John Piercy Henderson

Active in Jamaica in the late 1820s and early 1830s, and subsequently apparently an industrialist in Falkirk and Glasgow.

1. Son of the retired planter who built Foswell, Auchterarder in the late 18thC., Col. John Henderson (1740-1811, q.v.) of Foswell Bank, who married Miss Eliza Piercy eldest daughter of J. Piercy esq., deceased, on 13 May 180[2]3 at Bath. Baptism of John Piercey [sic] Henderson [born 20/09/1804] son of John and Elizabeth Henderson at St George Hanover Square 05/11/1804. John Piercy Henderson was the owner of Foswell Bank in 1829.  Eliza Piercy Henderson of Foswell Bank married her cousin [Bishop] William Piercy Austin in 1831.

2. John Piercy Henderson of Foswell Bank married Eliza Anne Sinclair Lockhart 1825.

3. John Piercy Henderson registered his own slaves in 1829.

4. Two of John Piercy Henderson and Eliza Anne's children, Mary Amelia Lockhart Henderson and John Piercy Henderson, both recorded as white, were baptised St Catherine Anglican 14/10/1829 and 17/04/1831 respectively: the parents' residence was given as Spanish Town.  

5. A John Piercy Henderson, Manufacturing Chemist, was awarded patent for 'improvements in stopcocks and valves' in 1859, with involvement in partnership with the chemical firm of Frederick Robert Hughes and Company (q.v.) c. 1850. Anthony Cooke shows John Piercey Henderson (died 1861) of Summerford, near Falkirk, owner of Falkirk Chemical Works. Wife Eliza Ann Lockhart. Founding Member of Alex Fletcher & Co., Glasgow flax spinners. E[estate] £8441 [including] insurance £1185 and stock in trade and book debts from Falkirk Chemical Co. £6405.

6. Goshen and Port Henderson are shown as owned by John Henderson in 1811 (Bushy Park and Goshen), heirs of John Henderson 1818-1826, John P. Henderson from 1829 onwards.

7. His obituary in the Falkirk Herald gives much information about his life:

   "DEATH OF JOHN PIERCY HENDERSON, ESQ. OF SUMMERFORD. Very many of our local readers learned yesterday morning with regret that John Piercy Henderson, Esq. of Summerford, had suddenly been called to his rest. The melancholy tidings struck many with kindred feelings of amazement and sorrow, Mr Henderson having been engaged in his usual avocations on Saturday. His death took place at five o'clock on Monday morning, and was the result of apoplexy. The deceased gentleman was the son of Colonel Henderson, of Fossil Bank, Perthshire, who, as was customary with landed gentlemen in those days owned several estates in the West Indies. Mr Henderson was born in London, in 1804, and was consequently 57 years of age. His father, Colonel Henderson died when he was but five years of age. The deceased Was educated in the High School of Edinburgh, ad was originally intended for the law; but, either through personal disinclination to dry legal study, or from a notion that he was better adapted for commercial pursuits, on becoming major he went to Jamaica, and undertook the personal superintendence of two of the family estates - namely, Port Henderson and Goshen. During a nine years' sojourn in Jamaica he became captain of a colonial regiment (the Fencibles). He was also appointed a member of the House of Representatives. Returning to Scotland Mr Henderson became managing partner in the firm of J.P. Henderson & Co., St Rollox, Glasgow, and while residing there was appointed a Justice of the Peace for the county of Lanark. [He was a Justice of Peace for the country of Stirling at his death.] On coming to this neighbourhood he became a partner in the firm of Frederick Robert Hughes & Co, Chemical Works, Bo'ness, in which firm he remained for seven years. While at Bo'ness, Mr Henderson occupied Parkhill, and was appointed master of the harriers of the district. During his residence at Parkhill he indulged largely in sporting— mixing much with the county gentlemen, among whom he was considered a capital shot. In 1850 he purchased Glenfuir estate, upon which he erected Summerford Chemical Works, for the manufacture of iodine and prussiate of potash. Eleven years' residence in the district has served to show his many qualities of head and heart. While a perfect gentleman in manner and education, he was admirably conversant with literature in its manifold phases. He had a sharp, far-seeing insight into men and things, and was pre-eminently marked for an uncommon goodness of heart and liberality of disposition. His residence brought him peculiarly into contact with the people of Camelon, who held the deceased in the highest estimation. He was patron of the Camelon Curking Club, and a most liberal friend of the Camelon Band, being himself a good musician—both vocally and instrumentally. No man had a greater hold over the affections of his workmen, of whom he between thirty and forty. It is noteworthy that, at the last pleasure trip of his workmen (during summer), he not only provided them with free tickets, but paid their day's wages, and gave them refreshments before starting in the morning, and on returning in the evening. In his later years, Mr Henderson retired almost entirely from public affairs. In 1825 he was married to Eliza Anne Lockhart, daughter of -- Lockhart, Esq. of Castlehill, Cambusnethan, and for a time M. P. for Lanarkshire. He leaves, besides his respected widow, a family of two sons and five daughters. The eldest daughter is married to John Middleton, Esq. of Glassart, Aberfoyle, and the second daughter to Captain Strong, of Sir James Strong, Bart, of "The Abbey," County Armagh, Ireland."

1. http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/sc-5817-foswell-auchterarder [accessed 23/12/2010]; The Scots Magazine, or, General Repository of literature, history etc. Vol 64 1803 p. 446; Ancestry.com, London, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1538-1812 [database online]; Descendants of Thomas Austin of Barbados pafno3 http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/town/walk/rcr51/ThomasAustin/tree/pafn03.htm [accessed 27/12/2010].

2. Lockharts, http://www.lockharts.com/2010/01/09/lockharts-of-castlehill/ [accessed 23/12/2010].

3. Ancestry.com, Slave Registers of former British Colonial Dependencies, 1812-1834 [database on-line], 1829, St Catherine.

4. Data from Anglican Parish Registers, Civil Registration, and Dissenter Marriages E-K www.jamaicanfamilysearch.com [accessed 23/12/2010].

5. London Gazette, Issue 22322, 04/11/1859, p. 3969; Anthony Cooke, 'An elite revisited: Glasgow West India merchants, 1783-1877', Journal of Scottish Historical Studies 32.2 2012 pp. 127-165, at p. 161; SC 67/36/44/345 13/02/1866.

6. Jamaica Almanacs www.jamaicanfamilysearch.com [accessed 23/12/2010].

7. Falkirk Herald 19/12/1861.

We are grateful to Alastair Gilks for his assistance with compiling this entry.