MS 669 02 04

MS 669 02 04

Grizel Hartley collection: Autograph letters from John Henderson to Grizel Hartley

File

John Henderson (often known as Johnny) was born in 1920 and was educated at Eton College before going to Cambridge in 1939, just as the Second World War was declared. He was at Cambridge a year waiting to go into the Coldstream Guards, before a meeting with a fellow Old Etonian, Kenneth Inchape gave him the opportunity to join the 12th Lancers Cavalry Regiment almost immediately.

Henderson was chosen by General B.L. Montgomery to be one of his ADCs (Aide-de-camp - personal assistant or secretary), a role he held for four years.

After the war, Henderson went on to have a successful career in banking in addition to holding the offices of High Sheriff of Berkshire and Lord Lieutenant of Berkshire.

Further biographical details on John Henderson can be found under MS 436: World War Two papers of John Henderson, principally relating to Field Marshal B.L Montgomery

1941-1944

1 envelope containing 6 items

Containing four autograph letters from Henderson to Hartley and two photocopies of autograph letters. The letters mention his wartime activities, including his time spent in Cairo and El Alamein and reminisce about his Eton days.

One of the letters is incomplete

The letters were written from Henderson to Hartley before being collected by P.S.H. Lawrence, although the date of this transfer is unknown. By 2013 P.S.H. Lawrence had passed the letters to Andrew Robinson.

Due to the different provenance of these letters from P.S.H. Lawrence's main collection of working papers and have been catalogued as a seperate file

The letters are in chronological order

Eton College Library also holds John Henderson's Second World War papers: MS 436: World War Two papers of John Henderson, principally relating to Field Marshal B.L Montgomery