| Administrative History | Henry Henderson was born on a croft in Wester Borrowston, Reay, Caithness on 25 July 1873. He was educated locally and on leaving school helped his father on the family farm and with contract work in quarries.
He was already interested in poetry and by the age of 20 had collected over 300 books. In 1892 he sent his first poem to the 'John O'Groat Journal' and in 1895 won a local poetry competition for the ‘Laureateship of Caithness’. At this point he adopted his pen name of ‘Bard of Reay’ and over the next 50 years had over 2000 poems published in the John O’Groat Journal and other newspapers.
He also contributed regular articles on local history and issues and was noted for his strongly held views especially regarding crofting and land reform. Many of his writings are in response to articles and poems appearing in the Northern Times Newspaper.
Henderson was married in 1906 and he and his wife, Margaret, had nine children.
In 1909 he was made sub postmaster at Dounreay, a post he held until his death. An active participant in many community activities, Henderson was a parish councillor in Reay and Bard of the Thurso Jolly Beggars Burns Society. He died in 1957.
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