Sir Edward Holden, 1st Baronet

Sir Edward Hopkinson Holden, 1st Baronet (11 May 1848 – 23 July 1919) was a British banker and Liberal politician, most notable for his role in developing the Midland Bank into the largest bank in the world.

Family Hopkinson was born at the Bull's Head, Tottington, Lancashire. He was the eldest son of Henry Holden, a calico bleacher and Ann Hopkinson. He was educated at Summerseat Methodist Primary School.

After working as a clerk in local businesses, he entered banking in 1866 as an apprentice at the Bolton branch of the Manchester and County Bank. At the same time he was continuing his education by attending evening classes at Owen's College, Manchester, studying political economy, logic and law.

In 1877 he married Annie Cassie of Aberdeen, and they had three children. He declined the offer of a peerage on two occasions.

Despite his retirement from parliamentary politics, Holden remained an economic adviser to the government. He was part of a commission sent to New York City in 1915 to help stabilise exchange rates, and helped raise a loan negotiated by the Anglo-French Financial Commission in 1915.

Holden developed heart disease in his final year, and died suddenly at Duff House Sanatorium in Banff, Banffshire (now Aberdeenshire) of cerebral thrombosis and heart failure.