Jack Henderson Interview: Stationary engineer, community builder
Jack Henderson (1880-1968) was a labour activist and community leader in Vancouver, Canada. Henderson discusses his long involvement in the labour movement, starting when he joined the Amalgamated Society of Railroad Servants in England in 1896. He describes his experiences working in various industries and locations, including South Africa, Russia, France and Canada.
The interview was conducted in the 1960s by the BC Federation of Labour in anticipation of the publication of No Power Greater: A Century of Labour in BC (1967). Interviewers were author Paul Phillips and UBC student Bill Piket. The original tapes were digitized by the BC Labour Heritage Centre in 2024.
Certain parts of this interview contain historical language and content that may be considered offensive, such as language used to refer to racial, ethnic and cultural groups. The content reflects the period in which it was created. The recording retains the original language and perspectives to ensure that they are not erased from the historical record.
Jack Henderson c. 1948, Vancouver Archives, CVA 296-029.
Henderson recounts his working life in Canada where he arrived around 1907. He was employed in sawmills, constructing Pier B-C in Vancouver, building a bridge in Saskatchewan and managing steam plants. During the Great Depression, he led the Canadian Legion in Vancouver to establish a soup kitchen and shelter for the unemployed. He discusses his involvement in the Vancouver Trades and Labor Council serving as the chairman of the Legislative Committee for over 20 years, being elected to the school board, and helping to establish the Hastings Community Association.
Henderson also shares his personal perspectives on economic and social issues, and explains his commitment to improving the lives of working people.