Portrait of John Henderson, 1938
Painted in 1938, this is one of Edwin's first portraits and also one of his first oil paintings.
John Henderson was the minister at St Margaret's Church in Juniper Green from 1930 to 1943. Edwin attended this church and they became very good friends. Both men were committed pacifists. Edwin was a conscientious objector during the war and was assigned to hospital work away from Edinburgh. Meanwhile John preached anti-war sermons and offered prayers for the enemy, leading to some people walking out! He also put up anti-war posters and some of the local men climbed over his fence and pulled them down. One of his parishoners asked why he didn't pray for the King and Queen, to which he replied "When I pray I pray for all people", an egalitarian principle Edwin would have approved of.
John emigrated to New Zealand in 1943, but returned to Edinburgh when he retired in 1963. We think he took the portrait with him on his travels and it's now back in Scotland. He and Edwin remained close friends until John died in 1982.
John emigrated to New Zealand in 1943, but returned to Edinburgh when he retired in 1963. We think he took the portrait with him on his travels and it's now back in Scotland. He and Edwin remained close friends until John died in 1982.