Robert Stayner Holford
Encyclopedia
Robert Stayner Holford of Westonbirt, in the village of Weston Birt, co. Gloucestershire, MP for East Gloucestershire, was a wealthy landowner, gardening and landscaping enthusiast, and an art collector. With his vast wealth, he rebuilt Westonbirt House
from the Georgian mansion erected only decades earlier by his father, and founded the Westonbirt Arboretum
after succeeding his uncle and father between 1838 and 1839.
Holford served as MP for East Gloucestershire from 1854 when he was elected in a bye-election on 19 December on the death of the member Sir Michael Hicks Beach, 8th Baronet
(d. 22 November 1854), and continued in that office for eighteen years. He was re-elected in 1857 with Sir Christopher William Codrington
and again in 1859 with Codrington (who died 1864 forcing another bye-election). He was re-elected in 1864 with the new member Sir Michael Hicks-Beach, 9th Bt. (son of the previous MP). In 1872, he vacated the seat.
Holford died in 1892.
Holford married Mary Anne Lindsay, a daughter of Lt. General Sir James Lindsay of Balcarres (himself grandson of James Lindsay, 5th Earl of Balcarres
) by his second wife Anne Trotter, daughter of Sir Coutts Trotter, 1st Baronet. (Mary Anne's sister Margaret had married their second cousin Alexander Lindsay, 25th Earl of Crawford
). Holford and his wife had the following issue
Westonbirt House
Westonbirt House is a country house in Gloucestershire, England. It belonged to the Holford family from 1665 until 1926. The first house on the site was an Elizabethan manor house...
from the Georgian mansion erected only decades earlier by his father, and founded the Westonbirt Arboretum
Westonbirt Arboretum
Westonbirt, The National Arboretum is managed by the Forestry Commission. Westonbirt Arboretum is located near the historic market town of Tetbury in Gloucestershire, England, and is perhaps the most important and widely known arboretum in the United Kingdom.Planted in the heyday of Victorian plant...
after succeeding his uncle and father between 1838 and 1839.
Holford served as MP for East Gloucestershire from 1854 when he was elected in a bye-election on 19 December on the death of the member Sir Michael Hicks Beach, 8th Baronet
Sir Michael Hicks Beach, 8th Baronet
Sir Michael Hicks Hicks-Beach, 8th Baronet was a British MP and High Sheriff.He was appointed High Sheriff of Gloucestershire for 1840 and then returned as Member of Parliament for East Gloucestershire from January 1854 until his death in November of the same year.Hicks-Beach married Harriett...
(d. 22 November 1854), and continued in that office for eighteen years. He was re-elected in 1857 with Sir Christopher William Codrington
Christopher William Codrington
Sir Christopher William Codrington , of Dodington, Gloucestershire, was a British MP for East Gloucestershire between 7 August 1834 and 24 June 1864 and a landowner in Gloucestershire....
and again in 1859 with Codrington (who died 1864 forcing another bye-election). He was re-elected in 1864 with the new member Sir Michael Hicks-Beach, 9th Bt. (son of the previous MP). In 1872, he vacated the seat.
Holford died in 1892.
Family
Holford was the son of George Peter Holford (d. 1839), himself the second son of Peter Holford (d. 1804) who made an immense fortune by supplying London with fresh water through a canal. The Holfords had been seated at Westonbirt since 1666 when a Holford married the heiress Sarah Crew. Robert inherited Westonbirt in 1838/1839 from his uncle and namesake Robert Holford (d. 1839).Holford married Mary Anne Lindsay, a daughter of Lt. General Sir James Lindsay of Balcarres (himself grandson of James Lindsay, 5th Earl of Balcarres
Earl of Balcarres
The title Earl of Balcarres was created in the Peerage of Scotland in 1651 for Alexander Lindsay, 2nd Lord Balcarres. The title has descended since in the Lindsay family....
) by his second wife Anne Trotter, daughter of Sir Coutts Trotter, 1st Baronet. (Mary Anne's sister Margaret had married their second cousin Alexander Lindsay, 25th Earl of Crawford
Earl of Crawford
The title Earl of Crawford is one of the most ancient extant titles in Great Britain, having been created in the Peerage of Scotland for Sir David Lindsay in 1398. It is the premier earldom recorded on the Union Roll.The title has a very complex history...
). Holford and his wife had the following issue
- Sir George Lindsay Holford (d. 1926) who married Susannah West Menzies (1865–1943), daughter of Arthur Wilson (shipping)Arthur Wilson (shipping)Arthur Wilson was a prominent English ship-owner who is best known for playing host to his friend Albert Edward, Prince of Wales at his home Tranby Croft, the scene of the Royal Baccarat Scandal.- Life :...
of Tranby CroftTranby CroftTranby Croft is a large country house and estate at Anlaby, near Hull in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. The mansion is now a co-educational, independent day school, Hull Collegiate School.Tranby Croft is a Grade II listed building....
, widow of John Graham Menzies (1861–1911), mother of Major-General Sir Stewart MenziesStewart MenziesMajor General Sir Stewart Graham Menzies, KCB, KCMG, DSO, MC was Chief of MI6 , British Secret Intelligence Service, during and after World War II.-Early life, family:...
. - Margaret Holford (d. 9 February 1908) who married 17 June 1876 Albert Parker, 3rd Earl of MorleyAlbert Parker, 3rd Earl of MorleyAlbert Edmund Parker, 3rd Earl of Morley PC, DL, JP , styled Viscount Boringdon until 1864, was a British peer and Liberal, later Liberal Unionist politician.-Background and education:...
and had issue, three sons and one daughter. The two elder sons succeeded to the earldom as 4th and 5th Earls, and a third son was father of the 6th and present Earl of Morley. Unfortunately, these collateral successions necessitated death duties and also meant sale of the family estates, including Westonbirt HouseWestonbirt HouseWestonbirt House is a country house in Gloucestershire, England. It belonged to the Holford family from 1665 until 1926. The first house on the site was an Elizabethan manor house...
and eventually Saltram HouseSaltram HouseSaltram House is a George II era mansion located in Plympton, Plymouth, England. The house that can be seen today is the work of Robert Adam, who altered the original Tudor house on two occasions. The saloon is sometimes cited as one of Adam's finest interiors...
.- Edmund Robert Parker, 4th Earl of Morley (19 April 1877-10 October 1951) who inherited Westonbirt from his maternal uncle and sold the house shortly thereafter. He died unmarried, and was succeeded by his next brother.
- Montagu Brownlow Parker, 5th Earl of Morley (13 October 1878 -28 April 1962), who succeeded his older brother in 1951 and also died unmarried, being succeeded by his nephew.
- Hon. John Holford Parker (22 June 1886-27 February 1955), married the Hon. Marjory Katherine Elizabeth Alexandra St Aubyn, daughter of the Baron St LevanBaron St LevanBaron St Levan, of St Michael's Mount in the County of Cornwall, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created on 4 July 1887 for the former Member of Parliament Sir John St Aubyn, 2nd Baronet. He had previously represented Cornwall West in House of Commons as a Liberal and St...
. Their eldest son, John St Aubyn Parker (b. 29 May 1923), became the 6th Earl of Morley, and has one son.
- Alice Holford (d. 22 September 1944) who married on 9 June 1877 Albert Grey, 4th Earl GreyAlbert Grey, 4th Earl GreyAlbert Henry George Grey, 4th Earl Grey was a British nobleman and politician who served as Governor General of Canada, the ninth since Canadian Confederation....
(1851–1917)and had issue, five children, one of whom died in early childhood.- Lady Victoria Mary Sybil Grey (9 June 1878-3 February 1907) married Arthur Morton Grenfell in 1901, and left issue
- 5th Earl Grey (15 December 1879-2 April 1963), who had two daughters by his wife Lady Mabel Laura Georgiana Palmer. The elder daughter Mary (1907–2002) married the 1st Baron Howick of GlendaleBaron Howick of GlendaleBaron Howick of Glendale, of Howick in the County of Northumberland, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1960 for Sir Evelyn Baring, the former Governor of Kenya. A member of the famous Baring family, he was the third and youngest son of Evelyn Baring, 1st Earl of...
. - Lady Sybil Grey (15 July 1882-4 June 1966) O.B.E. married Lambert William Middleton (1877–1941) of Lowood House, Melrose, ScotlandMelrose, ScotlandMelrose is a small town and civil parish in the Scottish Borders, historically in Roxburghshire. It is in the Eildon committee area.-Etymology:...
, nephew of Sir Arthur Middleton, 7th BaronetSir Arthur Middleton, 7th BaronetSir Arthur Edward Middleton, M.P., 7th Baronet was a British MP.He was born Arthur Edward Monck, the son of Charles Atticus Monck of Belsay Castle, Northumberland, by his wife Laura, daughter of Sir Mathew White Ridley 3rd Bt., M.P., of Blagdon Hall, Northumberland...
and Frederick Edmund MeredithFrederick Edmund MeredithFrederick Edmund Meredith K.C., D.C.L. was a Canadian lawyer and businessman, the 8th Chancellor of Bishop's University, Lennoxville; honorary President of the Montreal Victorias for three of their Stanley Cup championships in the late 1890s, and Chief Counsel to the CPR at the inquest into the...
. She was invested as an Officer, Order of the British Empire in 1918, having served as the Commandant of the Dorchester House Hospital for Officers. She was well known for her work with the Red Cross in RussiaRussiaRussia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
during WWI, and for her work with tuberculosis sufferers (founding the Lady Grey Society). She was an amateur photographer and film-maker of note, and recorded village life at DarnickDarnickDarnick is a village near Melrose in the Scottish Borders area of Scotland, in the former Roxburghshire.Places nearby include Abbotsford, Buckholm, Eildon, the Gala Water, Galashiels, Gattonside, Lindean and Newtown St. Boswells....
and St. BoswellsSt. BoswellsSt Boswells is a village on the south side of the River Tweed in the Scottish Borders. It lies about 1 mile SE of Newtown St Boswells on the A68 road....
http://www.tweedbankvillage.co.uk/Tweedbank%20History.html . After her husband died she sold Lowood House and moved to Burley, HampshireBurley, HampshireBurley is a village and civil parish in the New Forest, Hampshire, England, with a wealth of tea rooms, gift shops, art galleries and a pick-your-own farm.-The village:...
. They were the parents of a son and a daughter. - Evelyn Grey, married L.E.Jones
- Evelyn Holford (1856–1943) who married the art collector, banker, and art patron Robert Henry Benson (1850–1929), and had issue. Their daughter Margaret Winifred Benson married 1915 Major General Sir Hereward Wake, 13th Bt.Wake BaronetsThe Wake Baronetcy, of Clevedon in the County of Somerset, is a title in the Baronetage of England. It was created on 5 December 1621 for Baldwin Wake. The sixth Baronet assumed the additional surname of Jones but died childless. The eighth Baronet sat as Member of Parliament for Bedford. The...
and had issue, including the present baronet. The eldest son Guy Holford Benson (1888–1975) married 1921 Lady Violet Elcho (1888–1971), widow of Lord Elcho, and 2nd daughter of the 8th Duke of Rutland, and had issue, three sons. Another son Constantine Evelyn Benson, a financier, married Lady Morvyth Lilian Ward, daughter of the 2nd Earl of DudleyWilliam Ward, 2nd Earl of DudleyWilliam Humble Ward, 2nd Earl of Dudley, KP, GCB, GCMG, GCVO, KStJ, PC, TD, DL , styled Viscount Ednam before 1885, was a British Conservative politician...
, and had issue including Lady Tompkins (d. 2003).