Charles Henderson (historian) facts for kids

Charles Gordon Henderson (born 11 July 1900 – died 24 September 1933) was a British historian and an antiquarian who loved studying the history of Cornwall. An antiquarian is someone who studies old things and history.

About Charles G. Henderson

Charles Henderson's family had roots in Cornwall, a county in England. His mother's side of the family, the Willyamses, came from a place called Carnanton in Mawgan-in-Pydar. This connection to Cornwall was very important to him.

Early Life and Education

Charles went to Wellington College for a short time. He had to leave often because of poor health. Because of this, he spent a lot of his time walking around Cornwall. He explored old monuments and learned about the county's history. He also collected many old documents from all over Cornwall.

Later, Charles went to New College, Oxford, a famous university. He studied modern history and did very well, graduating with top honors in 1922. After that, he taught history at University College, Exeter. He then became a tutor at Corpus Christi College, Oxford in 1929. He was a promising teacher and lecturer.

His Work on Cornwall

In 1928, Charles Henderson published a book about bridges in Cornwall with Henry Coates. He loved to return to Cornwall whenever he could. He continued his research, focusing on the history of the western parts of the county, like Penwith and Kerrier. Eventually, he planned to write a huge history book about every parish (small area) in Cornwall.

Family and Final Days

On 19 June 1933, Charles married (Mary) Isobel Munro. She was also a scholar. At the end of August, they traveled to southern Italy. Charles had been feeling unwell for some months. He became very ill while visiting a shrine in Italy. He passed away in Rome eleven days later, on 24 September, due to heart problems.

He is buried in the Protestant Cemetery, Rome. This cemetery is also the resting place of famous writers like Keats and Shelley.

His Historical Writings

Charles Henderson wrote many books and articles about Cornish history.

• In 1925, he co-wrote Cornwall; A Guide with J. C. Tregarthen.
• He also wrote several books about Cornish churches.
• Another book he wrote was about the coasts, moors, and valleys of Cornwall, including notes on old historical sites.

In 1928, he was honored by the Cornish Gorseth at Boscawen-Un. This is a special gathering that celebrates Cornish culture. He was given the bardic name Map Hendra, which means 'Son of Antiquity'.

Charles Henderson collected a huge number of historical documents. His collection is now kept at the Courtney Library of the Royal Institution of Cornwall in Truro. It includes 16,000 old documents, many notes he wrote by hand, and his own published and unpublished writings.

After his death, another engineer, Edwyn Jervoise, finished a book Charles had started about the bridges of Devon. It was published in 1938.

Some of His Books

Charles Henderson wrote many important books about Cornwall's history. Here are a few examples:

• The Cornish Church Guide (1925)
• Records of the Church and Priory of St. Germans in Cornwall (1929)
• Cornwall: a Survey of its Coast, Moors, and Valleys (1930)
• Essays in Cornish History (published after his death in 1935, edited by his wife)

He also wrote many short books about different Cornish saints. These included books on Saint Carantoc, Saint Cuby, Saint Day, Saint Euny, and many others. He helped preserve the stories of these important historical figures.