Biography

Henderson Carrick was a well-known and respected citizen of Dunedin. He was a native of Ireland who had lived in New Zealand for 14 years, and had run a bookseller’s in George Street for some time, retiring some years before his sudden death on Thursday 15th January 1886.

Henderson had always shown a great interest in the Athenaeum and Mechanics Institute, was known as a a very keen debater, and also had considerable literary ability, contributing several tales to the Novelist Column in the Otago Witness, the last of these being called True Nobility, which was very favourably received by readers.

Henderson Carrick’s sudden death occurred during a visit to a bathhouse in Moray Place run by a Mr Metz. He was found seriously ill and Dr Carl Reimer was sent for; he was diagnosed as suffering from congestion of the brain, was sent to hospital but died on the way there.

The Otago Witness gave details of the winding up of Henderson Carrick’s affairs. Properties belonging to him were sold by auction by James Samson and Co., the property at Burkestown for the sum of 285 pounds; freehold property at St John’s Wood for 100 pounds; and a section at Selwyn for 22 pounds.

(Details from the Otago Witness, 23 Jan. 1886 and 11 March 1887)