George Henderson

by untangledwebl

Founder Member

Reply to the Toast  “Commercial Interests of the District”  1883,  1885
Proposer of the Toast  “Absent Friends”
  ( Special Reference to James Pearson Snr.) 1884
Reply to the Toast  “Let it Blaw – the Balerno Burns Club”  1884

Served on the Club Committee
1886,  1887 

George Henderson was 64 years of age when the Club was founded in 1881. He was the younger brother of Alex Henderson, proprietor of Henderson’s Inn who was also a Founder Member of the Club.

He was a widower staying at Sunnybrae Cottage (which still exists behind ” Brows “) with his daughters Jane (34) and Agnes (29). Although he was originally born in the Parish, his two daughters were both born in South Leith which points to him have stayed in the City for a while.

The history of the Henderson family in Balerno can be found by clicking on the Henderson’s Inn’s page at Brows

At the Annual General Meeting on 19th December 1887, the following was recorded : “The Chairman moved that the Club expresses in its Minutes, the loss it has sustained through the lamented death of George Henderson, Sunnybrae, Balerno, who had always taken a warm interest in the Club and was one of its Founder Members.” The Secretary was instructed to convey a message of sympathy from the Club to his family in their bereavement.

Perhaps an example of the esteem in which George’s memory was held, was that four years after his death when George Y. Robertson, the Club Bard, presented a collection of rhymes at the 1891 annual Supper and mentioned many prominent members of the Club, George 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.