Harry Holt

Harry was the son of John and Hannah Holt nee Hoggard. His father John was born on 23 October 1856 at Bingham, Nottinghamshire, and his mother Hannah at Normanton-on-Trent, Nottinghamshire, on 1 October 1861 (O/N/D East Retford). They were married in 1886 (O/N/D East Retford) and had eight children: Mary E b. Southwell abt 1884, Fanny b. Besthorpe 31 October 1887 (O/N/D Newark). Thomas (Tom) b. Norwell 28 November 1890 (J/F/M Southwell), Florence May b. Norwell 3 May 1891 (J/A/S Southwell), Olive b. Norwell 8 May 1893 (J/A/S Southwell), Harry b. Norwell birth registered 1896 (J/F/M Southwell), Kathleen b. Norwell 23 May 1898 (J/A/S Southwell) and Sam b. Norwell, birth registered 1903 (J/F/M Southwell). In 1891 John (33) and Hannah (23) were living in Norwell with their three children Mary (6), Fanny (3) and Thomas (2). The family was still living in Norwell, on Village Street, in 1901. John was working as a cattleman on a farm. Six of their seven children were at home on the night of the census: Fanny (13), Thomas (12), Florence (9), Olive (7), Harry (5) and Kathleen (2). It seems likely that Mary, who was now 16, was a domestic servant at 14 Appleton Gate, Newark, in the household of Alan Knight, a grocer, and his wife and family. By 1911 John (53), a farm labourer, and Hannah (48) were living in Ossington, near Newark. Only five of their eight children were in the family home on the night of the census: Thomas (22) a railway labourer for the Great Northern Railway, Olive, Harry a gardener (domestic), Kathleen (12) and Sam (8). Mary (26) was probably a housemaid in the household of the widowed Hannah Bright and her two sons, Joseph and Neville (estate agents) at 8 Third Avenue, Sherwood Rise. Nottingham. (Note: 17439 Private Joseph John Bright 7th Bn Sherwood Foresters, died 27 June 1918, buried Nottingham General Cemetery). The two other girls, Fanny and Florence, have not yet been traced on the 1911 Census but information about their occupations on the 1939 Register of England & Wales suggests that, like Mary, they were in domestic service. John and Hannah were still living in Ossington when Harry was killed in 1918. However, by 1939 at the time of the England & Wales Register they were living at Woodbine Cottage, Elston, near Newark, Nottinghamshire. John, who was described on the register as an 'old man retired', died in 1946 (J/F/M Newark) age 89. Hannah continued to live at Woodbine Cottage until her death at the age of 90 on 26 July 1952. She had made a will and Probate was granted to her unmarried daughter, Fanny. Of Harry's siblings: Mary has not yet been traced after 1911. Fanny appears to have been working at Chute Lodge, Pewesey, Wiltshire, in 1939 as a cook-housekeeper to William Addinsell, a director of companies, and his wife Annie. She died on 17 February 1976 (J/F/M Newark); she had made a will (Estate £5802) and the Probate record gave her address as Woodbine Cottaqe, Elston. Thomas emigrated to Canada and there is a record of him enlisting in the Canadian Forces at which time he was living in Ninga, Manitoba. Florence May did not marry and died on 12 December 1980 (O/N/D Newark). She left a will and the Probate record gave her address as 1 Winston Drive, Elston. (Estate £3248). Olive married Richard Busby (b. 12 September 1887) in 1917 (A/M/J Southwell). In 1939 they were living at Elston Hall, The Gardens, where Richard was head gardener (private). They had at least two children, twins born on 9 March 1924, who were living at home when the register was compiled: Beryl Audrey who was at school and Kenneth O. who was an apprentice electrician. It appears that Beryl married a cousin, Brian Holt (see Kathleen Holt). Kathleen, who was unmarried, was living with her parents at Woodbine Cottage, Elston, in 1939. She was described as an unemployed cook. Also in the household was Brian Holt b. 10 March 1926. Brian may have been born in London as there is the registration of the birth of a Brian A [Arthur] Holt (mother's maiden name Holt) in 1926 (J/F/M Holborn). There is a record that a Brian A Holt married a Beryl A Busby in 1984 (Apr. Newark). Their deaths were registered in St Germans, Cornwall; Brian's in 1992 (Feb) at the age of 65 and Beryl's in 1994 (Jan) at the age of 69. Sam has not yet been traced after 1911.