Robert was born in 1808 to George Peter Holford and Anne Holford who was the daughter of Reverend Averell Daniell of Lifford, County Donegal, Ireland. [1]. He was the only male born to this couple but he had three sisters. Anne Jane was his eldest sister and she married in 1832 Robert Blagden Hale of Alderley House who was a Member of Parliament. His next elderst sister was Georgina who married later in life in 1856, Peter Robert Burrell of Stoke Park, Suffolk. His other sister was Emily Elizabeth who married in 1836 Sir George J. Palmer, Bart. of Wanlip, County Leicester. [2].
George Peter Holford was a lawyer and a Member of Parliament. He also wrote books which usually related to religion and Christianity [3]. He inherited a mansion at Westonbirt from his father. This house was the original manor which had been erected in the reign of Elizabeth or the early part of the time of James I. [4]This house was demolished by George in 1818 and a new house built in 1823. [5]
In 1829 at the age of 21, Robert graduated from Oriel College at Oxford University with a Bachelor of Arts Degree. [6] In the same year the Arboretum on the Westonbirt Estate commenced and Robert played a significant role in this project. In 1938 he inherited his uncle's fortune of over one million pounds. In the following year his father died and he became the owner of Westonbirt House. He was a keen lover of art and literature and his enormous wealth now allowed him to indulge this interest. He began collecting paintings and books for what was to become the famous "Holdford Collection". To accommodate this collection he built Dorchester House in Park Lane, London between 1851 and 1853 and employed Lewis Vulliamy as the architect. [7]
During this time he became a Magistrate for Gloucester and Wilts and in 1843 was the High Sheriff for Wilts. In December 1854 he was first elected as the Member for Gloucestershire East. [8]
In August 1854 Robert at the age of 46 married Mary Anne Lindsay who was the 25 year old daughter of Lieutenant-General James Lindsay. [9] A detailed description of the wedding was given in a periodical some of which is as follows.
Dorchester House at this time had only just been completed and soon after the wedding Robert gave a fancy-dress ball to celebrate his marriage and the opening of the house. The guests were asked to dress in costumes to represent famous Italian portraits. [11]
Over the next five years the Holfords had three daughters - Margaret, Evelyn and Alice. It was not until 1860 that George Holford was born who was to become heir to the family fortune.
Robert continued his work as a Member of Parliament until 1872 when he retired [12]. He continued to collect plants for the garden at Westonbirt House and also for the Arboretum. George also developed an interest in gardens and plants and assisted his father with this work.
After Robert's retirement, the couple spent time at both Westonbirt and Dorchester House. In 1875 Charles Gayard, a French diplomat visited Westonbirt and gave an account of his experience as follows.
The garden at Westonbirt House and the Arboretum continued to expand and in 1886 an extensive article was written about it in a noteable publication called "The Garden". It said that "Mr Holford's aim has been to create variety without confusion, informality and picturesqueness without losing sight of that polish in the vicinity of the mansion which must always be regarded as in accordance with correct taste." [13]
In February 1892 Robert died at Dorchester House. [14]
Robert was born in 1808 to George Peter Holford and Anne Holford who was the daughter of Reverend Averell Daniell of Lifford, County Donegal, Ireland. [1]. He was the only male born to this couple but he had three sisters. Anne Jane was his eldest sister and she married in 1832 Robert Blagden Hale of Alderley House who was a Member of Parliament. His next elderst sister was Georgina who married later in life in 1856, Peter Robert Burrell of Stoke Park, Suffolk. His other sister was Emily Elizabeth who married in 1836 Sir George J. Palmer, Bart. of Wanlip, County Leicester. [2].
George Peter Holford was a lawyer and a Member of Parliament. He also wrote books which usually related to religion and Christianity [3]. He inherited a mansion at Westonbirt from his father. This house was the original manor which had been erected in the reign of Elizabeth or the early part of the time of James I. [4]This house was demolished by George in 1818 and a new house built in 1823. [5]
In 1829 at the age of 21, Robert graduated from Oriel College at Oxford University with a Bachelor of Arts Degree. [6] In the same year the Arboretum on the Westonbirt Estate commenced and Robert played a significant role in this project. In 1938 he inherited his uncle's fortune of over one million pounds. In the following year his father died and he became the owner of Westonbirt House. He was a keen lover of art and literature and his enormous wealth now allowed him to indulge this interest. He began collecting paintings and books for what was to become the famous "Holdford Collection". To accommodate this collection he built Dorchester House in Park Lane, London between 1851 and 1853 and employed Lewis Vulliamy as the architect. [7]
During this time he became a Magistrate for Gloucester and Wilts and in 1843 was the High Sheriff for Wilts. In December 1854 he was first elected as the Member for Gloucestershire East. [8]
In August 1854 Robert at the age of 46 married Mary Anne Lindsay who was the 25 year old daughter of Lieutenant-General James Lindsay. [9] A detailed description of the wedding was given in a periodical some of which is as follows.
Dorchester House at this time had only just been completed and soon after the wedding Robert gave a fancy-dress ball to celebrate his marriage and the opening of the house. The guests were asked to dress in costumes to represent famous Italian portraits. [11]
Over the next five years the Holfords had three daughters - Margaret, Evelyn and Alice. It was not until 1860 that George Holford was born who was to become heir to the family fortune.
Robert continued his work as a Member of Parliament until 1872 when he retired [12]. He continued to collect plants for the garden at Westonbirt House and also for the Arboretum. George also developed an interest in gardens and plants and assisted his father with this work.
After Robert's retirement, the couple spent time at both Westonbirt and Dorchester House. In 1875 Charles Gayard, a French diplomat visited Westonbirt and gave an account of his experience as follows.
The garden at Westonbirt House and the Arboretum continued to expand and in 1886 an extensive article was written about it in a noteable publication called "The Garden". It said that "Mr Holford's aim has been to create variety without confusion, informality and picturesqueness without losing sight of that polish in the vicinity of the mansion which must always be regarded as in accordance with correct taste." [13]
In February 1892 Robert died at Dorchester House. [14]