Alexander Henderson, 1st Baron Faringdon
Encyclopedia
Alexander Henderson, 1st Baron Faringdon, CH (28 September 1850-17 March 1934), known as Sír Alexander Henderson, 1st Baronet, from 1902 to 1916, was a British
financier and Liberal Unionist Member of Parliament
.
with the accountancy firm Deloittes before becoming a stockbroker. He was best known as a financier of railways in the UK and internationally, and was chairman of the Great Central Railway
(GCR) from 5 May 1899 until the end of 1922, and then deputy chairman of its successor, the London and North Eastern Railway
(LNER), from 1923 until his death. He was also a major shareholder in the Manchester Ship Canal
, and was involved in port developments and telephone and electrical systems in several countries. The asset management firm Henderson Global Investors was founded in 1934 to administer his estate.
Faringdon was the son of George Henderson of Langholm
, Dumfriesshire
. He was elected to the House of Commons
for West Staffordshire
in 1898, a seat he held until 1906, and then represented St George's Hanover Square
from 1913 to 1916. He was created a Baronet
in 1902 and in 1916 he was raised to the peerage as Baron Faringdon
, of Buscot Park
in the county of Berkshire
(now Oxfordshire
). In 1912 he was appointed High Sheriff of Berkshire
and on 4 June 1917 made a Companion of Honour for "services in connection with the war", in his capacity as Vice-Chairman of Shipping Control Committee.
Lord Faringdon married Jane Ellen, daughter of Edward William Davis, in 1874. He died in March 1934, aged 83, and was succeeded by his grandson Gavin
, his eldest son Lieutenant-Colonel the Hon. Harold Henderson
having predeceased him.
Altogether, the Hendersons had seven children: Harold (born 29 October 1875); Alec (born 23 October 1876); Frank (born 11 October 1877); Margaret (born 6 April 1879); Philip (born 16 March 1881); Arnold (born 1 July 1883); and Eric (born 26 September 1884). Eric changed his surname to Butler-Henderson shortly after his marriage in 1910, and it was as the Hon. Eric B. Butler-Henderson that he was elected to the Board of the GCR in 1918; like his father, he also served on the Board of the LNER from its formation at the start of 1923.
locomotives, no. 1014 of class 11B
(LNER class D9), which had been built the previous year; Henderson having recently been created a baronet. His wife was similarly honoured when one of the GCR's class 8E
4-4-2 (LNER class C5), no. 364 (built 1906), was named Lady Henderson by March 1907. In August 1913, the GCR named their new Class 11E
(LNER Class D10) 4-4-0 locomotives after directors of that railway; they became known as the "Director" class as a result. The first of the class, no. 429, was named Sir Alexander Henderson, and the name Sir Alexander was removed from no. 1014 at the same time. In 1917, after Henderson was raised to the peerage, no. 364 was renamed Lady Faringdon, and carried the name until withdrawal in December 1947; but instead of no. 429 being renamed, the name was removed from this locomotive, and instead, newly-built class 9P 4-6-0 (LNER class B3) no. 1169 was named Lord Faringdon, and carried the name until withdrawal in December 1947. In March 1948, British Railways renamed an ex-LNER class A4
4-6-2, no. 60034 (hitherto named Peregrine) Lord Faringdon; again the name was carried until withdrawal, this occurring in 1966.
Henderson's youngest son Eric was similarly honoured in 1919 when class 11F
4-4-0 no. 506 was named Butler-Henderson; Eric was one of only two GCR Directors of the time who had not already given their names to locomotives. This locomotive ran until 1960, and has been preserved. In addition to these, the Hendersons' Scottish retreat provided the name for another GCR locomotive - no. 4 Glenalmond of class 1A; built in 1913, it ran until 1947.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
financier and Liberal Unionist Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
.
Biography
Henderson began his career in the City of LondonCity of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
with the accountancy firm Deloittes before becoming a stockbroker. He was best known as a financier of railways in the UK and internationally, and was chairman of the Great Central Railway
Great Central Railway
The Great Central Railway was a railway company in England which came into being when the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway changed its name in 1897 in anticipation of the opening in 1899 of its London Extension . On 1 January 1923, it was grouped into the London and North Eastern...
(GCR) from 5 May 1899 until the end of 1922, and then deputy chairman of its successor, the London and North Eastern Railway
London and North Eastern Railway
The London and North Eastern Railway was the second-largest of the "Big Four" railway companies created by the Railways Act 1921 in Britain...
(LNER), from 1923 until his death. He was also a major shareholder in the Manchester Ship Canal
Manchester Ship Canal
The Manchester Ship Canal is a river navigation 36 miles long in the North West of England. Starting at the Mersey Estuary near Liverpool, it generally follows the original routes of the rivers Mersey and Irwell through the historic counties of Cheshire and Lancashire. Several sets of locks lift...
, and was involved in port developments and telephone and electrical systems in several countries. The asset management firm Henderson Global Investors was founded in 1934 to administer his estate.
Faringdon was the son of George Henderson of Langholm
Langholm
Langholm , also known colloquially as the "Muckle Toon", is a burgh in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, on the River Esk and the A7 road.- History:...
, Dumfriesshire
Dumfriesshire
Dumfriesshire or the County of Dumfries is a registration county of Scotland. The lieutenancy area of Dumfries has similar boundaries.Until 1975 it was a county. Its county town was Dumfries...
. He was elected to the House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
for West Staffordshire
West Staffordshire (UK Parliament constituency)
West Staffordshire was a parliamentary constituency in Staffordshire which returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom until 1885, and then one member.-History:...
in 1898, a seat he held until 1906, and then represented St George's Hanover Square
Westminster St George's (UK Parliament constituency)
Westminster St George's, originally named St George's, Hanover Square, was a parliamentary constituency in Central London. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post system of election.-History:The...
from 1913 to 1916. He was created a Baronet
Baronet
A baronet or the rare female equivalent, a baronetess , is the holder of a hereditary baronetcy awarded by the British Crown...
in 1902 and in 1916 he was raised to the peerage as Baron Faringdon
Baron Faringdon
Baron Faringdon, of Buscot Park in the County of Berkshire, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1916 for Sir Alexander Henderson, 1st Baronet, who had previously represented Stafford West and St George's, Hanover Square in the House of Commons as a Liberal Unionist....
, of Buscot Park
Buscot Park
Buscot Park is a country house at Buscot near the town of Faringdon in Oxfordshire. It was built in an austere neoclassical style between 1780 and 1783 for Edward Loveden Townsend. It remained in the Loveden Townsend family until sold in 1859 to Robert Tertius Campbell, an Australian...
in the county of Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
(now Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
). In 1912 he was appointed High Sheriff of Berkshire
High Sheriff of Berkshire
The High Sheriff of Berkshire, in common with other counties, was originally the King's representative on taxation upholding the law in Saxon times. The word Sheriff evolved from 'shire-reeve'....
and on 4 June 1917 made a Companion of Honour for "services in connection with the war", in his capacity as Vice-Chairman of Shipping Control Committee.
Lord Faringdon married Jane Ellen, daughter of Edward William Davis, in 1874. He died in March 1934, aged 83, and was succeeded by his grandson Gavin
Alexander Gavin Henderson, 2nd Baron Faringdon
Gavin Henderson, 2nd Baron Faringdon was a British Labour politician.Faringdon was the son of Colonel the Hon.Harold Henderson...
, his eldest son Lieutenant-Colonel the Hon. Harold Henderson
Harold Henderson
Lieutenant-Colonel the Hon. Harold Greenwood Henderson CVO , was a British Conservative politician.Born in Brentford, Henderson was the eldest son of Alexander Henderson, 1st Baron Faringdon of Buscot Park in Berkshire , and his wife Jane Ellen...
having predeceased him.
Altogether, the Hendersons had seven children: Harold (born 29 October 1875); Alec (born 23 October 1876); Frank (born 11 October 1877); Margaret (born 6 April 1879); Philip (born 16 March 1881); Arnold (born 1 July 1883); and Eric (born 26 September 1884). Eric changed his surname to Butler-Henderson shortly after his marriage in 1910, and it was as the Hon. Eric B. Butler-Henderson that he was elected to the Board of the GCR in 1918; like his father, he also served on the Board of the LNER from its formation at the start of 1923.
Honours
Both Henderson and his wife were honoured by having railway locomotives named after them, all being express passenger types. In 1902, the Great Central Railway (GCR), the railway of which Henderson was Chairman, gave the name Sir Alexander to one of their 4-4-04-4-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 4-4-0 represents the wheel arrangement of four leading wheels on two axles , four powered and coupled driving wheels on two axles, and no trailing wheels...
locomotives, no. 1014 of class 11B
GCR Class 11B
Although overshadowed by the later and more famous steam locomotives that John G. Robinson would go on to design, the Great Central Railway Class 11B 4-4-0 Express Passenger engines were a successful class which totalled 40. Built from 1901–1903, in later rebuilt form as 11D, some 11Bs would last...
(LNER class D9), which had been built the previous year; Henderson having recently been created a baronet. His wife was similarly honoured when one of the GCR's class 8E
GCR Classes 8D and 8E
GCR Classes 8D and 8E were two pairs of three-cylinder compound steam locomotives of the 4-4-2 wheel arrangement built in 1905 and 1906 for the Great Central Railway.-History:...
4-4-2 (LNER class C5), no. 364 (built 1906), was named Lady Henderson by March 1907. In August 1913, the GCR named their new Class 11E
GCR Class 11E
The GCR Class 11E was a type of 4-4-0 steam locomotive used by the Great Central Railway for express passenger services. Ten were built in the railway's own workshops at Gorton, Manchester during 1913; they remained in service until the mid 1950s.-History:...
(LNER Class D10) 4-4-0 locomotives after directors of that railway; they became known as the "Director" class as a result. The first of the class, no. 429, was named Sir Alexander Henderson, and the name Sir Alexander was removed from no. 1014 at the same time. In 1917, after Henderson was raised to the peerage, no. 364 was renamed Lady Faringdon, and carried the name until withdrawal in December 1947; but instead of no. 429 being renamed, the name was removed from this locomotive, and instead, newly-built class 9P 4-6-0 (LNER class B3) no. 1169 was named Lord Faringdon, and carried the name until withdrawal in December 1947. In March 1948, British Railways renamed an ex-LNER class A4
LNER Class A4
The Class A4 is a class of streamlined 4-6-2 steam locomotive, designed by Nigel Gresley for the London and North Eastern Railway in 1935. Their streamlined design gave them high-speed capability as well as making them instantly recognizable, and one of the class, 4468 Mallard, still claims the...
4-6-2, no. 60034 (hitherto named Peregrine) Lord Faringdon; again the name was carried until withdrawal, this occurring in 1966.
Henderson's youngest son Eric was similarly honoured in 1919 when class 11F
GCR Class 11F
The Great Central Railway Class 11F or Improved Director Class is a class of 4-4-0 steam locomotive designed by John G. Robinson for passenger work. The LNER classified them as Class D11 from 1923...
4-4-0 no. 506 was named Butler-Henderson; Eric was one of only two GCR Directors of the time who had not already given their names to locomotives. This locomotive ran until 1960, and has been preserved. In addition to these, the Hendersons' Scottish retreat provided the name for another GCR locomotive - no. 4 Glenalmond of class 1A; built in 1913, it ran until 1947.