Bedfordshire Archives Service Catalogue
  • Reference
    X67
  • Title
    Henman collection
  • Admin/biog history
    Walter Nichols Henman (1867-1956) was born on the 25th May 1867 in Bedford to James and Elizabeth Henman. In 1871 James was a joiner and Elizabeth was a milliner and they lived in Cemetery Road (later called Foster Hill Road). They also had sons: Charles, Harry and George by the 1871 census. Walter was apprenticed to Jakins & Co of Ram Yard in 1882 and became a bookbinder. However according to the obituary in the Bedfordshire Times he was determined to become a printer and set up a press at home and printed many publications. After 1901 he added printer and maker of lantern slides to his occupations. In 1891 he married Eliza Jane Cooper. In 1901 they lived in Costin Street but by 1911 had moved to 38 Western Street. Walter and Eliza had no children. Eliza was the daughter of a lace maker and inherited the skill from her mother producing many examples of Bedfordshire lace. Eliza died in 1944. Walter was a mainstay of the Bedford Band of Hope Union and a pioneer and producer of Bedford May Festivals. He was a methodist. He served as treaurer of the Good Templars for several years. Walter became a well-known local antiquary and was recognized as one of Bedford's foremost authorities on local history and archaeology. He joined the Bedford Natural History Society in 1892 and was secretary of the Natural History and Archeological Society from 1912 to 1954, which due to him formed its own library. He was secretary of the Bedford General Library from May 1920. Walter amassed a collection of prints and documents as well as producing many photographs with which to illustrate his lectures. His obituary notes that he was a better lecturer than a writer. Walter died on the 4th March 1956 in a nursing home in Kempston. Probate was granted to Harold George Henman, garage proprietor, Florence May Guest married woman and Joan Mary Anderson, spinster. His funeral was held at Newnham Avenue Methodist church and he was buried at Foster Hill Cemetery.
  • Archival history
    Material collected by Mr Walter Nichols Henman from various sources. First deposit X67/1-98 made in July 1937. However these documents were transferred to the Town Hall under a deed of gift in 1951. They were subsequently deposited as part of the Bedford Borough Collection in 1996 mostly under reference BorBE. X67/99-149 were deposited on the 10 July 1944. X1/99 was then part of the 1951 transfer mentioned above. X67/150-239 were deposited on 19 Sept 1940 [sic]. X67/240-268 were received in the summer of 1956 after Mr Henman's death. X67/269-934 received from Bedford Borough Corporation in Oct 1956. X67/935 were bequeated by Mr Henman but were formerly categorized as 'prints' rather than archives.
  • Reference
  • Level of description
    fonds
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