Richard Hollier of Greenwich 1791-1852

Jack French wrote to me as follows:-

I have an extensive collection of Victorian stamps, particularly Line Engraved issues, including the 1d Black. In my collection I have a 1d Black entire written from Frith Street London addressed to Mrs Hollier, Maze Hill, Greenwich, Kent dated 3rd December 1840.

It is a fascinating letter on gold-edged paper from Richard Hollier to his wife "Letty" in which he emotionally describes his desperate situation "as a fugitive from his home".

Jack has since sent a photo of this letter. Evidently Richard was in some sort of legal problem. Until now, I'd known Richard as a wealthy descendant of the Isle of Wight Holliers, who lived the life of a Landowner, Gentleman and Scholar. In my reply I said:

Richard Hollier was born on 12th Jan 1791 in the City of London and was baptised on 4th Feb at St Stephen, Coleman Street. He married Laetitia Phillips (daughter of William Phillips and Ann Gresham) on 11th April 1812 at St Lawrence Pountney. They had no children. They lived much of their lives in Greenwich at Maze Hill and later Park Terrace. Richard died 22nd Jan 1852 in Greenwich and was buried in Nunhead Cemetery. In his will, he left his wife Laetitia well provided for and made some other personal gifts, but the residue of his estate was given to University College London to set up the Hollier Scholarship in Greek and Hebrew, which is still given to this day.

When his wife Laetitia died on 5th Aug 1871, the will was worth nearly £25000 and she gave a major bequest to Gresham College of some 1200 books as well as paintings, prints, music. It was so large that a book was published as a catalogue of the bequest. Laetitia's family was quite well off and she had been left £1500 in her father's will, but there's little doubt that it was the Hollier family that was wealthy. Richard's grandfather, another Richard (c1720s -1802) had been a gold refiner in the City and was evidently quite rich. I sense all the Holliers in the City were well-connected, as Richard's nephew (yet another Richard) was elected City Marshall in 1799. Richard's will of 1801 gave money to many of his Hollier relations and suggests that his son William was to take over the refining business in Love Lane and indeed when William died in 1828 he mentions that property but otherwise lists many properties he owned in Kent, Essex and Middlesex so he seems to have invested his wealth in property. All this land passed to his sole son Richard. In the 1851 census, Richard describes himself as a Landed Proprietor, so it seems that he was able to live the life of a Gentleman and Scholar. After he died, Laetitia describes herself in similar terms in the 1861 and 1871 censuses. The 1839 Pigot's Directory for Kent lists Richard under "Gentry" living at Maize Place, Greenwich.

This family seems to have done well by their move into London from their original roots in the Isle of Wight.

The John Evans mentioned in the letter is almost certainly a solicitor as Laetitia's will was made by John Evans, a solicitor, perhaps the same or a son?

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This still leaves us with the puzzle about what sort of difficulties Richard was having in 1840.