R.
Holt French Court Crystal Palace: History
The
Company
Exactly
when Robert Burbank Holt established his business at the French Court in
Crystal Place is unknown. It is highly
unlikely that he was 
there
during the World’s Fair held at Crystal Palace in Hyde Park, London in 1851
because he would have only been 25 years old then and he was not listed in any
of the fair’s catalogues or brochures until 1860. The clipping seen here on the left is from an 1860[1]
Crystal Place catalogue and it provides detailed information about the type of
products Holt was involved with as the proprietor of the French Court.
To better understand the
Holt business, one needs to know the history of Crystal Palace (pictured here[2]
on the right. “The Crystal Palace was a cast iron and plate glass structure,
originally built in Hyde Park, London, to house
the Great Exhibition of 1851.
The exhibition took place from 1 May to 15 October 1851, and more than
14,000 exhibitors from around the world gathered in its 990,000 square feet
(92,000 m) exhibition space to display examples of technology developed in
the Industrial Revolution. Designed
by Joseph Paxton, the Great Exhibition building was 1,851 feet
(564 m) long, with an interior height of 128 feet (39 m), and was
three times the size of St. Paul’s Cathedral.
After the exhibition, 
the Palace was relocated to an area of South London known as Penge
Place which had been excised from Penge Common. It was rebuilt at the
top of Penge Peak next to Sydenham Hill, an affluent suburb of
large villas. It stood there from June 1854 until its destruction by fire in
November 1936. The nearby residential area was renamed Crystal Palace after the landmark.”[3]
The picture seen here is the reconstructed version of Crystal Place at Sydenham
Hill[4].
In
1867 Mr. Holt had a 22mm
bronze coin[5]
made to promote his business which included his name and an image of Crystal
Palace on one side and a portrait of Queen Victorian and the year 1867 on the
other side. In
1872 Mr. R. Holt was listed as the person who occupied French Court which was
described as follows. “It is appropriated to the exhibition and sale of every
description of fancy manufactures for ornament and everyday use. The whole of the space contained in that half
of the Palace which lies on this side of Centre Transept is devoted to business. The number and variety of the objects of
necessity and luxury here brought under the notice of
visitors is immense, and the quality of the articles contained in this enormous
emporium will be found fully equal to the taste which has guided their
selection. There is naturally a
predominance of articles of personal and domestic use, furniture, carriages,
plate, musical instruments, photographs, engravings, books, jewelry, porcelain,
glass, stationery, fancy goods, &c., and of such articles, it may truly be
said, that nowhere can purchases be made with less trouble and fatigue, or with
more advantage to the purchasers.
Quality, novelty, variety and reasonableness of
price, are the principles which the shopkeepers of the Crystal Palace have kept
in view of their dealings with the public.” [6]
It seems most likely that Robert Holt established his
business at Crystal Palace shortly after the building was removed
to Sydenham Hill in 1854 and that he remained there until at least 1876. To date only one Avery style needle case has
been found with the name R. Holt French Court Crystal Palace stamped on the
interior, the Louise - Folding, pictured here[7]. Although the design registration/patent has
not been found for this item, it was most likely produced around
1871 to h
onor the marriage that year of Queen
Victoria’s daughter Louise[8]
to John Campbell, heir to the Dukedom of Argyll in western Scotland. And why is this likely? Because the name stamped on the front of the
needle case is Louise and it contains the images of a crown above the name, a
Scottish thistle on the left and an English rose on the right side. Unfortunately, by September 1876[9]
the Holt business encountered some difficulties and that year it was listed in
the liquidation section of a solicitor’s journal as follows: Robert Burbank
Holt, Crystal
Palace, Sydenham, jeweller. Apparently, Mr. Holt closed his business at
Crystal Palace and opened new shops at 141 Newington Causeway and at No. 3 Bank
Buildings in Upper Norwood[10].
Then in 1878[11]
additional announcements were listed in newspapers indicating the firm was
selling its stock and that debtors should come forward because Robert Burbank
Holt a jeweler and dealer in fancy goods at those addresses was being
liquidated.
It
is unclear exactly what happened to the company in late 1870’s/early 1880’s as
the firm was listed in an 1880[12]
city directory as Robert Holt at 3 Banks Building, Westow
Hill, Upper Norwood, jewellers and manufacturer of jewelry and fancy
goods. Possibly the trade directory
publishers did not receive the company’s liquidation information in time for
the directory publication. By 1885[13]
Robert Burbank Holt was listed in a city directory as a commission merchant at
110 Cannon Street in London which was located a couple blocks northwest of the
London Bridge. A commission merchant was someone who sold goods on consignment
for a commission. By 1890[14]
only his residence was listed in city directories and by 1895[15]
his residence was listed as a boarding house.
The
Holt Owners
The owner of the company known as R. Holt
was Robert Burbank Holt who was born in 1826.
He was the second son of John Holt (1797-1838) and the grandson of John
Holt (1771-1850). These two men named
John Holt will be referred to as John Sr. and John Jr. for the remainder of
this narrative in order that they are not confused.
John
Holt Sr., the son of John and Mary Holt, was born in 1771 in Whitby, a seaside
town in Yorkshire along the east coast of northern England. His father was most likely one of the men
associated with the Holt & Richardson company[16]
in Whitby which was involved in ship building and banking. Although the town was originally known as a
small fishing village, by the 18th century it became a port for the alum, coal and whaling trades.
“Whitby grew in size and wealth, extending its activities to include shipbuilding using local oak timber.”[17] In fact, this is the town where the famous
explorer Captain Cook[18]
(1728-1779) learned about sea ships and where he became a merchant navy
apprentice for three years during his late teens/early twenties. It was also the town where Cook’s vessel
known as the Endeavor was built, which was the first European ship to reach the
east coast of Australia. “In 1790–91
Whitby built 11,754 tons of shipping, making it the third largest
shipbuilder in England, after London and Newcastle.”[19]
John Holt Sr. married
Grace Burbank in Whitby in 1795 and they had 9 children from 1796 through 1813,
all born in Whitby: Mary, Robert, John,
Thomas Burbank, Ann, Eliza Grace, Martha, Sarah Margaret
and Emma. John Sr. was consistently
listed as a sailmaker on his children’s baptism records and by 1841 was listed
as a banker presumable in the ship building trade associated with his father’s
business. Although one undocumented
source indicates he was the ship owner and ship builder that Captain Cook[20]
was apprentice to, it is much more likely that Cook was associated with John
Sr’s father’s business. Any why is that?
Because Captain Cook was apprenticed around 1747 and John Sr. was not
born until 1771. John Sr. achieved a
high level of success and became an esquire before his death in 1850 in Whitby
at age 79 as that was how he was listed in his 1850 will. His wife Grace died at age 82 in Whitby five
years later in 1855. Their eldest son
Robert (1796-after 1871) spent most of his life working as a ship builder later moving to Salford, Lancashire where he lived
with his nephew in 1871. The youngest
son Thomas Burbank (1798-1867) became a reverend eventually settling in Little
Horwood, Buckinghamshire where he died in 1867 leaving an estate valued at
£9,000 (approximately worth £563,481[21]
today).
The middle son of John
Holt Sr. and Grace Burbank was John Holt Jr. who was born in Whitby in
1797. He married Jane Mort in Whitby in
1823 and they had two children born there:
John Henry born in 1824 and Robert Burbank born in 1826. John Jr. worked as a sailmaker and ship owner
according to information on his children’s baptism records and his wife’s death
record, presumably in his father’s business.
In 1838 at age 41 he caught a cold while driving his sister Mary across
the Yorkshire Moors at night to see her dying husband George Ouston who was in
Hartlepool in Durham County, another port along the eastern coast roughly 46
miles north of Whitby. Unfortunately,
John Sr. died a couple months later while in Bishopwearmouth, Durham and was buried
in Whitby. By 1861 his wife Jane moved
to Salford, Lancashire where she lived with their eldest son John Henry who was
working as a bedding and furniture manufacturer that year employing 12 men and
7 women. Jane died in Salford in 1865 at
age 65. Additional information about
their eldest son John Henry has not been found.
Robert Burbank Holt, the son of John Holt Jr. and Jane Mort,
was born in Whitby in 1826. When his father died in 1838
he was only 12 years old. By 1841 he was
living with his grandparents working as a draper’s assistant. One unsourced document indicates his
grandfather John Holt Sr. sent him to school at St. Margaret’s Bay in
Dover. Robert married Harriet Chapman in
1850 in Brean, Axbridge, Somerset. Harriet was born in Brean c1827, a village
along the west coast of the UK south of Bristol, 149 miles west of London. How they met is unknown, however it may have
been an arranged marriage as Robert’s grandfather was an esquire and there is
evidence that earlier generations of the Holt, Chapman and Richardson families
living in the Whitby area[22]
intermarried. After their marriage
Robert and Harriet moved to west London where their first child, Kate Chapman,
was born in 1852. Two years later they
were living in Anerley, just south of Crystal Palace in the south London area,
where their next four children were born between 1854 and 1859. Robert must have become successful in his
business or because of his heritage since he was listed in an 1855[23]
city directory as one of the gentry, Robert Holt Esquire of Anerley Place. They moved to neighboring Fox Lane, in the
Norwood section of Croydon just north of Crystal Palace, where their last five
were born between 1860 and 1866. By 1861
Robert established himself as a jeweler employing 32 people. During that year while his wife, 5 children,
3 servants and a sister-in-law were living in Norwood, Robert was visiting his
mother-in-law Mary Chapman and another sister-in-law Ann Chapman in Burnham,
Somerset. His Chapman in-laws there also
had a degree of wealth because they were listed as owning land and railway
property in that area. Between 1868 and
1874[24],
while living at Upgang House[25]
in Norwood, Robert wrote five books of poetry which were entitled: Elfrida (1868), Kynwith
(1868), The Scald (1870), Peril Proves Who Truly Loves (1872)
and How to Pray (1874).
By 1871 the
Holt family moved roughly 22 miles west to Masons Hill in Bromley, Kent where
Robert continued to work as a jeweler.
They moved again and in 1881 were living in the Deptford section of
Greenwich, in the southeast section of London about 33 miles north of Bromley,
where Robert was listed as a jewelers manager. Then by 1891 they settled at 10 Bedford Place
in the Holborn section of London, approximately 7 miles northwest and only two
blocks from the British Museum where they lived for the remained of their
lives. Although Robert was listed as a
traveler to a silversmith that year, their status appears to have changed as
they now had 10 boarders, 3 from the USA, and 4 servants living with them. In 1891 their home appeared to be more like a
boarding house for middle- and upper-class visitors to the area. Today this street in London has 9 buildings
that are considered small hotels[26]. At some point prior to 1890[27]
Robert joined the Royal Society of Literature and was a member of the group’s
council in 1892[28]. Robert died in Holborn nine years later in
1900 at age 74 and was buried at Highgate Cemetery in North London. His estate was valued at £152 which he gave to his daughters Kate and Isabel. Harriet continued to live at Bedford Place
and in 1901 was listed as a boarding house keeper with
6 boarders including 2 from the USA and 2 from Germany and 3 servants. She died in Richmond, Surrey in 1905 at age
78 and was also buried at Highgate Cemetery.
Robert
Burbank Holt and Harriet Chapman had ten children: Kate Chapman, John (who died
in infancy), John Henry, Robert Moorsom, Jane
Isabella (who died at age 3), Walter Burbank, Thomas Herbert, Isabel Grace,
Frederick Charles (who died in infancy) and Alfred Edward. What follows are some details regarding the
lives of the seven surviving children.
Kate Chapman was born in 1852, never married and lived most of her life
with her parents. She died in 1938 at
age 86 in Surrey leaving as estate valued at £3,030. Not much is known about John Henry who born in 1856 because his name was quite common in the London
area. Robert Moorsom
was born in 1858 and became a ship broker agent who died in 1909 in Richmond,
Surrey at age 51. In 1860 Walter
Burbank was born and he became a leather trade manager who live in London and
in Harbone, Worcestershire for some years before
dying in 1911 at age 50 in Brentford near London. Another son Thomas Herbert born in 1861
became a shipping agent who lived in the Lewisham area of south London for some
years and died in 1934 at age 72 in Tendring, approximately 78 miles northeast
of London. The two youngest surviving
children of Robert and Harriet immigrated to the USA. Isabel Grace who was born in 1863 married
Henry B. Loomis an American in London in 1900.
They moved to Connecticut, USA around 1927 where Isabel died in New
Haven in 1949 at age 85. The youngest
son Alfred Edward was born in 1866. He
worked as a ship agent and first visited the USA in 1893. In 1897 he married Florence Sarah Parr in
Dawlish, Devon and they moved to New York.
He was naturalized in 1920 and became an American citizen. Ten years later Alfred died in Manhattan in
1930 at age 63.
R. Holt French
Court Crystal Palace: Genealogy
(Note: not all
individuals listed in the Holt family bible, available on ancestry.com, are
listed here, only individuals relevant to the story of this company are
listed)
Generation 1: John
Holt (1771-1850) and Grace Burbank (1772-1855)
· Born: May 23, 1771
(S=family bible available on ancestry.com), 1774 (S1m).
· Baptized: May 31, 1771 Whitby (S1c), listed as John Holt with parents John and
Mary Holt.
· Wife’s Birth: November 29, 1772 (S=family bible available
on ancestry.com).
· Wife’s Baptism:
November 30, 1772 Whitby (S1c). Listed as Grace Burbank with parents Robert
and Grace Burbank.
· Possible Sister’s
Marriage: February 14, 1779 York (S1m), listed as Mary
Holt age 23 and Christopher Richardson.
· Marriage: May 25, 1795 York,
(S1m), listed as John Holt age 21 and Grace Burbank. May 26, 1795 Whitby
(S=family bible available on ancestry.com).
· 1841 Census:
Silver Street, Cliff House, Ruswarp, Whitby,
Yorkshire (S4). Listed as Robert Holt age 70 a banker born in the county with Grace Holt age 65
born in the county and Robert Holt age 15 born in the county, Robert Holt age
11 not born in the county, Ann Holt age 13 not born in the county and Eliza Watson
age 6 born in the county and 2 servants both age 30 and both born in the
county: Hannah Jefferson and Ann Wilson.
(Note: the surname is incorrectly listed in the census index as
Slott. Also, Ann Holt age
13 and Robert Holt age 11 appear to be the children of Robert and Grace Holt’s
son Robert Holt and Juliana Wright Wakefield.
Robert Holt age 15 is the son of their son John
Holt who died in 1838).
· Death: September
25, 1850 Whitby Union, Whitby, Yorkshire (S8d), listed
as John Holt age 79 a gentleman who died at Baxtergate,
Whitby of hydrothorax. September 25, 1850 at age 79 (S=family bible available on ancestry.com).
· Burial: not found.
· Probate: December
16, 1851 London (S6).
Will dated March 20, 1850 listed as John Holt
Esq. of Whitby in the county of York which mentions his wife Grace, son Thomas
Burbank Holt, son-in-law Robert Gill and Christopher Richardson with additional
proved date of November 24, 1851 extracted from the Prerogative Court of York.
· 1851 Census: 52 Bartingate Street, Whitby, Yorkshire (S4). Listed as Grace Holt a widow age 79 an annuitant born in Whitby with Anna Grace Holt an
unmarried granddaughter age 23 born in Sunderland, Durham and 1 housemaid and 1
cook. (Note: Anna Grace Holt was the
daughter of Grace’s son Robert Holt and Julianna Wright Wakefield).
· Wife’s Death: March
2, 1855 Whitby, Yorkshire (S8d). Listed as Grace Holt age
82, the widow of John Holt a banker, who died of debility 4 years and influenza
at Baxtergate, Whitby.
·
Wife’s Burial: not found.
·
Wife’s Probate: not found.
· Children:
1.
Mary
Holt (1796-??). Born: February 22, 1796 and baptized March 2, 1796 Independent, Whitby,
Yorkshire (S1c), listed as Mary with parents John and Grace Holt of Whitby with
father’s occupation listed as sailmaker.
Birth and baptized dates the same (S=family bible available on
ancestry.com). Marriage #1: December 17, 1823
Whitby (S1c) and (S=family bible available on ancestry.com), listed as Mary
Holt and George Ouston. 1st Husband’s
Death: 3rd QTR 1838 Sunderland Union (S5d), listed as George Ouston age 42,
August 31, Sunderland age 48 (S=family bible available on ancestry.com). Marriage #2:
November 17, 1846 Whitby (S1m), 4th QTR 1846
Whitby (S5m) and November 18, 1846 Whitby (S=family bible available on
ancestry.com), listed as Mary Ouston and Sam Watkinson.
2.
Robert
Holt (1796-after 1871). Born: February
23 1796 and baptized March 2, 1796 Independent,
Whitby, Yorkshire (S1c), listed as Robert with parents John and Grace Holt of
Whitby with father’s occupation listed as sailmaker. Birth and baptized dates
the same (S=family bible available on ancestry.com). Married: October 27, 1824 Tynemouth, Northumberland (S1m), listed as Robert Holt
and Julianna Wright Wakefield, marriage date and spouse’s name match (S=family
bible available on ancestry.com). Children’s
baptism: June 17,1830 Independent, Whitby, Yorkshire (S1c), listed as Anna
Grace born September 17, 1827 and Robert born August
9, 1829 who were both listed with parents Robt and Julianna Wright Holt of Monkwearmouth with father’s occupation listed as a ship
builder. Children’s birth and baptism
dates are the same (S=family bible available on ancestry.com). 1861 Census: 55 Scarborough A, Stranton, West
Hartlepool (S4), listed as Julianna Wright Holt married the head age 65
independent born in North Stranton, Northumberland with daughter Anne Grace
Holt age 33 unmarried born in Sunderland, Durham. Wife’s Death: 3rd QTR 1862 Hartlepool (S5d),
listed as Julianna Wright Holt age 67. 1871 Census: living with nephew John H. Holt
(S4), listed as Robert Holt an uncle and widow age 75
with no occupation (see Generation 2 for more details regarding this census
with his nephew). (Note: Monkwearmouth is located in Durham
County).
3.
John
Holt (1797-1838). See Generation 2.
4.
Thomas
Burbank Holt (1798-1867). Born: October
28, 1798 and baptized November 11, 1798 Independent,
Whitby, Yorkshire (S1c), listed as Thos Burbank with parents John and Grace
Holt of Whitby with father’s occupation listed as sailmaker. Birth and baptized dates the same (S=family
bible available on ancestry.com).
Married: August 28, 1822 Whitby, Yorkshire
(S1m), listed as Thomas Burbank Holt and Sarah Elizabeth Moorson,
marriage date and spouse’s name match (S=family bible available on
ancestry.com). Son’s Birth: September
25, 1826 Gloucestershire, listed as Moorson Grimstead Holt (S=family bible available on
ancestry.com). 1861 Census: 13 Vicarage,
Church Yard, Little Horwood, Buckinghamshire (S4), listed as Revd. T. B. Holt
married age 62 a vicar born in Whitby, Yorkshire. Death:
3rd QTR 1867 Winslow (S5d), listed as Thomas Burbank Holt age 68, July 22, 1867 at Little Norwood (S6). Probate: August 28, 1867
Principal Registry (S6), listed as Reverend Thomas Burbank Holt late of Little
Harwood near Winslow in the county of Buckingham, a clerk with Effects under £9,000 proved by the oaths of his
son Moorsom Grimstead Holt of Teddington, Middlesex a
gentleman and Henley Grose Smith of Throgmorton Street, London a gentleman the
executors.
5.
Ann
Holt (1799-??). Born: December 16, 1799 and baptized December 26, 1799 Independent, Whitby,
Yorkshire (S1c), listed as Ann with parents John and Grace Holt of Whitby with
father’s occupation listed as sailmaker.
Birth and baptized dates the same (S=family bible available on
ancestry.com). Marriage: December 15, 1825 Whitby (S1m) and December 16, 1825 Whitby (S=family
bible available on ancestry.com), listed as Ann Holt and Robert Gill.
6.
Eliza
Grace Holt (1802-1833). Born: January
20, 1802 and baptized May 9, 1802 Independent, Whitby,
Yorkshire (S1c), listed as Eliza Grace with parents John and Grace Holt of
Whitby with father’s occupation listed as sailmaker. Birth and baptized dates the same (S=family
bible available on ancestry.com).
Marriage: November 30, 1824 Whitby (S1c) and (family
bible available on ancestry.com), listed as Eliza Grace Holt and Robert Scales
Watson. Died: May 16, at age 31 in
Norton (S=family bible available on ancestry.com), listed as Eliza Grace
Watson. Buried May 18, 1833 Whitby (S7), listed as Eliza Grace Watson.
7.
Martha
Holt (1803-??). Born: May 9, 1803 and baptized June 8, 1803 Independent, Whitby,
Yorkshire (S1c), listed as Martha with parents John and Grace Holt of Whitby with
father’s occupation listed as sailmaker.
Birth and baptized dates the same (S=family bible available on
ancestry.com). Marriage: July 2, 1827 Whitby (S1m) and July 3, 1827 Whitby S=family bible
available on ancestry.com), listed as Martha Holt and Robert/Robt Bentley.
8.
Sarah
Margaret Holt (1808-??). Born: December
4, 1808 and baptized November 26, 1810 Independent,
Whitby, Yorkshire (S1c), listed as Sarah Margt with
parents John and Grace Holt of Whitby with father’s occupation listed as
sailmaker. Birth and baptized dates the
same (S=family bible available on ancestry.com). Marriage: July 20, 1835
York and July 21, 1835 Whitby (S1c) and June 21, 1835 Whitby (S=family bible
available on ancestry.com), listed as Sarah Margaret Holt and John Buchannan,
9.
Emma
Holt (1813-??). Born: August 20, 1813 and baptized June 14, 1815 Independent, Whitby,
Yorkshire (S1c), listed as Emma with parents John and Grace Holt of Whitby with
father’s occupation listed as sailmaker.
Birth and baptized dates the same (S=family bible available on
ancestry.com). Marriage: June 4, 1839 Monkwearmouth to Robt Scales Watson (S=family bible
available on ancestry.com).
Generation 2: John Holt (1797-1838) and Jane Mort
(1799-1865)
· Born: April 27, 1797 (S1c) and (S=family bible
available on ancestry.com), 1797 (S1m).
· Baptized: May 3, 1797 Silver Street Independent, Whitby, Yorkshire (S1c),
listed as John with parents John and Grace Holt of Whitby with father’s
occupation listed as a sailmaker. May 3,
1797 (S=family bible available on ancestry.com)
· Wife’s Birth and
Baptism: Born December 16, 1799 and baptized January
10, 1800 Whitty (S1c). Listed as Jane
Mort with parents John and Isabella Mort.
· Marriage: September 15, 1823
York (S1m), listed as John Holt Junior and Jane Mort. September 17, 1823
Whitby, listed as John Holt and Jane Mort (S=family bible available on
ancestry.com).
· Death: October 12, 1838
Sunderland Union, Bishopwearmouth North, Durham
(S8d), listed as John Holt Jun. age 41 a ship owner who died of disease of the
liver at Green Street. October 12, 1838
(S=family bible available on ancestry.com).
(Note: Another old document posted on ancestry.com indicates Robert
Burbank Holt’s father, John Holt Junior, died after he caught a cold while
driving his sister (Ouston) on a coach at night across the Yorkshire Moors to
see her dying husband in Hartlepool which matches with his sisters, Mary Holt,
information as one of the children in Generation 1. The town of Bishopwearmouth
is located 23 miles north of Hartlepool.)
· Burial: October
18, 1838 Whitby (S7).
Listed as John Holt.
·
Probate: not found.
·
1841 Census: not found.
·
1851 Census: not found.
· 1861 Census: 7 Seedly Mount, Salford, Pendleton, Lancashire (S4). Listed as Jane Holt the mother of the head, a
widow and housekeeper, age 60 born in Whitby living with her son John H. Holt
unmarried age 36 a bedding warehouseman born in Whitby and 1 servant.
· Wife’s Death: July
19, 1865 Pendleton, Lancashire (S8d). Listed as Jane Holt age
65 the widow of John Holt a ship owner who died at 7 Seedly
Mount, Salford, Pendleton.
·
Wife’s Burial: not found.
· Wife’s Probate: not found.
· Children:
1.
John
Henry Holt (1824-after 1871). Born:
August 26, 1824 (S1c). Baptized
September 9, 1824 Silver Street Independent, Whitby,
Yorkshire (S1c), listed as John Henry with parents John and Jane Holt of Whitby
with father’s occupation listed as sailmaker.
Birth and baptized dates the same (S=family bible available on
ancestry.com). 1861 Census: 7 Seedly Mount, Salford, Pendleton, Lancashire (S4), listed
John H. Holt unmarried age 36 a bedding warehouseman born in Whitby living with
his mother Jane Holt a widow age 60 born in Whitby and
1 servant. Marriage: not
found. 1871 Census: 96 Adelfilu House, Addelfilu Street,
Salford, Lancashire, listed as John H. Holt age 46
married a bedding and furniture manufacturer employing 12 men and 7 women born
in Whitby with wife Mary age 35 born in NK and uncle Robert Holt age 75 a widow
born in NK and 1 servant. (Note: NK appears to mean not known). Death: not found.
2.
Robert
Burbank Holt (1826-1900). See Generation
3.
Generation 3:
Robert Burbank Holt (1826-1900) and Harriet Chapman (c1827-1905)
· Born: April 30,
1826 (S1c) and (S=family bible available on ancestry.com),
· Baptized: May 26, 1826 Silver Street Independent, Whitby, Yorkshire (S1c), listed
as Robert Burbank Holt whose parents were John and Jane Holt of Whitby with
father’s occupation listed as sailmaker.
May 26, 1826 Whitby (S=family bible available
on ancestry.com),
· Wife’s Birth:
c1827 (S4).
· 1841 Census: with
grandparents in Whitby, Yorkshire (S4).
Listed as Robert Holt age 15 born in the county
a draper’s assistant living with Robert Holt age 70 and Grace Holt age 65 and 3
other children and 2 servants (Note: the surname is incorrectly listed in the
census index as Slott.
· Education: His grandfather, the John Holt in Generation
1, was a banker, ship owner and ship builder with Holt & Richardson who
lived at Cliff House in Whitby and who apprenticed Captain Cook, raised Robert
Burbank Holt after his father died and sent him and his brother to school at
St. Margaret’s Bay, Dover (S=unsourced document available at ancestry.com).
· Marriage: February 27, 1850
Brean, Axbridge, Somerset (S8m), listed as Robert
Burbank Holt a bachelor and warehouseman who resides at St. Andrews Holborn
whose father was John Holt a banker and Harriet Chapman a spinster. February 27, 1850
Brean, Somersetshire Robert Burbank Holt and Harriet Chapman (S=family bible
available on ancestry.com),
·
1851 Census: not found.
· 1861 Census: 29 Brunswick Street, Burnham, Somerset
(S4). Listed as Robert B. Holt married
age 34 a son-in-law and jeweler born in Whitby, Yorkshire living with Mary
Chapman head of household a widow age 64 a son landed
proprietor born in Wedinore, Somerset and Anna Chapman
the daughter age 24 unmarried a railway proprietor born in Bream Somerset and 1
servant.
· 1861 Census: 216 Fox Lane, Norwood, Croydon, Surrey
(S4). Listed as Harriet Holt married age
34 born in Brean, Somerset, the wife of the head who was away from the house
who was a jeweler employing 32 persons with 5 children: Kate C., John H. M.,
Robert M., Jane J. M. and Walter B and 3 servants, 1 governess and a
sister-in-law Hannah E. Chapman a widow age 50 born in
Howligh, Somerset
· 1871 Census: 39
Masons Hill, Bromley, Kent (S4). Listed
as Robert B. Holt married age 44 a jeweler born in Whitby, Yorkshire with wife
Harriet age 44 born in Brean, Somerset with 4 children: C. Kate, John H.,
Isabel G., and Alfred E, 1 visitor Mary A, Berlow and 2 servants.
· 1881 Census: 36 Breakspears Road, Deptford, Greenwich (S4). Listed as Robert B. Holt marriage age 54 a
jewelers manager born in Whitby, Yorkshire with wife Harriet age 53 born in
Brean, Somerset and 4 children: Robert M., Walter B., Thomas H.
and Alfred E. and 1 servant and 1 boarder Jan B. Raelventa
age 28 a foreign banker born in Luften, Holland.
· 1891 Census: 10
Bedford Place, St. George Bloomsbury, Holborn, London (S4). Listed as Robert B. Holt age
64 a traveler to silversmith employed born in Whitby, Yorkshire with wife
Harriet age 64 born in Brean, Somerset and 2 children: Robert M. and Isabel G.
and 10 boarders including 3 from the USA and 4 servants.
· Death: May 5, 1900 Bloomsbury and St. Giles South, St. Giles, London
(S8d), listed as Robert Burbank Holt age 74 a manager to a manufacturer of
electro plate who died at 10 Bedford Place of angina pectoris with his son
Robert M. Holt in attendance. May 5,
1900 (S6) and (S=family bible available on ancestry.com).
· Burial: Highgate
Cemetery (S=family bible available on ancestry.com), listed as Robert Burbank
Holt. May 8, 1900
Highgate Cemetery of St. James (S=burial report posted to ancestry.com), listed
as Robert Burbank Holt who was received from Robert Moorsom
Holt.
· Probate: August
17, 1900 London and Will dated May 14, 1899. original
records obtain from the GOV UK website (S=https://probatesearch.service.gov.uk/). Listed as Robert Burbank Holt of 10
Bedford-Place, Russell-Square, Middlesex with Effects of £152 to his daughters Kate
Chapman Holt spinster and Isabel Grace Holt with Kate Chapman Holt as the
executor.
· 1901 Census: 10
Bedford Place, St. George Bloomsbury, London (S4). Listed as Harriet Holt a widow age 74 a boarding house keeper born in Brean Somerset with
her daughter Kate, C. Holt unmarried age 48 born in London and 3 servants and 6
borders including 2 for the USA and 2 from Germany.
· Wife’s Death: August
7, 1905 Mortlake, Richmond, Surrey (S8d), listed as
Harriet Holt age 78 the widow of Robert Burbank Holt an author who died at 3
Riverview Gardens, Baines of cerebral hemorrhage with her daughter Katie Holt
present at her death. August 7, 1905 (S=family
bible available on ancestry.com).
· Wife’s Burial:
Highgate Cemetery (S=family bible available on ancestry.com) and (S=undertakers
report dated August 10, 1905 available on ancestry.
com). Listed as Harriet Holt.
·
Wife’s Probate: not found.
· Children:
1.
Kate
Chapman Holt (1852-1938). Born: 2nd QTR
1852 West London (S5b), listed as Kate, Chapman Holt with mother’s maiden name
Chapman, May 24, 1852 Holborn (S1c) and (S=family bible
available on ancestry.com). Baptized:
July 7 1852 St. Andrew Holborn (S1c), listed as Kate
Chapman with parents Robert Burbank and Harriet Holt with father’s occupation
listed as warehouseman. 1861 Census:
with mother (S4), listed as Kate C. Holt age 8 born in
London. 1871 Census: with parents (S4),
listed as C. Kate Holt unmarried age 18 born in London. 1901 Census: with mother (S4), listed as Kate
C. Holt unmarried age 48 born in London.
Died: 3rd QTR 1938 Surrey North-Eastern (S5d), listed as Kate Chapman
Holt age 86, July 11, 1938 (S6), July 1938 (S=family
bible available on ancestry.com). Probate: August 6, 1938
London (S6), listed as Kate Chapman Holt of 205 Castlenau
Barnes, Surrey a spinster with Effects £3,003, Resworn £3030
to William Lawrence Leonard Bell barrister-at-law and Ella Mabel Gardner
spinster.
2.
John
Holt (1854-1854). Born: 2nd QTR 1854
Croydon, Surrey, listed as John Holt with mother’s maiden name Chapman, March
21, 1854 Anerley, Surrey (S=family bible available on ancestry.com). Died: 4th QTR 1854 Croydon, Surrey, listed as
John Holt age 0, October 9, 1854 (S=family bible
available on ancestry.com).
3.
John
Henry Mort Holt (1856-c1921). Born:
March 26, 1856 Anerley, Penge, Croydon, Surrey (S8b),
listed as John Henry Mort Holt with parents Robert Burbank Holt and Harriet
Chapman with father’s occupation listed as wholesale jeweler. March 26, 1845
Anerley, Surrey (S=family bible available on ancestry.com). 1861 Census: with mother (S4), listed as John
H. M. Holt age 5 born in Anerley, Surrey. 1871 Census: with parents (S4), listed as
John H. Holt age 15 a clerk born in Anerley, Surrey. Died: not found, March 1921 (S=family
bible available on ancestry.com). (Note: there were too many people with this
name who died within a few years of 1920 to continue this search).
4.
Robert
Moorsom Holt (1858-1909). Born: 1st QTR 1858 Croydon (S5b), listed as
Robert Moorsom Holt with mother’s maiden name
Chapman, December 29, 1857 Anerley, Surrey (S=family
bible available on ancestry.com). 1861 Census: with mother (S4), listed as
Robert M. Holt age 3 born in Anerley, Surrey. 1881 Census: with parents (S4), listed as
Robert M. Holt age 23 a clerk born in Anerley. 1891 Census: with parents (S4), listed as
Robert. M. Holt unmarried age 33 a shipbroker agent employed born in Anerley,
Surrey. Died: 3rd QTR 1909 Richmond,
Surrey (S5d), listed as Robert Moorsom Holt age 51, May 1909 (S=family bible available on ancestry.com).
5.
Jane
Isabella Margaret Holt (1859-1862).
Born: 2nd QTR 1859 Croydon (S5b), listed as Jane Isabella Margaret Holt
with mother’s maiden name Chapman, May 5, 1859
Anerley, Surrey (S=family bible available on ancestry.com). 1861 Census: with mother (S4), listed as
Jane. I. M. Holt age 1 born in Anerley. Died: 3rd QTR 1862 Blean (S5d), listed as
Jane Isabella Margaret Holt age 3, July 7, 1862
(S=family bible available on ancestry.com).
6.
Walter
Burbank Holt (1860-1911). Born: 3rd QTR
1860 Croydon (S5b), listed as Walter Burbank Holt with mother’s maiden name
Chapman, August 11, 1860 Fox Lane, Norwood (S=family
bible available on ancestry.com). 1861
Census: with mother (S4), listed as Walter B. Holt age
7 mon. born in Norwood, Kent. 1881
Census: with parents (S4), listed as Walter B. Holt age
20 a clerk born in Norwood. Marriage:
May 15, 1891 St. George the Martyr, Camden, London
(S8m), listed as Walter Burbank Holt age 30 a bachelor and secretary whose
father was Robert Burbank Holt a gentleman and Maude Mary Rowe age 23 a
spinster, married Rove (S=family bible available on ancestry.com). 1901 Census:
73 Lonsdale Rd, Harbone, Worcestershire (S4),
listed as Walter B. Holt age 40 a leather trade managing director worker born
in Norwood, Surrey with wife Maude M. R. age 32 born in Exeter, Devon and 3
children: Allen R. B. born in Hammersmith, London, Joyce H. and Ema G. both born
in Birmingham and 1 sister-in-law Edith Rowe age 25 born in Exeter, Devon and 2
servants and 2 nurses. Died: 2nd QTR
1911 Brentford (S5d), listed as Walter Burbank Holt age
50, 1911 (S=family bible available on ancestry.com).
7.
Thomas
Herbert Holt (1861-1934). Born: 4th QTR
1861 Croydon (S5b), listed as Thomas Herbert Holt with mother’s maiden name
Chapman, November 19, 1861 Fox Lane, Norwood (S=family
bible available on ancestry.com). 1881 Census: with parents (S4), listed as
Thomas H. Holt age 19 a clerk ship banker born in
Norwood. 1891 Census: 59 Great Ohmont St, St. George, Holborn, London (S4), listed as
Thomas H. Holt head single age 29 a ship brokers clerk employed born in
Norwood, Surrey. Marriage Bands:
September 26, October 3, October 10, 1909 Christ
Church with St. Paul. Forest Hill, Lewisham (S3), listed as Thomas Herbert Holt
a bachelor and Edith Charlotte King a spinster, 1909 married Edith King
(S=family bible available on ancestry.com).
1911 Census: Aston, the Avenue, Grove Park, Lee, Kent (S4), listed as
Thomas Herbert Holt age 49 a shipping agent employer
born in Norwood, Surrey with wife Edith Charlotte Holt age 29 born in Forest
Hill, Kent and 2 servants, the couple was married 1 year and had no
children. Death: 4th QTR 1934 Tendring (S5d), listed as Thomas
Herbert Holt age 72, October 15, 1934 (S=family bible
available on ancestry.com).
8.
Isabel
Grace Holt (1863-1949). Born: 4th QTR
1863 Croydon (S5b), listed as Isabell Grace Holt with mother’s maiden name
Chapman, November 16, 1863 Fox Lane, Norwood (S=family
bible available on ancestry.com). 1871
Census: with parents (S4), listed as Isabel G. Holt age
7 born in Norwood, Surrey. 1891 Census:
with parents (S4), listed as Isabel G. Holt unmarried age 26 born in Norwood,
Surrey. Married: January 3, 1900 St. George Bloomsbury, Camden (S8m), listed as Isabella
Grace Holt age 30 a spinster living at 10 Bedford place whose father was listed
as Robert Burbank Holt a gentleman and Henry Bradford Loomis age 46 a bachelor
and lawyer, January 3, 1900 married Henry B. Loomis (S=family bible available
on ancestry.com). US Passenger List
Arrival: October 9, 1927 sailed from
Liverpool to Boston on the S. S. Samaria, listed as Isabel G. Loomis age 64
with Henry B. Loomis age 74 born in Talmadge, OH April 14, 1853 whose address
was c/o treasurer at Yale University in New Haven Conn (S=Massachusetts, US
Arriving Passenger and Crew Lists 1820-1963 available at ancestry.com, Note:
the passenger list index incorrectly lists the ships name as the
Cleveland). Death: April 29 1949 New
Haven Connecticut (S=Connecticut Death Index 1949-2012 available at
ancestry.com), listed as Isabella Loomis a widow age 85. Obituary: April 30, 1949
Hartford Courant newspaper Hartford, Connecticut (S=clipping posted on
ancestry.com), listed as Isabel Grace Holt Loomis the widow of Henry Bradford
Loomis a lawyer who attended Yale and who she married in London in 1900 where
she was born the daughter of Robert Burbank Holt and Harriet Chapman.
9.
Frederick
Charles Holt (1865-1865). Born: 1st QTR
1865 Croydon (S5b), listed as Frederick Charles Holt with mother’s maiden name
Chapman, January 13, 1865 Fox Lane, Norwood (S=family
bible available on ancestry.com). Died:
4th QTR 1865 Croydon (S5d), listed as Frederick Charles Holt age
0, November 4, 1865 (S=family bible available on ancestry.com).
10.
Alfred
Edward Holt (1866-1930). Born: July 10, 1866 Upgang House, Fox Lane,
Norwood, Croydon (S8b), listed as Alfred Edward with parents Robert Burbank Holt
and Harriet Holt formerly Chapman with father’s occupation listed as dealer in
fancy goods (8b), July 10, 1866 Fox Lane, Norwood (S=family bible available on
ancestry.com). 1871 Census: with parents
(S4), listed as Alfred E. Holt age 4 born in Norwood,
Surrey. 1881 Census: with parents (S4),
listed as Alfred E. Holt age 14 a clerk ship banker
born in Norwood. Marriage: May 26, 1897 Dawlish, Devon (S8m), listed as Alfred Edward Holt age
30 a bachelor and ship broker living at Dawlish whose father was Robert Burbank
Holt a manufacturer jeweler and Florence Sarah Parr age 20 a spinster, May 26,
1897 married Florence S. Parr (S=family bible available on ancestry.com). US Passenger List Arrival: October 13, 1909 sailing from Southampton to New York on the S.S. Kaiser
Wilhelm II listed as Alfred Holt age 43 a ship agent born in London (S=New
York, US Arriving Passenger and Crew Lists 1820-1957 available at
ancestry.com). Naturalized: March 12, 1920 New York (S=copy of certificate posted on
ancestry.com), listed as Alfred Edward Holt age 53 a steamship agent born in
London on July 10, 1866 who now lived in New York with wife Florence who first
arrived in New York on July 8, 1893.
Death: June 3, 1930 Manhattan, NY (S=copy of
certificate posted on ancestry.com), listed as Alfred Edward Holt age 63
retired who was born in England with parents Robert Burbank Holt and Harriet
Chapman, 1930 (S=family bible available on ancestry.com).
Avery Style Needle
Cases with the R. Holt French Court Crystal Palace name
1.
Louise
Folding - Patent/design registration not found, most likely produced by W. O.
Lewis of Howard Works, Birmingham in 1871 (S=1873 W. O. Lewis advertisement indicating they patented the
Beatrice, Alexandra, Unique and Louise needle cases seen in the company
director’s office during a visit to their factory in 2018).
