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b.1895-d.1942
When The Friends of Horton Cemetery were asked for assistance by Cyril’s grandson, little did we know that the story which unfolded would be so fascinating. The story of a man, with strong connections to India, who was very well travelled and worked hard. Cyril ended his days in Long Grove Hospital in Epsom, buried as one of the 9000 in Horton Cemetery.
With thanks to Cyril’s grandson for prompting this research and agreeing for the story to be published.
Born in India
Cyril Herbert Scott Henderson was born on September 7th 1895 in Dhumumtollah, Bengal, India. He was baptised soon after on November 17th 1895.
We know that Cyril had an older brother named Donald Raoul Henderson, born on June 22nd 1899. Donald went on to marry Louisa Mildred Bremerex Falloon. Donald retired and moved from India in 1955 to Hampshire. He died in 1957 in Surrey.
Cyril’s parents
Cyril and Donald’s parents were Marie Clemence Bidgood Bennett and Walter Scott Henderson. They had married on October 10th 1891 at St. Thomas’s Church in Calcutta. The Times of India reported the marriage, from which we glean that Walter was the son of Andrew John Henderson, a GP from Edinburgh. Marie was the daughter of Mr FJ Bennett Esq., of Howrah, Bengal, India.
Walter Scott Henderson -Freemason
Walter Scott Henderson appeared in 1901, in a register of members of the Calcutta Freemasons Lodge named ‘Thomas Jones’. He had joined the lodge in January 1901 and he resigned on December 31st 1903.
Cyril’s Marriage
There is no other documentary evidence yet found about Cyril until he married Nancy Louisa Hearn on March 28th 1921, in St Mary le Park Chapel of Ease, Albert Bridge Road, in Battersea.
She was 21 years old at the time and the daughter of Robert Hearn, a brewery foreman, living in Battersea. Her mother was Annie Hearn.
Cyril is recorded as a civil engineer, son of Walter, a jute merchant.
Nancy had been born on November 27th 1899 and was baptised on March 11th 1900, at Saint Saviour, Brixton Hill, Lambeth, England
Cyril serves in the army
Family oral history says that Cyril was in the army and stationed in India as a draughtsman. These records have yet to be located.
Cyril leaves for Bombay, India
Just a few days after his wedding, on April 1st 1921, Cyril leaves for India on the ‘Malwa’, ship of the Peninsular and Orient Steam Navigation Company, a name synonymous with the grandeur and reliability of ocean travel at that time.
His address prior to that was 207 Paisley Road, Glasgow which ties in with the ship’s record. The entry tells us that he had previously been resident in England and was intending to make India his new permanent place of residence. It also records specifically that he was not accompanied by his wife. He is a concrete engineer.
Birth of a Daughter
On July 22nd 1922, a daughter named Irene Nancy was born in Wandsworth.
Cyril’s mother dies
On January 6th 1927, Marie Clemence Henderson died in Calcutta.
Family trip – Sri Lanka to England
Cyril and Nancy and two children are listed aboard the Orama, a ship of the Orient Steam Navigation Company Ltd. They had travelled from Colombo, Sri Lanka, landing at Tilbury, Essex on October 24th 1929.
The children are listed as 7 year old Miss I N Henderson and 2 year old Master N L Henderson.
No birth record has yet been found for their son.
Whether the trip was for pleasure or for work is not clear. Their permanent place of residence is listed as India but the indication is that they intended to now settle in England.
1930
A year later in 1930, Cyril and Nancy appear in an electoral register, living at 53 Norfolk Road, Windsor, Berkshire. Today, the house remains a sizable property with a large garden.
Admitted to Long Grove, Epsom
Family oral history tells us that no one ever really spoke about Cyril much; ‘it was all kept quiet’. His grandson relays that he was told that Cyril had overworked himself and ended up in Long Grove Asylum.
In 1939, Cyril was listed as a patient in Long Grove Hospital, sadly described as a lunatic. The record tells us that he was married.
Death and Burial
Cyril was buried in grave 1594d in Horton Cemetery on January 2nd 1942.
What happened to Nancy?
In 1939, Nancy was living at 32, Wadham Road, Portsmouth. The record says that she is married. At some later date, the record was overwritten with ‘McKenzie’, which usually happens when there is a subsequent name change.
This finding led to the discovery that Nancy had indeed remarried, to a Colin McKenzie, in 1944 in Portsmouth. Her grandson was not aware of this fact but he recalls that when they visited her, there was a man there, who they called Mac.
Nancy died in 1962, aged 62 years.
