Author: Henderson, John
Biography:
HENDERSON, John (1747-85: ODNB)
He was born in Goldsmith Street, Cheapside, London, and baptised on 8 Mar. 1747. The names of his parents are not known but his father was an Irish factor who died about a year after Henderson’s birth. Henderson’s mother moved the family to Newport Pagnell, Bucks, and, except for one year of formal schooling, he was taught by her. He studied drawing in London and lived briefly with a silversmith family relation but his ambition was to be an actor. After numerous setbacks, failed auditions, and a stint giving public recitations, he secured a place as a member of the company at the Theatre Royal, Bath, on the recommendation of David Garrick—who was not otherwise supportive of Henderson. He became known in particular as an intelligent and versatile Shakespearean actor. He had his London debut in 1777 but he also performed in Dublin, Edinburgh, and Liverpool. Henderson married Jane Figgins on 13 Jan. 1779; they had one daughter, Harriet. With Thomas Sheridan he gave a series of readings at Freemason’s Hall, London, and wrote Sheridan’s and Henderson’s Practical Method of Reading and Reciting English Poetry which was published in 1796. His final performance was at Covent Garden in a play by William Whitehead (q.v.) on 8 Nov. 1785. He died of a heart attack on 25 Nov. 1785 and was buried in Poets’ Corner, Westminster Abbey on 3 Dec. 1785. (ODNB 21 Jan. 2022; ancestry.co.uk 21 Jan. 2022) SR