Researching Henry Kendall

His early theatrical career was curtailed by the First World War, in which he served with distinction. Resuming his stage career in 1919 he appeared mostly in the West End, with one excursion to Broadway and occasional tours of the British provinces, particularly during the Second World War. He was dismissive of his career as a screen actor, but made more than 40 films for the cinema. As a theatre director he was responsible for more than 20 productions, in a minority of which he also starred.

In his later years he had heart problems, which forced his temporary withdrawal from the theatre in 1957. He died of a heart attack in the South of France in 1962, at the age of 65. He was unmarried.

Kendall was the son of Samuel Frederick Kendall of Bristol, England and Emily Long of London. The couple settled in Sydney, Nova Scotia in 1857. Kendall, a member and pastor of the Plymouth Brethren, established the Union Church on Mitchell Island in 1866.

Kendall was widowed in June, 1909 following the death of his wife, Ida B Burchell. Ida's parents were George Burchell and Louisa Lorway from Sydney, Nova Scotia. In 1913, he married Margaret McLennan, daughter of John Stewart McLennan, an industrialist who would be appointed to the Senate of Canada several years later.

During World War I, Kendall enlisted in the Canadian Expeditionary Force and served as Lieutenant Colonel of the 9th Stationary Hospital based at Bramshott Military Hospital in England from 1916 to 1919.

In the 1921 federal election, Kendall was an unsuccessful candidate for the Progressive Party of Canada in Hants riding.

He was appointed Lieutenant-Governor of Nova Scotia at the age of 78, the oldest person to hold the office in the province's history.

Kendall's brother, Arthur Samuel Kendall, was also a physician and served as both an MLA in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly and as a federal Member of Parliament.

His son, Jim Kendall (1889-1942), played hockey with the Montreal Wanderers 1906–1907, emigrating to Sydney, Australia (returned to Canada to serve during World War I) and later worked for Broken Hill Proprietary Company.

Kendall became a hockey great in his adopted home in Australia.

Kendall was a student of Thomas Leverton and possibly of John Nash. His wide-ranging styles included Greek, Italian and Tudor revival.

His son, Henry Edward Kendall Jr. (1805–1885) was also an architect and, for a while, the two ran a practice together, which, in 1834, was located at 17, Suffolk Street, London. The Esplanade and Tunnel in Kemp Town, Brighton, dating between 1828 and 1830, was one of their notable works.Lewis Cubitt (who married his daughter Sophia in 1830) was amongst those who worked at the practice before setting up on his own. Both were amongst the co-founders of what became the Royal Institute of British Architects.

Kendall designed many civic buildings including workhouses, hospitals and schools. In 1832 he won the hundred guinea prize for his Gothic design for Kensal Green Cemetery and his Italianate design was runner-up, yet, despite this, his designs were overlooked in favour of a Greek revival design by John Griffith. The cemetery contains a monument to Kendall's son, attributed to Kendall senior.

Henry Edward Kendall died in Westminster, 4 April 1875, aged 91.