Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 27.djvu/206

 from 1820 to 1830, and was made a D.C.L. of Oxford on 5 July 1810. He died in Grafton Street, London, on 26 Jan. 1851, leaving one son, Thomas Knox Holmes.



HOLMES, WILLIAM ANTHONY, D.D. (1782–1843), chancellor of Cashel and rector of Templemore, in the same diocese, son of Joseph Holmes, was born in Drogheda, co. Louth, in 1782. He entered Trinity College, Dublin, 7 Jan. 1799; was elected a scholar in 1801; graduated B.A. 1803, and B.D. and D.D. 1834. Having taken holy orders, he became incumbent of Holywood, co. Down, in 1810. While there he took an important share in establishing the Mendicity Institution of Belfast. In 1818 he was promoted to the rectory of Ballyroan in the diocese of Leighlin; for some years he was preacher of Cashel Cathedral, and in 1822 became rector of Hore Abbey in the diocese of Cashel. On 22 May 1832 he was collated to the chancellorship of Cashel, and in 1837 to the rectory of Templemore. Archdeacon Cotton has described him as ‘an eloquent preacher, and a person of active mind and literary habits.’ He was twice married, and left issue. He died at Templemore, 30 Dec. 1843, and was buried in St. John the Baptist's churchyard, Cashel. Besides sermons and contributions to periodicals, Holmes was author of: 1. ‘A Plan for a Mendicity Institution,’ Belfast, circa 1818. 2. ‘Hints to the Proprietors of Loan Funds,’ Belfast, circa 1818. 3. ‘Statistical Account of the Parish of Holywood, County and Diocese of Down’ (printed in Mason's ‘Parochial Survey of Ireland,’ iii. 183–219), Dublin, 1819. 4. ‘The Time of the End; being a series of Lectures on Prophetical Chronology,’ London, 1833. 5. ‘The Heavy Blow and Great Discouragement of Protestantism: Correspondence between Lord Viscount Melbourne and the Bishop of Exeter; also between Lord Brougham and the Rev. Dr. Holmes,’ London, 1838. 6. ‘The Queen's Declaration against Popery, and the Coronation Oath discussed,’ London, 1843. 

HOLROYD, GEORGE SOWLEY (1758–1831), judge, of a Yorkshire family, eldest son of George Holroyd, by Eleanor, daughter of Henry Sowley of Appleby, Westmoreland, was born at York on 31 Oct. 1758. He was placed at Harrow under Dr. Sumner in 1770, but owing to his father's heavy pecuniary losses was unable to proceed to a university. In April 1774 he was articled to a London attorney named Borthwick, and then, deciding to go to the bar, he entered in 1777 at Gray's Inn, read in the chambers of Sir Alan Chambre [q. v.], and in April 1779 began practice as a special pleader. He was at this time the associate of Romilly, Christian, and Baynes, and joined them in founding a legal debating society. He was called to the bar 26 June 1787, and joining the northern circuit obtained a good practice both at assizes and at Westminster. Declining to take silk, he continued to practise with great success as a junior. In 1811 he highly distinguished himself in the case of Burdett v. Abbott, speaker of the House of Commons, in which he appeared for the plaintiff (reported, Reports, xiv. 1). In 1815 he was sent as commissioner to Guernsey to inquire into certain grievances there complained of. On 14 Feb. 1816 he succeeded Sir Henry Dampier as a judge of the king's bench, and obtained a high judicial reputation in that court for learning and courtesy (, Chief Justices, iii. 155); but on 17 Nov. 1828 ill-health compelled him to retire, and he died at his house at Hare Hatch, Berkshire, 21 Nov. 1831. There is a monument to him in Wargrave Church, with an inscription by Lord Brougham. In 1787 he married Sarah, daughter of Amos Chaplin of Brydges Street, Covent Garden; of his fourteen children by her, six survived him. 

HOLROYD, JOHN BAKER, first (1735–1821), statesman, was second son of Isaac Holroyd (1708–1778), the representative of an old West Riding family which had migrated to Ireland in the reign of Charles II and acquired large estates there. His mother was Dorothy, daughter of Daniel Baker of Penn, Buckinghamshire. He was born in 1735, entered the army in 1760; and became captain in the regiment of light dragoons known as the Royal Foresters which was disbanded in 1763. Between the last year and 1766 Holroyd travelled on the Continent. In 1768 he assumed the additional name of Baker on succeeding to the estates of his mother's family. In 1769 he purchased from Lord de la Warr for 31,000l. the estate of Sheffield Place in Sussex. In