TOPIC:

Stuart Lund Holland, Lord Rotherham

Lieutenant, 6th (Inniskilling) Dragoons – Anglo Boer War
Captain, 6th (Inniskilling) Dragoons – WWI

- Queen’s South Africa Medal with clasps Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 to Lieut: S. L. Holland. 6/Drgns.
- 1914-15 Star to Capt. Hon. S. L. Holland. 6/Dns.)
- British War Medal to Capt. Hon. S. L. Holland
- Victory Medal with M.I.D. oak leaves to Capt. Hon. S. L. Holland
- Jubilee Medal 1935
- Coronation Medal 1937

Stuart Holland wasn’t born into the aristocracy; he was elevated to it by virtue of his father being created the 1st Baron of Broughton in 1910. The pater familias, William Henry Holland, was created a Knight in 1902; followed by a Baronetcy in 1910. He had married well, in 1874 to Mary Jane, the eldest daughter of James Lund, DL, of Malsis Hall near Leeds. William Holland was Member of Parliament on the Whig ticket for North Salford from 1892 until 1895 and then the M.P. for Rotherham from 1899 until 1910. A wealthy and successful industrialist, he was deeply involved with the trade that had made him rich – the cotton spinning industry.

Having been born on 25 October 1876, the first glimpse we have of a young Stuart comes with his baptism a month later, on 27 November 1876. This took place in the Parish of The Albert Memorial, Manchester, Lancashire. His father’s occupation was provided as Cotton Spinner and the family resided at Park View, Cheetham Hill.



Five years on, at the time of the 1881 England census, the family were still at Park View, now described as being in Bury Old Road in Broughton, Manchester. Mr Holland was a Cotton and Worsted Spinner, aged 31. Aside from his wife, the house was occupied by Stuart (4), his older sister Irene (5) and younger sibling Margaret (1). An Irish visitor, Edith Paynes was staying over. To cater for the family’s needs, there were an obeisance of servants – Mary Burts, Ann Mather, Sarah Bailey and Mary Bruntz.

Ten years later, at the time of the 1891 England census, Stuart, aged 15, was a pupil at Harrow School. He entered the hallowed precincts of this establishment of learning for the Easter – Midsummer term in 1890. The Harrow School Register of 1890 has him as a pupil of Mr Hallam’s and notes that his father was of Holm Dene, Broughton Park, Manchester. He must have been home for the holidays when the census enumerator called round as he is listed as being at 3 Eversfield Place, Hastings with his mother and sisters Irene (15) and Margaret (11). Of his father there was no sign but it can be assumed that he was down in London for the sitting of the House of Commons.

In 1892 he left Harrow and went up to Exeter College, Oxford. A famous photograph of the Harrow Class of 1892 showing Winston Churchill as a pupil doesn’t include Holland. This could mean that the two were a year apart but there is every likelihood that they knew each other.

On leaving university he joined the rush of recruits for the Boer War and was commissioned into the 6th Royal Inniskilling Dragoons as a 2nd Lieutenant on 23 May 1900 - The London Gazette of 6 July 1900 announcing that “the undermentioned University Candidates to be Second Lieutenants.” This was at the height of the Anglo Boer War which had been raging since 11 October 1899, some eight months before Holland was commissioned. This war, the last of Victoria’s long reign, was wholly different to the vast majority of battles and skirmishes the British Empire had been involved in up until this time – the Boers, a hardy bunch of farmers descended from Dutch settlers to South Africa, were a far cry from the poorly armed and badly led tribesmen the Regular Army had had to face up to. The two Republics of the Transvaal and the Orange Free State were no pushover, and the initial British boast that they “would be home by Christmas”, was found to be devoid of any truth.


Officers of the Inniskilling Dragoons at the time of the Boer War - it is not known if Holland is included in the photo.

After a few months at the Regimental Depot, where he learned the basics of command, he left with a draft of the regiment for South Africa on 14 December 1900, arriving at Cape Town on 10 January 1901. He boarded a train for Picquetberg Road at Salt River Junction. On arrival at Picquetberg Road he took over 54 horses; for a week or so his detachment reconnoitred north, on the look-out for Boers rumoured to be advancing from Calvinia.

On 23 January 1901 Holland and his troop left to garrison Groenfontein. On February 10th Captain Anstice and 50 men left to join a column at Prince Albert Road, leaving Lieutenants’ Holland and Close at Karoo Poort, between Ceres in the south and Calvinia in the north, with the rest of the detachment. It was while the rest of the regiment were away on trek that, according to the regimental war diary,

“2nd Lieutenant Holland and 40 men took part in a big engagement outside Jansenville in which 40 Boers were killed or wounded.”

Having survived this engagement, Holland’s detachment then joined up with the remainder of the Regiment in a column where, for the next two months, under Colonel Scobell, they searched for the elusive Boer Commandant Scheepers in the Karoo. In May 1901 and ensuing months the regiment operated in the Eastern Transvaal in a column under Colonel Pulteney, and afterwards in the north of the Orange River Colony under Colonel Rimington and other commanders. On 10 July 1901 Holland was promoted to full Lieutenant serving in this capacity with the regiment for the remainder of the war.

On 9 October 1902 he boarded the Orissa bound for home with 250 men of his regiment under Major EA Hebert. Having reached England, Holland continued with the regiment, being promoted to Captain on 17 November 1906. Tragedy had struck earlier that year when, on 31 January, his 29 year old wife whom he had married at St. Giles in London in April 1905, passed away at their home, 34 Bedford Square, Brighton.

With no children of the marriage, Holland threw himself into his military career. On 18 November 1908 he became Captain and Adjutant of the North Devon Yeomanry Cavalry, vide Captain Terrot of the 6th Dragoons. 1909 was to prove a memorable year for him – at Wandsworth on 25 October, he married the 20 year old Miriam Agnes Wright, the daughter of Harry Wright, a Carrier from Suffolk.

In 1910 Holland’s father was created Lord Rotherham, as a consequence of which he became Captain, the Honourable, S.L. Holland. Possibly as a result of the above, he submitted a letter on 11 August 1910 resigning his commission. Having had ten years of service he wanted out of uniform. The request was acceded to and Holland entered civilian life. Newspaper reports of the time show that he occupied much of his time playing polo – a sport in which he excelled.

The 1911 England census showed that a 34 year old Holland, a Retired Army Captain, was at home in 8 Hanover House, Regents Park, London, along with his 20 year old wife and two servants – Blanche Cornford (Housemaid) and Mabel Vanstone (Cook). Life continued as normal in the Holland home but the pitter patter of tiny feet were to be denied the couple – there were no children born of the marriage. On 7 June 1911 he joined the Reserve of Officers.

On 4 August 1914 the Great War burst onto the international stage. The Reserve of Officers was mobilised and Holland became a Captain in the 2nd Reserve Regiment of Cavalry on 12 August 1914. From here he was transferred back to his old regiment – 6th Inniskilling Dragoons – with whom he saw service in France in 1916/17 – being Mentioned in Despatches in the London Gazette of 5 July 1919.

According to the Regimental Diary, Holland, along with other officers, re-joined the 6th Dragoons on 14 December 1914 when the regiment docked at Marseilles. He was attached to “A” Squadron under Major Terrot, renewing a long-standing acquaintance with this gentleman.
He performed the duties of Assistant Adjutant and commanded a squadron of the 2nd Reserve Regiment of Cavalry from February 1916. He was appointed Provost Reinforcement Officer in April 1917 and Assistant Provost Marshall of the 15th Division from November 1917.

1917 would be a memorable year for an entirely different reason. It was the year that his father was declared a bankrupt. Having disposed of William Holland and Sons in 1898, and with the moneys received, he had made a number of unwise investments in Chinese mines and railways and Japanese bonds and was forced to make a settlement with his creditors. This would have been a worry to the younger Holland but he soldiered on.

He was demobilised on 15 April 1919 and reemployed as Deputy Assistant Provost Marshall from 3 June 1919. His officers file records that he was “A very able, reliable and hardworking officer, possesses a knowledge of colloquial French and appears to be physically fit.”

From 1920 to 1922 he served as an Assistant Administrator at the Ministry of Munitions, serving on the Disposal Board, whose job it was to sell the vast number of weapons and ammunition which was no longer needed. But what of his wife whilst he was abroad? The Honourable Miriam Holland was, according to an article in The Gentlewomen Magazine of September 11, 1915, “The winner of the fifth “Q.W.W.” Brooch Medal presented by “The Gentlewomen” to the Burbage L.G.C.” she was photographed in a Red Cross uniform she wore as a Nurse at the Buxton Auxiliary Hospital.

The 1921 England census confirmed that Holland, now 44 years and 8 months old, was at home – 31 Emperor’s Gate, Kensington, along with his 30 year old wife and one servant – 41 year old Emily Miller.

On 25 October 1926 Holland reached the age of 50 and was advised, accordingly, that he ceased to be a member of the Reserve of Officers.

Stuart Lund Holland acceded to the title on his father’s death in 1927, becoming the 2nd Baron Rotherham. He passed away at his home in Bentley Road, Cambridge at the age of 73 on 24 January 1950.












Lord Rotherham attending a Charity Ball in Cambridge, Tatler 1939

Putting a face to a recipient is always gratifying. Despite the fact that Lord Rotherham would have been 64 at the time this photo of him and his wife was taken, it is still him!

My thanks to the Tatler of December 1939 and the BNA to which I subscribe.

This is the hobby that keeps on giving! I was able to secure a photo of Holland, circa WWI, and have added it to the main story.