Sir John Henderson, 5th Baronet

Sir John Henderson (8 January 1752 – 12 December 1817), fifth of the Henderson baronets of Fordell, Fife, was a Scottish nobleman and politician.

Early life and family

The Hendersons were an ancient Scottish family; James Henderson, who served as Lord Advocate of Scotland and died at Flodden Field in 1513, was called the first "Laird of Fordell". Fordell Castle was built in 1567, but it was built on the site of a previous structure. John Henderson (d. 1683) was created a baronet in 1664. Sir John Henderson was the son of Robert Henderson (d. 1781), the 4th baronet. He was educated at University of St Andrews and Christ Church, Oxford. In 1781 he married Anna Loudoun Robertson, daughter of General James Robertson, then serving as governor of the province of New York. Anna Robertson was painted in 1771 by Angelica Kauffman.[1] Henderson himself had a bust executed in 1777 by Christopher Hewetson and a portrait the next year.[2] Henderson's daughter Anne Isabella Henderson (c. 1791 - 1844), his heiress, married Admiral Phillip Durham in 1818.[3]

The Hendersons' considerable wealth came from coalpits on their estates.[4][5]

Political career

Henderson served as MP for Fifeshire (1780), Dysart Burghs (1780–84), Seaford (1785-6), and Stirling Burghs (1806-7). Early in his career Henderson was associated with Henry Dundas and supported William Pitt the Younger, but Dundas threw his support to William Wemyss in 1787 and Henderson never forgave him for it. In 1791 he supported his cousin Andrew Cochrane,[6] but in 1796 he campaigned vigorously but unsuccessfully against him. The disputed election was later caricatured and written of by John Kay.[7] Henderson became provost of Inverkeithing from 1791-1807. He was returned for Stirling Burghs in 1806 with the support of William Grenville and supported his ministry.[8]

References

  1. Wikipaintings entry for Lady Henderson's portrait
  2. Classical Sculpture and the Culture of Collecting in Britain since 1760, Viccy Coltman, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2009, p. 11-12
  3. The Honourable Henry Erskine, Lord Advocate for Scotland, Elizabeth Cust, London: W. Blackwood & Sons, 1882, p. 372
  4. Notes on Fordell Railway, built to serve the Henderson coalpits
  5. Notes on Alice Pit, Fordell Colliery
  6. Henderson's mother was Isabella Stuart, daughter of Archibald Stuart of Torrance; her sister Jane was Andrew Cochrane's mother.
  7. A series of original portraits and caricature etchings, Volume 2, Part 2, John Kay, Edinburgh: Hugh Paton, Carver, and Gilder, 1838, p. 400-410
  8. John Henderson at History of Parliament Online

External links

Parliament of Great Britain
Preceded by
Robert Skene
Member of Parliament for Fife
February 1780 September 1780
Succeeded by
Robert Skene
Preceded by
John Johnstone
Member of Parliament for Dysart Burghs
1780 1784
Succeeded by
Sir Charles Preston, Bt
Preceded by
Sir Peter Parker, Bt
Viscount Nevill
Member of Parliament for Seaford
1785 1786
With: Sir Peter Parker, Bt
Succeeded by
Henry Flood
Sir Godfrey Webster, Bt
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Alexander Forrester Inglis Cochrane
Member of Parliament for Stirling Burghs
1806 1807
Succeeded by
Alexander Campbell
Regnal titles
Preceded by
Robert Henderson
Baronet
(of Fordell)
1781–1817
Succeeded by
Robert Bruce Henderson