James Henderson (1868-1945) of the Frodingham Iron and Steel Co
1939 Award of Bessemer Gold Medal
1946 Obituary [1]
Mr. James Henderson, a Director of United Steel Companies, Ltd., and the last President of the National Federation of Iron and Steel Manufacturers in 1934-35, died on 20 November 1946.
Born in Glasgow in 1868 and educated at Hutchinson's Grammar School and at Allan Glen Technical College, Mr. Henderson served in the laboratory of the Glasgow Iron Company, Ltd., at Wishaw, and became Chief Metallurgist of the Frodingham Iron and Steel Company, Ltd. (now re-named the Appleby-Frodingham Steel Company, Ltd.) in 1889. His connection with this Company lasted until his death.
In 1920 he became Managing Director and on retirement in 1934 he served for a time as Deputy Chairman. Mr. Henderson was largely responsible for the changes which resulted in the formation of the British Iron and Steel Federation.
He also served as President of the Iron and Steel Institute from 1942 to 1944, and held many other positions of influence in the iron and steel industry.
He was awarded the Bessemer Medal of the Iron and Steel Institute in 1939, and was made an Honorary Member of that Institute in 1944.
1945 Obituary [2]
WE record with regret the death, on Tuesday, November 20th, at his home at Leatherhead, Surrey, of Mr. James Henderson, who for many years was one of the prominent characters of the British iron and steel industry.
James Henderson was born in 1868 and received his technical education at Allen Glen's School, Glasgow, and at the West of Scotland Technical College.
His business career began in 1886 at the works of the Glasgow Iron and Steel Company, Ltd., where he became associated with Mr. Mannaberg, under whose supervision he started to operate the Bessemer process.
In 1889 Mr. Henderson joined the Frodingham Iron and Steel Company as works chemist, thereby beginning an active association with that company and its successors, which was continued until his death.
He became joint general manager in 1908, director and general manager in 1916, and managing director in 1920.
In 1923 he joined the board of the United Steel Companies, with which concern the Frodingham Company had become associated in 1917. He was appointed deputy chairman of the Frodingham Iron and Steel Company - later the Appleby-Frodingham Steel Company, Ltd. - in 1932, and held that position at the time of his death, although he retired from the active management in 1934. His retirement from the board of the United Steel Companies, Ltd., was announced only a few days before he died.
During his long service in the steel industry Mr. Henderson was closely associated with many developments of significance, including the adoption of the Talbot process by the Frodingham works in 1906. At the end of last century experiments which had been begun at Frodingham culminated in the adoption of blast-furnace gas engines for the generation of power and for blowing the furnaces.
Mr. Henderson was a member of the Executive Committee of the National Federation of Iron and Steel Manufacturers from its formation in 1918, and served as its last President in 1934. During his presidential term he was mainly responsible for the reorganisation which brought into being the British Iron and Steel Federation. He was also Chairman of the Iron and Steel Industrial Research Council for several years.
Mr. Henderson was an active member of the Iron and Steel Institute, which he joined in 1892. He was elected to the Council in 1925, was Honorary Treasurer from 1934 until 1942, and served as President from 1942 to 1944. In recognition of his lifelong service to the iron and steel industry, the Institute awarded him the Bessemer Medal in 1939.