John Henderson
Contents
Background
John Black Henderson was born in England in 1827. He studied architecture under Sir Gilbert Scott, at London before migrating to Australia in 1851.[1] He worked on the Ballarat goldfields for several months, then joined the Victorian Government Survey Office in Melbourne as a surveyor.<https://search.sl.nsw.gov.au/primo-explore/fulldisplay?docid=ADLIB110326764&context=L&vid=SLNSW&lang=en_US&search_scope=MOH&adaptor=Local%20Search%20Engine&tab=default_tab&query=any,contains,%22Eureka%20Stockade%20Riot%22&offset=0, accessed 16 Nay 2019.</ref> and in the course of his duties he laid out the town of Beechworth. He was employed In the Government Architect's Office, Sydney, for 26 years, and died in 1918, after reaching the age of 91. He is mainly known for his picture of the conflict at the Eureka Stockade. It was painted from descriptions, and from sketches done on the spot a few hours after the event, the dress of the miners and the uniforms of the soldiers being quite accurate.[2]
Goldfields Involvement, 1854
John Henderson was on the site of the Eureka Stockade battle a few hours after the riot. He painted 'Eureka Stockade Riot, 1854', which is held by the Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales. A hand written note by a librarian suggests the military and police uniforms are correct.<https://search.sl.nsw.gov.au/primo-explore/fulldisplay?docid=ADLIB110326764&context=L&vid=SLNSW&lang=en_US&search_scope=MOH&adaptor=Local%20Search%20Engine&tab=default_tab&query=any,contains,%22Eureka%20Stockade%20Riot%22&offset=0, accessed 16 Nay 2019.</ref>
Post 1854 Experiences
By 1877 Henderson was in Sydney and worked in the Colonial Architect's Office until 1903.<https://search.sl.nsw.gov.au/primo-explore/fulldisplay?docid=ADLIB110326764&context=L&vid=SLNSW&lang=en_US&search_scope=MOH&adaptor=Local%20Search%20Engine&tab=default_tab&query=any,contains,%22Eureka%20Stockade%20Riot%22&offset=0, accessed 16 Nay 2019.</ref>
Obituary
- HENDERSON.-— The Friends of Mrs. J. HENDERSON-are invited to attend the Funeral of her late be loved husband, JOHN BLACK HENDERSON, to leave Third Avenue, Eastwood, THIS DAY, at 2.30 p.m., for C. of E. Cemetery, Field of Mars. WOOD, COFFILL, AND COMPANY, LTD. HEYDON[3]
Family
- HENDERSON.-April 13, 1918, at St. Elmo, Palmerstreet, North Sydney, the wife of C.B. Henderson (nee Jennings)- a son (Garnet Baxter).[4]
See also
Further Reading
Corfield, J., Wickham, D., & Gervasoni, C. The Eureka Encyclopaedia, Ballarat Heritage Services, 2004.
