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John Holms

1830 – 1891

British politician

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About John Holms

Lived 1830 – 1891 (aged 60). John Holms was a British politician.

John Holms JP, DL (21 September 1830 – 31 March 1891), was a Scottish businessman and Liberal politician.

Background Holms was the son of James Holms of Sancel Bank, Paisley, and his wife Janet Love, daughter of James Love, of Paisley. His brother William Holms was MP for Paisley.

Career Holms was a partner in W. Holms Bros, spinners, of Glasgow.

He was elected member of parliament for Hackney in 1860, and served in the second Liberal administration of William Ewart Gladstone as a Junior Lord of the Treasury from 1880 to 1882 and as Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade from 1882 to 1885. When Hackney was divided into single-member constituencies in 1885 John stood for the Central division. He was defeated by his Conservative opponent by 193 votes. Just a few days later he was seriously injured in an accident on the London Underground and rendered an invalid for the remainder of his life.

He was also a justice of the peace for Lanarkshire, Middlesex and Westminster and a deputy lieutenant for Tower Hamlets. He was the author of military books including The British Army in 1875 and Our Military Difficulty.

Personal life Holms married Elizabeth Lyon, daughter of Edward Lyon of Kennington in 1856. He died in March 1891, aged 60.

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Important facts

Birth century
Occupation
Positions held
Member of the 22nd Parliament of the United Kingdom, Member of the 21st Parliament of the United Kingdom, Member of the 20th Parliament of the United Kingdom

People in John Holms's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped John Holms's

Frequently asked questions

Who was John Holms?

British politician

When was John Holms born?

John Holms was born on 21 September 1830.

When did John Holms die?

John Holms died on 31 March 1891.

What was John Holms's occupation?

John Holms was a politician.

What nationality was John Holms?

John Holms was British.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: John Holms

· Wikidata: Q6239683

· DBpedia: John Holms

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). John Holms. https://biography.guide/john-holms/

MLA: "John Holms." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/john-holms/.

Chicago: "John Holms." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/john-holms/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-21 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

Portrait: Wikimedia Commons · author & licence

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