Murdoch Mysteries Wiki
Register
Advertisement

Henry Higgins is a police constable at Toronto's Station House Four, introduced in Season 1 of Murdoch Mysteries, portrayed by Lachlan Murdoch. After Henry gets married in Season 12, it is revealed that his full name is Henry Hieronymus Higgins-Newsome.

Early Life

Henry's mother is from the Gaspé in Quebec, and as a result, he knows how to speak French (ep.209 and 405). He also has a homosexual cousin, so he was aware of where the secret gay club was held in Toronto (ep. 105). The Higgins family also owned a piano shop when Henry was growing up, and although he did not enjoy playing, he learnt what all of the parts were (ep.717).

When guarding the elevator to escort a rare painting to its safekeeping spot, Henry reveals that he suffers from vertigo and gets dizzy just standing on the bottom rung of a ladder (ep.306).

Character Arc

Henry is best known for doing his own thing when it comes to any sort of case or off duty business, ranging from locating a new kind of ice cream with George (ep.915) to watching boxing fights with Jackson (ep.803). He considers George Crabtree his best friend. The feeling isn't always mutual (as George considers William Murdoch as his best friend) but they are often paired up, i.e. a vaudeville team (ep.809) or drinking in a bar (ep.714). While they squabble and fight, Henry and George are always there for each other in the end.

Constable Henry Higgins is prone to making frequent mistakes during investigations, but usually is saved by a redeeming moment. He has a tendency to let words slip out as he thinks aloud, but means no harm. Such an example of this is during Unlucky In Love when he accidentally insults Baby Roland Connor when Detective Murdoch is worried about Roland not walking yet and suggests that "Maybe he's just slow", which annoys Murdoch. He apologises sincerely for this thought, never meaning to speak ill of Murdoch's son. Nevertheless, Henry has proven himself to be good with young children, as well as Raised On Robbery.

Seasons 1-4

Henry is rather in the background in the beginning, assisting with the mundane tasks as opposed to being among the action, though he does learn quite a bit from Detective Murdoch. For example, in Child's Play he learns how to create accurate shoe impressions after messing up three times beforehand (ep.110). Henry gets his first chance on the front lines when Prince Alfred visits Toronto. Henry is assigned to help Detective Murdoch in an investigation of the murder of Maggie Gilpatrick. After a slight blunder, Henry is taught about fingermarks and how to trace next of kin from Murdoch. When it's determined there is a plot to kidnap Prince Alfred, Henry is selected to impersonate the prince to help safeguard His Highness (ep.112).

Season 5-9

In War on Terror, Henry is caught in an explosion along with George and is rendered unconscious, resulting in George attempting to find the culprit behind the bombing of Milne's store. The bomber is caught, and Henry returns to the station house having been hospitalised for the majority of the episode.

One of Henry's classic mistakes happens in Weekend at Murdoch's when Henry and George are assigned guard duty at the Windsor House Hotel to protect Roger Newsome, who witnessed a murder and will testify against the suspect, Rex Grey. Newsome is desperate to get a haircut for the lecture on his rare bird discovery. Although George wakes Henry up before going to get them all dinner in the hotel room, Henry falls back to sleep on the sofa, which allows Newsome to escape for his haircut, ultimately leading to his assassination.

Henry was also one of the three who contributed to the purchase of the motor car between himself, George and Jackson (ep.805).

Seasons 10-14

Henry was one of the main protagonists in the Beyond Time web series along with Jackson and Rebecca James as the two constables consult Terrence Meyers to help them with this time travelling mystery. During this web series, Meyers gives Henry a lot of nicknames because he doesn't know Henry's actual name, which infuriates him. When he and Jackson face off against Meyers, he finally loses his temper with Meyers and uppercuts him before reminding him of his real name.

After George is demoted to Constable Third Class (ep.901), Henry takes the higher ranking role of Constable First Class. In Marked Twain Henry goes undercover in the Empire Club in order to collect information on who would want to kill Mark Twain. While he discovers that almost everyone dislikes the author, he also repeatedly makes bad decisions like stealing cologne and attempting to take advantage of his cover.

When Henry takes it too far in Painted Ladies, Jackson and McNabb decide to play a trick on Henry with the flirtation cards that are normally used by men to seduce women and are being used by a mysterious woman. They leave one on Henry's desk, tell him that a young woman named Sadie Talbot left it there for him, and the two smirk as Henry falls for their trick. They watch as Henry attempts to go and talk to Sadie at the ice cream parlor where she works, but he loses his confidence. After Jackson tells him, "You can't fail!" we see Henry's charm with women show its true colours. He tells them that he always does fail with women before running off back to the Station House. After a heart to heart conversation with George about losing his self-confidence, Henry goes back to where Sadie works, still oblivious that the flirtation card was not from her. When Jackson asks George where Henry has gone, George tells him, and Jackson confesses the trick on Henry to him. They both run to find Henry, but it's too late to stop him. Henry tells Sadie, "that's a beautiful dress you're wearing. It would make a lovely decoration for my floor." While Sadie is taken aback she can tell he means well and invites him to come back after she gets off work, which takes Jackson and Crabtree by surprise.

At the end of the Season 10 finale, Hell to Pay, along with Constable George Crabtree and Constable Slugger Jackson, Henry is caught in an ambush where all three constables are shot.

In the Season 11 premiere, it is revealed early on that Henry survived the shooting, having been taken to hospital after Detective Watts finds him alive. He is believed to be the only one to survive, and returns to the station with his arm in a sling, where he recalls a memory of George throwing paper at him for a joke, showing just how much he misses his best friend. In the beginning, Penelope Marsh welcomes him back, advising him to do as he's told. Determined to make those who killed his friends pay, Henry assists Watts in cleaning up Murdoch's office and helps sneak Julia into the cells in her disguise. Marsh questions Henry as to why he and the others were shot, where he reminds her that they were "more than shot, two were killed, good friends of mine." As the episode ends, Henry is most pleased that his best friend is alive and George jokes that he wasn't going to die because Henry still owed him $20. Henry insists he paid it back because he invested it into the Police Widow's Fund 'upon his demise'. After a heartfelt tribute to Jackson, Brackenreid gives Henry and George a glass of whiskey each, and they toast to their fallen friend in the closing scene.

In 8 Footsteps, Henry notices that Ruth Newsome is in attendance at the dinner, and purposely interviews her. But when she introduces him to her fiancé, Herbert Wilson, he is clearly upset at the arrangement. Desperate to prove that he isn't right for her, Henry digs into his background, and discovers that Herbert is in need of money, which explains why he is marrying the wealthy Ruth. But when he is revealed to be the murderer, Herbert explains that he would never marry someone like Ruth, resulting in a hard punch from Higgins. Henry then crosses over to Ruth and dips her before kissing her, revealing his true feelings about her.

In Mary Wept, Henry tells George that he intends to propose to Ruth and has already bought a ring. When he does propose, a body falls from above, resulting in some PTSD for Ruth and she avoids him for a while because of it. When George convinces them to see each other again, Ruth proposes to Henry and he responds with an enthusiastic yes.

Henry and Ruth officially marry in My Big Fat Mimico WeddingHowever, it seems as though someone objects to this union, as multiple attempts on Henry's life are taken. After getting married, he takes Ruth's name. He also adds his middle name, Hieronymus, at her request, not having had one before.

While at the Victoria Day Carnival in Murdoch and the Tramp, Henry brings cigars for his friends and shares some fantastic news - Ruth is pregnant.

In Everything is Broken Part 2 Henry becomes a father to a baby girl.

He later reveals in Manhunt that they named their daughter Jordan after Ruth had a dream about the name.

Disguises

713 Jacob Edwards James

Henry Higgins as Jacob Edwards James

Jacob Edward James

Introduced in The Murdoch Sting, Jacob Edward James is an attorney of James, James, Jarvis, and James. This disguise reappears in Marked Twain except instead with the alias of Henry James, topped with a heavy British accent.

Trivia

Gallery


Murdoch Mysteries Recurring Actors and Characters
Daniel Maslany as Detective WattsShanice Banton as Violet HartLachlan Murdoch as Henry HigginsArwen Humphreys as Margaret BrackenreidCharles Vandervaart as John BrackenreidClare McConnell as Effie NewsomeBea Santos as Louise CherryPeter Keleghan as Terrence MeyersPeter Stebbings as James PendrickMatthew Bennett as Allen CleggNigel Bennett as former Chief Constable Giles • Siobhan Murphy as Ruth NewsomeShailene Garnett as Nomi JohnstonStephanie Belding as Nurse SullivanSebastian Pigott as Dr. DixonColin Mochrie as Ralph FellowsJames McGowan as Dr. ForbesPatrick McKenna as Hamish SlorachDmitry Chepovetsky as Nikola TeslaJohn Tench as Alexander Graham BellMartin Moreau as Theodore RooseveltCyrus Lane as Rupert NewsomeCraig Brown as Eddie CrawfordDavid Reale as Mr. ClementsErin Agostino as Nina BloomMouna Traoré as Rebecca JamesJordan Johnson-Hinds as Nate DesmondDylan Neal as Jasper LinneyKristian Bruun as Constable JacksonRichard Clarkin as Chief Constable DavisMichael Seater as James GilliesRothaford Gray as Alderman William Peyton HubbardCyrus Lane as Roger NewsomeGeorgina Reilly as Emily GraceCharlotte Sullivan as Charlotte (formerly Minerva Fairchild)Sean Harraher as Constable WorseleyTamara Hope as Edna Brooks (née Garrison)Giacomo Gianniotti as Leslie GarlandNicole Underhay as Margaret HaileSarah Gadon as Ruby OgdenKate Greenhouse as Sally PendrickStephen McHattie as Harry MurdochGeraint Wyn Davies as Arthur Conan Doyle
Advertisement