Basic Biographical Details Name: | Henry Holland | Designation: | | Born: | 20 July 1745 | Died: | 17 June 1806 | Bio Notes: | Henry Holland was born on 20 July 1745, the eldest son of Henry Holland, a successful master builder. The older Holland was Master of the Tylers’ and Bricklayers’ Company in 1772-3. The younger Holland seems to have trained with his father in his yard in Fulham as there is no evidence that he was a pupil of an architect. In 1771 he formed a partnership with the landscape designer Lancelot Brown, although it was more an association than a full partnership. Brown was then living quite close at Hampton Court; he seems to have known the older Holland. Both partners were not involved in all the jobs and Holland took over the architectural side of Brown’s practice and was introduced to Brown’s large range of clients. Holland married Brown’s daughter Bridget and the couple moved to 17 Hertford Street, a London house which had been built by Holland and his father.
Although he had not been trained in the office of an architect or travelled overseas, Holland became one of England’s leading architects. His first major commission, Brooks’ Club in St James’s Street put him in contact with a range of upper class Whigs and ultimately to the Prince of Wales. Whig taste veered to the French and Holland was able to supply this need through study of the publications of French architects and by employing a French assistant. He developed a style of his own parallel to that of the Adam brothers which, according to Colvin ‘elegant and original’. Holland was also adept at planning – in, for example, the sequence of rooms at Carlton House, designed within an existing shell and for his handling of the forecourt. Holland in some senses continued what Chambers had begun in his low-key exteriors, fine staircases and in the French character of his designs. But unlike Chambers, he also espoused the Greek Revival style with reasonable archaeological accuracy.
Like many of his contemporaries Holland ventured in speculative building. In 1771 with capital from his father he leased an area of land in Chelsea and erected the estate known as Hans Town. This comprised Sloane Street, Cadogan Place and Hans Place. He built a large villa for himself at one end of Hans Place, called Sloane Place.
Holland was a shy man and did not seek the limelight. He never exhibited at the Royal Academy. He did become a JP for Middlesex in 1778 and held two public offices, a District Surveyorship in 1774 and the other a Clerkship of the Works at the Royal Mews at Charing Cross. This was an Office of Works appointment which he obtained in 1775 but lost in 1782 as a result of reforms of that year. In 1799 he succeeded Richard Jupp as Surveyor to the East India Company. From 1782 to 1793 he was a surveyor to the Bridewell and Bethlehem Hospitals. He was a member do the Stationers’ Company.
Holland was very concerned with fire prevention and spent much time on this. He used David Hartley’s ‘fire-plate’ and published on the subject. He also contributed two papers to the Communications of the Board of Agriculture in 1797. One was a practical essay on the construction of cottages, the other on the use of ‘pisé’ which he introduced to England, according to Papworth in his ‘Rural Residences’ of 1818.
Holland died in Sloane Place on 17 June 1806 aged 60 and was buried in the family tomb at Fulham Churchyard. He was survived by his two sons and five daughters. He had a number of pupils including Soane and C H Tatham.
Various portraits and busts of Holland survive notably ones at Woburn and at Southill Park. His drawings and papers were largely destroyed after his death by his nephew and executor but two sketch books and a volume of drawings are in the RIBA.
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Employment and TrainingEmployees or PupilsThe following individuals were employed or trained by this (click on an item to view details): | | Name | Date from | Date to | Position | Notes | | Sir John Soane | 1772 | 1778 | Assistant | |
Buildings and DesignsThis was involved with the following buildings or structures from the date specified (click on an item to view details): | | Date started | Building name | Town, district or village | Island | City or county | Country | Notes | | 1783 | Layout of town | Grangemouth | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | | | 1791 | Drury Lane Theatre | | | London | England | Rebuilding | | 1795 | Theatre, Marischal Street | | | Aberdeen | Scotland | | | 1798 | Dunira | | | Perthshire | Scotland | Scheme for enlargement. | | 1807 | The Assembly Rooms | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Terminal pavilions added |
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this : | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | | APSD | | The Dictionary of Architecture | ed Wyatt Papworth | The Architectural Publication Society (8v 1852-1892) | | | Colvin, Howard | 2008 | A Biographical Dictionary of British Architects 1600-1840 | | London: YUP. 4th edition | | | DNB | | Dictionary of National Biography | | | Article by David Watkin | | McKenzie, D F (ed) | 1978 | Stationers' Company Apprentices | | Oxford Bibliographical Society | p176 | | Stroud, Dorothy | 1950 | Henry Holland | | | | | Stroud, Dorothy | 1966 | Henry Holland: His Life and Architecture | | | |
Periodical ReferencesThe following periodicals contain references to this : | | Periodical Name | Date | Edition | Publisher | Notes | | Builder | 1855 | xiii | | p427. H B Hodson: 'Holland The Architect' |
Archive ReferencesThe following archives hold material relating to this : | | Source | Archive Name | Source Catalogue No. | Notes | | Berkshire Record Office | Archives | | David Hartley's papers |
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