NONAGENARIAN’S DEATH

Northern Advocate, 3 May 1932, Page 6

NONAGENARIAN’S DEATH

FINE CUMBERLAND MAN. RELATIVES IN THE NORTH. The death occurred recently at Coekormouth, Cumberland, of Mr Joseph Henderson, father of Air J. E. Henderson, Whangarei, and Air J. Henderson, Hikurangi. The following tribute to Air Henderson appeared in the “West Cumberland Times.” — “If one man more than another (writes our Broughton representative) was zealous of the interest and -welfare of the parish of Little Broughton, it was the late Air .Joseph Henderson, who died in South Street, Coekermouth, last week, in his 92nd year. After a brief seafaring life he settled in the village as a young man, and later worked at the mines. Taking a keen interest in the Local Government affairs of the parish Air Henderson topped the poll at the first School Board election, and he retained his seat throughout the life of the Board. Amongst his colleagues on the Board were the late Rev. Robert Clarke, vicar, with whom the do eeased came into repeated conflict on religious matters, and the files of the local Press reveal several stormy meetings between the dissenting bodies and the church. In later years the late Rev. James AlcNab, Baptist Alinistor, came into the picture and with him too, Air Henderson had many stormy passages. Mr Henderson was one of the first members of the Parish Council, the villages of Great and Little Broughton at this lime being separate parishes. When the question of uniting the villages of Great and Little Broughton as one parish, and the villages of Broughton Moor and Wyndham Row as a separate parish was mooted, Air Henderson was on the opposing side, and there were stormy meetings, on one occasion the local police-constable being called in to quell a disturbance. AVhen the then Vicar declared his intention to take no more Sunday funerals Air Henderson took part in the protest, and the idea was eventually abandoned. Not satisfied with their representation on the Coekormouth Board of Guardians and Rural Sanitary Authority, the ratepayers of the parish of Little Broughton sought the services of Air Henderson and elected him a member of these bodies. Mr Henderson throughout his representation on the local councils and the School Board had the full confidence of the people of his adopted village, and to the last his liajipy relations with the residents continued, and long after he left Little Broughton, he continued to represent the parish. All through life the late Air Henderson had no time for idleness—his life was one of work and hard work—anS- he gloried in doing good and helping forward any cause for the welfare of the place.”