Emma Holt

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Emma Holt
Percy Bigland' (died 1929)s portrait of EmmaHolt 1862-1944.jpg
in 1889, by Percy Bigland
Born
Emma Georgina Holt

10 January 1862
West Derby
Died19 December 1944 (1944-12-20) (aged 82)
Coniston
NationalityUnited Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
Known forphilanthropy and an advocate for women's education

Emma Holt (10 January 1862 – 19 December 1944) was a British philanthropist and supporter of women's education. She was seen as Liverpool University's "Fairy Godmother".

Life[]

Holt was born in West Derby. She was the only child of Elizabeth (born Bright) and George Holt. Her father was co-founder of the Lamport and Holt shipping Line and he was a strong supporter of University College, Liverpool. Holt attended lectures there on architecture in 1884 and 1900-1901.[1] Her family were Unitarian's and she was a strong supporter of the Reverend John Hamilton Thom who was minister at the Renshaw Street Unitarian Chapel on Mount Pleasant in Liverpool. She became a leader of that chapel. In 1894 Thom died and the chapel began its move to Ullet Street where Holt continued as one of its leaders.[1]

In 1883, she and her parents moved into Sudley House and this would be her home until she retired. Her father died in 1896 and her mother in 1920.[2]

In 1889 Percy Bigland completed a portrait of her and it is in the Sudley House collection.[3]

In 1896 her father died and she and her mother continued and expanded the family's philanthropy.[1]

In 1909 she joined the council of the University of Liverpool and apart from a year gap in 1915-16 she served there until 1934. The university had been created in 1903 and she was unusual being a woman on the university's council in addition to being a life governor of the university and University College. The university recognised her contribution when they granted an honorary doctorate of laws in 1928.[1] More widely she was seen as the university's "fairy godmother" finding few peers to her generosity except maybe Belfast's Eliza and Isabella Riddel.[4]

Holt died at her home in Coniston where she had retired.[1]

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e "Holt, Emma Georgina (1862–1944), philanthropist and supporter of women's higher education". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. 2004. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/52395. Retrieved 2020-09-04. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  2. ^ "Happy Father's Day!". National Museums Liverpool. Retrieved 2020-09-04.
  3. ^ "Percy Bigland - Emma Holt (1862–1944)". en.wahooart.com. Retrieved 2020-09-04.
  4. ^ McClelland, Gillian; Hadden, Diana (2005). Pioneering Women: Riddel Hall and Queen's University Belfast. Ulster Historical Foundation. p. 31. ISBN 978-1-903688-57-1.
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