Mr A. H. Henderson

Press, 20 March 1987, Page 13

Mr A. H. Henderson

The founder of the Elmwood Players, Mr Alexander Horace Henderson, has died in Christchurch. He was 80. Mr Henderson was a late starter in theatre but devoted much of his time after becoming interested in it in his 40s.

He grew up in Seatoun in Wellington. He attended Worser Bay School and Wellington College. After leaving school he worked for the National Bank.

He moved to Christchurch in 1931.

He was active in sports and represented Canterbury at soccer in 1936. He played his last game of soccer at 42 and his last game of cricket — in the president’s grade — when he was 58. His last years as an active sportsman and his time as a theatre devotee overlapped. He was able to pursue sporting interests during war service as one of the organisers of the interunit sports programmes. During this time he got a taste of theatre by taking part in concerts.

That taste became an absorbing hobby when, as a member of the Elmwood School Committee, he became involved in a play-reading group.

When the Elmwood group began to stage plays he was asked to be the producer. The Elm-

wood Players’ first performance was in the Rugby Street church hall to raise money for a piano for the school.

The group rehearsed and performed at the Hendersons’ home in St Albans Street. Mr Henderson’s wife, Taura, was also a part of the group.

Mr Henderson converted his garage to a small theatre. He and Mrs Henderson were still active in the Players when the group moved to its present Fulton Avenue building.

Mr Henderson continued to produce plays until 1976. He last took part in an Elmwood show on stage when he played the family butler in Somerset Maugham’s “The Constant Wife” in October, 1984. It was his thirty-fifth year with the Players. Mr Henderson is survived by his wife and two sons.