Henderson, James
Milestones
Birth: January 04 1908 – North Berwick, James Henderson.
Marriage: July 15 1937 – Dumfries, James Henderson and Nan Fergusson.
Death: December 22 2007 – Kelso, James Henderson.
Obituary
James Henderson was an artist, an art teacher, a family man, a man of the Borders and a fisher. Born and educated in North Berwick in his youth he was a regular visitor to Earlston where his forebears had farmed.
Studying at Edinburgh College of Art he met Nan Ferguson who was to become his wife. In 1933 he won a travelling scholarship which took him to Paris, Florence, Venice and Rome. On returning to Scotland he taught at Edinburgh College of Art where he associated with a number of notable Scottish painters including William Gillies and DM Sutherland; he was a lifelong friend of Anne Redpath.
After their marriage James and Nan settled in Galashiels in a house James designed himself at the top of Wylie’s Bray. Their five children were all born in Galashiels. James continued in the post of principal teacher of art at the academy to which he had been appointed in 1935 until 1943 when he became art supervisor for Selkirkshire. James took a particular interest in the local textile industry, encouraging his pupils to design and weave fabrics on handlooms; he took up weaving himself as a hobby. He played a major part in helping to preserve the old Gala House in Galashiels from demolition and turning it into an Arts Centre. He and Nan were leading lights in the foundation of the Galashiels Studio Club.
The family moved to Edinburgh on James being appointed Head of Art at George Watson’s Ladies College. He continued to work there until his retirement in 1970.
James and Nan celebrated retirement by taking a grand tour of France and Italy re-visiting the places they had seen in their student days.
Following Nan’s death in 1984 James moved to Kelso to be near his daughter Christine. Here he was able to combine his love of the Borders landscape which he enjoyed painting with his other great passion, fishing. He spent the last 24 years of his life in Kelso dying just a few weeks before his 100th birthday on 22nd December 2007.
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