Mac Henderson

James McLaren Henderson (1 May 1907 – 5 March 2009), better known as Mac Henderson, was a Scotland international rugby union player and then businessman, founding one of Edinburgh's most famous restaurants, Henderson's.

Rugby Union career

Amateur career

Henderson was born in 1907 in Elphinstone, near Tranent and attended Edinburgh Academy. On leaving school her played for Dunbar but he then moved to Edinburgh where he played for Edinburgh Academicals.

Before he could be selected to play for the provincial Hawkes Bay side, he was moved to another sheep station. Henderson recalled: "An official said he would eat his hat if I wasn't selected for Hawke's Bay".

International career

He was capped three times by Scotland, all in 1933. Scotland won all 3 matches and secured the Triple Crown.

His career in rugby came to an abrupt end after he received a serious ligament injury while on a tour with the Barbarians later that year.

Business career

Farming

Henderson had a farm in East Lothian.

Family

Henderson met Janet Millar, while playing tennis at a friend's home at Gullane. Millar was an architect's daughter and in 1932 the couple married in a society wedding in Troon. His wife had been told she could not have children, but she believed that a healthy, vegetarian diet would make her fertile. The couple went on to have seven children; five sons named Andrew, John, Peter, Nicholas and Oliver; two daughters, Sara and Catherine. At his death Henderson had 14 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

He died on 5 March 2009 at the age of 101 as the longest-lived Test player in rugby union history.