Retired Dundee jeweller Scott Henderson, who played a prominent part in civic life in the city over many decades, has died aged 90.
He was the third generation of Henderson jewellers and two of his three sons, Richard and Stephen, followed him into the profession.
Scott also dedicated many years service to Rotary which presented him with the Paul Harris Award, was a member of the Bonnetmakers, a member of the Guildry and later Lord Dean of the Guild of Dundee.
He was born in August 1932 to jeweller Matthew Henderson and his wife Elizabeth of Lammerton Terrace, Dundee.
Sporting excellence
Scott was educated at Morgan Academy and then Glenalmond College where he excelled at rugby and played for the 1st XV.
When he left school he undertook his two years’ National Service with The Black Watch, attaining the rank of Second Lieutenant.
He later joined the Parachute Regiment TA and was promoted to captain having completed 100 jumps.
Scott completed a two-year jewellery apprenticeship with Wilson and Sharp, Princes Street, Edinburgh.
In the capital he met his future wife, Shirley Dunbar, whose father ran a lemonade business in the city, served as Lord Provost of Edinburgh and was later knighted.
The couple married in 1959 and went on to have three sons, Richard, Stephen and Clive.
Scott’s grandfather, Matthew, had founded a successful jewellery business in Airdrie at the turn of the 19th/20th centuries.
He had began his career underground in the Lanarkshire mines but a lung condition forced him to give it up.
Instead, he trained as a watchmaker and went on to establish a chain of jewellery stores. He had six sons and together they expanded across Scotland and the north of England, with 32 outlets at one point.
Scott’s father, Matthew, was one of the six sons and was sent to Dundee to run the Henderson branch in Nethergate.
He later branched out on his own and founded Matthew Henderson jewellers in Union Street.
Matthew Henderson died in 1960 and Scott took over and expanded the business. He acquired the adjacent Scotch Wool Shop in 1970 followed by McInnes opticians in 1975 and created an enlarged premises from the three shops.
Outside work, Scott gave freely of his time to community organisations including Rotary, Riding for the Disabled, and Action Research.
He was also an accomplished sportsman. He played golf at Downfield, Panmure and Blairgowrie, captained Blairgowrie in 2003 and 2004 and had a hole in one on the 17th at Rosemount in 2002.
Scott was an elder at St Mary’s Church, Dundee, and curled for both the Dundee and Broughty Ferry clubs.
He retired in 1994 and together with Shirley enjoyed many years of travelling, golfing and gardening.
His son, Stephen, joined the firm in 1989 and rebranded it Stephen Henderson The Jeweller when his father retired.
Richard founded his own jewellery firm with branches in St Andrews and Broughty Ferry, and Clive worked in marketing for blue chip firms in London and the south-east of England.
You can read the family’s announcement here.
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