William Henderson

• Birth date            26 May 1802 at Port Menteith, Perthshire, Scotland
• Christening          8 June 1802 at Port Menteith, Perthshire, Scotland
• Marriage              Eliza or Elizabeth
• Death date          25 October 1885 at Oxton

According to the 1881 census William Henderson was born at Port Menteith, Perthshire about 1802. The corresponding Scottish baptismal record indicates that he was born on 26 May 1802 the son of John Henderson and Isobel (Young). Little is then known of him until the English census of 1851 when he is recorded as a nurseryman in Birkenhead, aged 48. By 1856 he had also become a one of the leading designers of public parks in South East Lancashire. He had laid out the gardens of Corporation Park, Blackburn, in 1857 and his design, together with that of another competitor, was chosen for Alexandra Park, Oldham, (1865) following the corporation’s success in borrowing a total of twenty-five thousand seven hundred pounds to finance a large-scale work-creation project as a response to the hardship imposed on factory operatives by the cotton famine during the American civil war. he was also responsible for designing Bolton Park (subsequently renamed Queen’s Park), which was opened in 1866 following the inclusion of a scheme in the town’s improvement act of 1864. His landscape expertise extended to cemeteries and his design for Tonge Cemetery, Bolton, (1856), with a perfect circle at its centre, is regarded as ‘an exemplar’ of the geometrical or sub-geometrical framework. Although he is said to have designed a number of private gardens, Queen’s Park, Bolton, seemingly marked the end of his career as a landscape designer of public spaces.

His extensive nursery in Oxton provided employment for twenty men (1881 census); In 1861 he was described as a landscape gardener, nurseryman and seedsman; for many years he was the honorary secretary of both the Manchester and Liverpool Agricultural Society and the Wirral Farmers’ Club (which subsequently became the Birkenhead and Wirral agricultural society). William Henderson had established his nursery and seed business in partnership with G Brown at Oxton Hill in 1845, with good reason. At the time Oxton, with its extensive views across the river Mersey, was undergoing rapid expansion providing ample opportunity for Liverpool merchants and ship-owners to build their residences away from the squalor of the inner cities – the very people Henderson needed to attract as clients.  Such changes to the village were recorded in 1848: "Comparatively but a few years ago, it was a barren heath; it is now, to a great extent, covered with fine houses and villas, with gardens, fields, woods and pleasure-grounds, and is, in fact, a village of itself. The air in this elevated locality is extremely salubrious, and the prospect from almost any point uninterrupted and delightful, embracing a vast extent of land, and town and marine scenery." [Samuel Hill 1848]

Significantly, the notice which appeared in the Gardner’s Chronicle of November 1845 provides some details of Henderson’s earlier career. By 1820, aged 18, he was employed as a gardener and by 1836 had moved to Liverpool to become foreman of the landscape gardening department of Skirving’s Walton Nursery, Liverpool.  Thus by 1845 he was offering his services as Landscape Gardener and Garden architect and the designer of horticultural buildings. The Book of the Garden, published 1853-1855 described him as a garden architect of great practical experience and provided details of hot-houses built under his direction near Liverpool, together with proposals for a vinery and a pinery.

WM. HENDERSON and G BROWN have the honour to announce that they have effected arrangements to occupy a most eligible Piece of Land, situate at Oxton Hill, immediately adjoining the rapidly increasing and populous Township of Birkenhead, where they propose establishing, - as they hope under the Sanction and Patronage of the Public, - A NURSERY AND SEED BUSINESS.

In soliciting orders and support, Henderson and Brown take the liberty of stating that they have both been upwards of 25 years immediately and unremittingly connected with Horticulture, and Floricultural pursuits, and they pledge themselves that nothing shall be wanting on their part, if prompt attention and punctuality can obtain and secure the approbation of those who may kindly patronise their exertions.

William Henderson, having had a lengthened and extensive practice and experience as Landscape Gardener, and Garden Architect, during nearly nine years of which he had the honour of conducting these departments for Mr Skirving, in connection with his well-known and very extensive Establishment at Walton – William Henderson proposes therefore devoting especial attention to this branch of the Profession, and will be glad to furnish plans for laying out Gardens and Pleasure Grounds, also Designs and Estimates for all sorts of Horticultural Erections. WH also being conversant with Road-making, Draining, and Fencing, flatters himself he is competent to be consulted on Rural Improvements, personal superintendence in all cases, on reasonable terms.

Note: Henderson and Brown also beg to intimate to Gentlemen who do not require the services of a constant Gardener, that they propose retaining practical and efficient men on whose character they can depend, and will be glad to receive commands for the renovating or keeping in proper order Gardens and Pleasure Grounds. Oxton Hill, Birkenhead, November 1845 [Gardener’s Chronicle and Agricultural Gazette Vol 5 15 November 1845 page 675]

Willian Henderson died on 25 October 1885. Following his death ihis widow continued to run the Nursery until her own death in 1891 after which it was operated by a number of owners until its closure in the 1930s.

Address
1836-1845    William Henderson, foreman of the landscape gardening department of Skirving’s Walton Nursery, Liverpool.
1845             Henderson and Brown, Oxton Hill Nurseries, Oxton
1855             William Henderson, nursery and seeds man, agent for the Lancashire Insurance Company, Oxton Hill Nurseries, Village Road, Oxton
1874             William Henderson, landscape gardener, garden architect, nurseryman, seedsman and florist. Oxton Hill Nurseries, Birkenhead with shop at 88 Hamilton Street [Morris Directory of Cheshire 1874]

Residence
1841           Walton on the Hill, Liverpool
1851           William Henderson, nursery man, 10 Market Cross, Birkenhead
1855           William Henderson, nursery and seeds man, 18 Market Cross, Birkenhead
1861           Alton Terrace, Oxton (census)
1861           William Henderson Nursery, Village Road Oxton, Birkenhead
1885           William Henderson, Oxton Hill  Nurseries 30 Village Road, Oxton (probate)

Reference    The Gardener’s Magazine Vol 19 1843 page 452 - Letter from William Henderson, foreman of the landscape gardening department of Skirving’s Walton Nursery, Liverpool dated 8 July 1843. 
Reference    Garden History 46 page 174
Reference    Ray Johnson William Henderson’s Nursery, 2010; www.theoxtonsociety
Reference    Gardener’s Chronicle and Agricultural Gazette Vol 5 15 November 1845 page 765
Reference    Charles McIntosh. Book of the Garden, 1853-1855, page 292. Page 309, page 334-5