William Seymour Holden
"Everyone who knew him had infinite respect for his integrity".
William Holden was my great grand father. I never met him, although he lived to the ripe old age of 84 he died in 1948, the year before I was born.
He appears to have been a fairly quiet man, but a fiercely loyal one providing for several dependent women long after his death.
He was an ordinary man.
The Early Days
William was born on the 3rd of July 1864 to James Holden and Ellen Grimshaw at 83 Percival Street, Miles Platting in Manchester. He was the youngest of three sons.
He was not baptised with the name Seymour which was a later addition, handed down to his son and grandson, my father stopped the tradition in its tracks, instead giving me the middle name of Stuart to maintain the initial! Although that is not totally accepted, some claim that it was my mothers choice to commemorate her Scottish ancestry and connection to the clan Stuart. Take your pick.
In 1881 William is recorded as living at 62[?] Hulme Hall Lane, Miles Platting, a shop.
Father James was described in various census's as a labourer, an engine driver and a shop keeper. If the family myth machine is to be believed he was also an alcoholic and a wife beater, the three sons finally evicting him from the family home.
Life after school saw a brief sojourn as a message boy on the railways followed closely by a move that was going to live with him for the rest of his working life. He went to work for the Co-operative Society in Manchester.
He was a message boy in a railway yard at age 14, he was a little bandy-legged runt, but a rottweiler fighter and they called him "Cock o'th' Yard".
Eleanor Green
Herbert Holden
Family Life
In the late 1890s William married Eleanor Green - aged 26 in the accompanying photograph with only child Herbert Seymour Holden, and to the right in a later, mid 1910s photo.
After the Great War Herbert trained as a singer
At some time after 1900 William bought Fern Bank 30 Polefield Road Blackley where he lived until his death accompanied by several of his wife's sisters.
Work and Life
William steadily rose through the ranks at the Co-op, belied by the description of occupation given in census returns of Clerk. He was still describing himself as such whilst president of the Blackley Co-operative Society.
But I am getting in front of myself here. There are many years of Williams life left unrecorded but we do know that he was assistant manger of the Co-op Preserves Factory at Middleton Junction and that he was connected in some way with the Co-op laundry at Monton.
His obituary tells us that he was invited to play cricket for Lancashire, amateur I assume, and during the 1914-1918 war he was a member of the Manchester Food Committee.
Emily Green
Emily Green outside 30 Polefield Road probably in the early 1950s.
Death
After a long and seemingly eventful life William Seymour Holden finally died at Fern Bank Polefield Road on 15 December 1948.
He left an estate valued at £7314 15s 5d. a not inconsiderable sum for the time.
He was buried at the North Manchester Cemetery in the family plot.
The Obituary
December 25th 1948 (The Guardian???) P5
Death of Mr W S Holden
The death of Mr William Seymour Holden, at his home, 30 Polefield Rd Blackley at the age of 84 on Wednesday last (December 15th) marks the end of an era in the activities of the Blackley Co-operative movement. His life had been very closely bound up with many aspects of co-operation with which he was connected from a very early age.
He was known throughout North Manchester, being born in Newton Heath. His activities in Blackley go back to the turn of the last century and he spent 42 years in his house at Polefield Rd. As a young man he was a keen sportsman, but most of all he loved cricket. He was a member of the old Moston Cricket Club in the days when this club was the first of its kind in the district. He was once invited to play for the county. Rugby claimed the second place in his sporting interests. Yet sport was but one side of his varied career.
Mr Holden entered the Coop movement at an early age, while in his teens. He worked for the C.W.S. until he retired, holding various posts meanwhile; he spent years in Balloon St Manchester, at the Co-op headquarters. At one time he was assistant manager of the Preserve Works, Middleton Junction.
His first important ventures into the social side of the Co-operative movement was in 1900, when he was largely instrumental in forming the Education Committee of the Blackley Coop. Together with his friend, the late Arthur Hopkinson (who died four years ago) Mr Holden launched this new venture and was appointed first Chairman of this committee. Previously, he had taken part in discussions and had been a keen critic of the Blackley Co-op Society's activities. As chairman, he organised a series of propaganda concerts which became extremely popular and are still remembered today. He joined the board of Management of Blackley Co-op Society in 1911, being elected to president in 1914. He was the second president of the Blackley Society. He maintained this presidency until his retirement from the board in 1935.
During this time he was chairman of the united Co-op Laundries Association for a lengthy period. During the 1914-1918 war he was a member of the Manchester Food Committee.
Speaking of his activities on the Education committe, Mrs Buttle, of Grange Park Rd, Blackley, who worked with him for many years, said "He was a keen educationalist and took an interest in the education side of the movement and he was a very keen business man"
Though his life was so closely linked with the co-operative movement, Mr Holden still found time for outside interests. In the 20s he was a prospective candidate Independent for the city Council. He was unsuccessful and Alderman Williams was elected. Mr Holden was also a Mason and in 1926 was the Worshipful Master of the Acacia Lodge of Manchester. He became the [illegible] of East Lancashire.
He leaves one son, two grandsons and a great granddaughter. Two sisters also survive him. The funeral was on Saturday last, at Harpurhey Cemetery, following a service at his home. This was conducted by the Rev EJW Peddlesden, minister of the Oldham Rd congregationalist Church, with which Mr Holden was connected since birth. Several of his former Co-op colleagues attended the funeral as well as members of the congregation of the Oldham Rd church. After the interment, Councillor Clement Stott, of Blackley, who succeeded Mr Holden as president, spoke of him thus, which was an all-embracing ephitaph for an outstanding and versatile public man: "Everyone who knew him had infinite respect for his integrity".
Death of Mr W S Holden
The death of Mr William Seymour Holden, at his home, 30 Polefield Rd Blackley at the age of 84 on Wednesday last (December 15th) marks the end of an era in the activities of the Blackley Co-operative movement. His life had been very closely bound up with many aspects of co-operation with which he was connected from a very early age.
He was known throughout North Manchester, being born in Newton Heath. His activities in Blackley go back to the turn of the last century and he spent 42 years in his house at Polefield Rd. As a young man he was a keen sportsman, but most of all he loved cricket. He was a member of the old Moston Cricket Club in the days when this club was the first of its kind in the district. He was once invited to play for the county. Rugby claimed the second place in his sporting interests. Yet sport was but one side of his varied career.
Mr Holden entered the Coop movement at an early age, while in his teens. He worked for the C.W.S. until he retired, holding various posts meanwhile; he spent years in Balloon St Manchester, at the Co-op headquarters. At one time he was assistant manager of the Preserve Works, Middleton Junction.
His first important ventures into the social side of the Co-operative movement was in 1900, when he was largely instrumental in forming the Education Committee of the Blackley Coop. Together with his friend, the late Arthur Hopkinson (who died four years ago) Mr Holden launched this new venture and was appointed first Chairman of this committee. Previously, he had taken part in discussions and had been a keen critic of the Blackley Co-op Society's activities. As chairman, he organised a series of propaganda concerts which became extremely popular and are still remembered today. He joined the board of Management of Blackley Co-op Society in 1911, being elected to president in 1914. He was the second president of the Blackley Society. He maintained this presidency until his retirement from the board in 1935.
During this time he was chairman of the united Co-op Laundries Association for a lengthy period. During the 1914-1918 war he was a member of the Manchester Food Committee.
Speaking of his activities on the Education committe, Mrs Buttle, of Grange Park Rd, Blackley, who worked with him for many years, said "He was a keen educationalist and took an interest in the education side of the movement and he was a very keen business man"
Though his life was so closely linked with the co-operative movement, Mr Holden still found time for outside interests. In the 20s he was a prospective candidate Independent for the city Council. He was unsuccessful and Alderman Williams was elected. Mr Holden was also a Mason and in 1926 was the Worshipful Master of the Acacia Lodge of Manchester. He became the [illegible] of East Lancashire.
He leaves one son, two grandsons and a great granddaughter. Two sisters also survive him. The funeral was on Saturday last, at Harpurhey Cemetery, following a service at his home. This was conducted by the Rev EJW Peddlesden, minister of the Oldham Rd congregationalist Church, with which Mr Holden was connected since birth. Several of his former Co-op colleagues attended the funeral as well as members of the congregation of the Oldham Rd church. After the interment, Councillor Clement Stott, of Blackley, who succeeded Mr Holden as president, spoke of him thus, which was an all-embracing ephitaph for an outstanding and versatile public man: "Everyone who knew him had infinite respect for his integrity".
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