John Holland was born in 1830 in Riby, Lincolnshire to John Holland and his wife Mary. John and Mary took their infant son for baptism to the parish church in Riby on 4 July 1830, some eighteen months after their older son had been baptised in the same church. Little has been found about John’s early life, though church records confirm that his father was a labourer.
By 1852 John had moved to Sheffield, where he worked as a joiner. Whilst living there he met Sophia Swann (sometimes written Swan), who was working as a servant for the Wick family. On 26 September that year John and Sophia, then living at Roscoe Place, married at the Cathedral Church of St. Peter & St. Paul in Sheffield. Both signed their names on the marriage certificate.
The following year Sophia gave birth to her first child, a son named James Henry, then in 1856 a daughter, Mary Agnes. By 1858 the family moved to Lambeth where a second son, Harry Charles, was born. When the 1861 census return was made they were living at 67 Oakley Street, Lambeth. John described himself as a carpenter at that time.
By the time the next census was taken in 1871 the family lived at 93 York Road and John recorded his occupation as a Joiners’ Tool Maker. A third son, Samuel Swann, had been born in the spring of 1868.
Ten years later the family was still living at the same address, and John had developed his business, describing himself as a Mechanical Tool maker employing 2 men. Middle son, Harry Charles was still living at home and working as a mechanical tool maker – presumably one of the the men employed by his father. James Henry, John’s eldest son had left home and started a family of his own. He was living on Deptford High Street and also followed in his father’s footsteps, describing himself as a tool merchant. Sadly James Henry died aged 28 just six months after the census was taken, leaving his young wife with a son and two daughters to bring up alone. He was buried in what is now known as Ladywell and Brockley cemetery.
By the time the next census was taken in 1891 John & Sophia were living at 25 St Mary’s Square, Lambeth with their daughter Mary who, at the age of 35, was still single. John was still working as a tool maker. Harry and Samuel were both living at 70 Falcon Road, Battersea and working as a tool dealers.
It appears that John and Sophia were not living together by 1901 – their daughter Mary had become the keeper of a coffee house in Battersea and Sophia was living with her, recording her occupation as grocer. John, then 70 years old was living a little over three miles away at 30 Garden Row, Southwark. He gave his occupation as carpenter and joiner, and had a housekeeper named Mercy Holland, described as his sister.
In 1911 Sophia was still in Battersea, living with her daughter who was then working in a restaurant. John’s health must have deteriorated in the intervening years and he was a patient at the Tooting Bec asylum on Tooting Common. It is possible that this was where he ended his days, as he died on 12 October 1912. John was buried with his eldest son at the Ladywell and Brockley cemetery. Sophia died three years later and was buried with her husband and son.
John Holland was born in 1830 in Riby, Lincolnshire to John Holland and his wife Mary. John and Mary took their infant son for baptism to the parish church in Riby on 4 July 1830, some eighteen months after their older son had been baptised in the same church. Little has been found about John’s early life, though church records confirm that his father was a labourer.
By 1852 John had moved to Sheffield, where he worked as a joiner. Whilst living there he met Sophia Swann (sometimes written Swan), who was working as a servant for the Wick family. On 26 September that year John and Sophia, then living at Roscoe Place, married at the Cathedral Church of St. Peter & St. Paul in Sheffield. Both signed their names on the marriage certificate.
The following year Sophia gave birth to her first child, a son named James Henry, then in 1856 a daughter, Mary Agnes. By 1858 the family moved to Lambeth where a second son, Harry Charles, was born. When the 1861 census return was made they were living at 67 Oakley Street, Lambeth. John described himself as a carpenter at that time.
By the time the next census was taken in 1871 the family lived at 93 York Road and John recorded his occupation as a Joiners’ Tool Maker. A third son, Samuel Swann, had been born in the spring of 1868.
Ten years later the family was still living at the same address, and John had developed his business, describing himself as a Mechanical Tool maker employing 2 men. Middle son, Harry Charles was still living at home and working as a mechanical tool maker – presumably one of the the men employed by his father. James Henry, John’s eldest son had left home and started a family of his own. He was living on Deptford High Street and also followed in his father’s footsteps, describing himself as a tool merchant. Sadly James Henry died aged 28 just six months after the census was taken, leaving his young wife with a son and two daughters to bring up alone. He was buried in what is now known as Ladywell and Brockley cemetery.
By the time the next census was taken in 1891 John & Sophia were living at 25 St Mary’s Square, Lambeth with their daughter Mary who, at the age of 35, was still single. John was still working as a tool maker. Harry and Samuel were both living at 70 Falcon Road, Battersea and working as a tool dealers.
It appears that John and Sophia were not living together by 1901 – their daughter Mary had become the keeper of a coffee house in Battersea and Sophia was living with her, recording her occupation as grocer. John, then 70 years old was living a little over three miles away at 30 Garden Row, Southwark. He gave his occupation as carpenter and joiner, and had a housekeeper named Mercy Holland, described as his sister.
In 1911 Sophia was still in Battersea, living with her daughter who was then working in a restaurant. John’s health must have deteriorated in the intervening years and he was a patient at the Tooting Bec asylum on Tooting Common. It is possible that this was where he ended his days, as he died on 12 October 1912. John was buried with his eldest son at the Ladywell and Brockley cemetery. Sophia died three years later and was buried with her husband and son.
