she regretted being unable to purvey for the Club this year, it was resolved after considerable discussion to hold the Festival in the Reading Room permission having been granted.”

Peter Henderson died of Tuberculosis on 23rd January 1889 at the age of 36 years. Such was the respect with which Peter and rest of the Henderson Family were held by the Club Membership, a decision was taken at very short notice to cancel the 1889 Supper.

Perhaps, an example of the esteem in which Peter’s memory was held was that two years after his death, when George Y. Robertson presented a collection of rhymes at the 1891 Supper mentioning many prominent members of the Club, Peter Henderson was included. The presentation was printed by Club Member A. G. Moir and a copy included in the Club Minute Book. The layout has been adapted for our website and can be viewed at “Ragged Rhymes”.