Alexander Henderson arrived in Marlow to become minister of what was then the Congregational Church and is now Christ Church in Quoiting Square in 1882, taking over from the popular William Morton Mather. You can read a biography post on Mather here.
Alexander was a young unmarried Scot who had recently been at New College London. As a child his ambition had been to be an engineer. He realised this dream and was achieving success - he was actually described as a genius in fact- in his chosen field. However he then described how an unexpected calling for the church came upon him with increasing urgency and he decided to attend New College and seek ordination instead. He won the Marlow job in July 1882 and was ordained as minister in October that year. His father, also a Reverend with the name Alexander Henderson, was amongst those present at that time having journeyed down from Perth.
Though Alexander was not long at the church in Marlow- a little under a year- he made a mark by instigating and dedicating a new Sunday School and made two historic firsts for a non-conformist minister in the years after he left Marlow, which must have gladdened the hearts of his former congregation as they were widely reported in religious press at the time. (See below)
Another project he had at Marlow was to encourage and much expand a scheme set up by his predecessor which saw female Congregationalists visit at home other women connected to the church, especially poorer ones, to increase a sense of fellowship between them regardless of class background. Alexander knew it could be harder for women with their home and childcare responsibilities to attend church as often as they might have wanted to. He also knew home visits from the minister, while often very welcome and sometimes indispensable, could 'get in the way' a bit. He thought that the ladies would not be too self conscious in the presence of other mothers and wives however and would sing hymns together with them or listen to Bible readings from them whilst also attending to their sewing or other tasks. Alexander additionally encouraged female only prayer meetings in his newly done up Sunday Schoolroom.
Amongst the women of the Marlow congregation was an Elizabeth Chown of nearby West Street to whom he became engaged.
News reports do not give a reason for his resignation from Marlow in 1883 but do say that he was going to be missed by his flock.
The next year he was a Congregational minister at Plymtree in Devon, before moving to Ware Hertfordshire in 1888 and later to a church at Old Gravel Lane, Wapping London. At the latter his flock were said to be largely dock labourers and their families.
Alexander became the first non-conformist to be appointed chaplain to Hanwell Mental Hospital and the first such chaplin to the Brentford Union (catering to the poor). He held both posts for over 15 years.
In 1918 he published a pamphlet "Redemption Draweth Nigh" which could be bought for a bargain 3 halfpennies. As far as I can see this was his only published work. At around the same time he was campaigning against local cinemas potentially being allowed to open on Sundays.
He died in 1938 at his home Whitchurch Villa, Hanwell following a short but severe illness. He was aged 85. Alexander and his wife Elizabeth were married for 53 years and had several children.
Alexander was succeeded at Marlow by John Frederick Morgan Glanville.
To find other posts about ministers of the Congregational church, consult the index here
Sources:
Summers, William Henry. History of the Congregational Churches in the Berks, South Oxon and South Bucks Association: With Notes on the Earlier Nonconformist History of the District. United Kingdom, W. J. Blacket, 1905.
Christian World [Journal] 12th October 1882.
Maidenhead Advertiser 19th September 1883.
The Non-Conformist. 1st October 1885.
Middlesex County Times. 13th August 1938. British Newspaper Archives.
Ealing Gazette. 29th June 1918. As above.
© MarlowAncestors.
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