Mr. William Henderson, sometime of Spreydon, was born in Thurso, Scotland, in 1830. He was apprenticed to the trade of carpentry, and came to New Zealand by the ship “Tiptree,” in 1864, with his wife and children. Soon after he arrived he obtained employment with Messrs Holmes and Co., contractors for the Lyttelton tunnel, and helped to build the old railway station at Christchurch. When gold was discovered on the West Coast, he went to Hokitika, where he was engaged in most successful building operations for some months. On returning to Christchurch Mr. Henderson rented about 100 acres, where the town of Sydenham stands. He then entered into partnership with Mr. John McBeth, and the firm became noted for its extensive transactions in live stock. The property on which Mr. Henderson has so long resided at Spreydon was at first used as a grazing ground for the firm's sheep and cattle. About 1880 business complications with a customer compelled the firm to take over a butchering business at Sydenham, and after the retirement of his partner, Mr. Henderson carried this on on his own account until 1901, when he decided to retire from the active pursuits of trade. During his long residence in Canterbury Mr. Henderson identified himself with movements intended to promote the progress of the province. He was for many years a member of the Spreydon Road Board, and was previously a member of the Heathcote Road Board. In 1882 he was president of the Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association, with the progress of which he had been associated from the early days when shows were held at Sydenham. He was one of those who negotiated the purchase of twenty-five acres for the present site at Addington from Mr. Twigger, who made the association a present of seven additional acres. Mr. Henderson was long a successful exhibitor of sheep and cattle at the association's shows, and for many years he owned a celebrated stud flock of Border Leicesters. He took a leading part in the foundation of the Canterbury Sale Yards Company, the first chairman of which, was the late Sir Cracroft Wilson, who, at his death, was succeeded by Mr. Henderson, who then continuously occupied the chair. Mr. Henderson also took a leading part in founding the New Zealand Farmers' Co-operative Association, and was one of the executive for many years. He had been similarly identified with the meat freezing industry in Canterbury. Altogether Mr. Henderson was an energetic, enterprising colonist, who did much to promote the advancement of Canterbury. He had a family of six sons and two daughters, and died on the 2nd of October, 1902.