Holmes, William

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Holmes, William

Watercolour painting of William Holmes aged 91, one of Bradford's oldest itinerants, by John Sowden, 1888. Holmes played mouth organ outside the pubs and theatres of the town centre.

Research - sat for Sowden around Christmas 1888. Spent his childhood as a railway labourer. initially worked in Devon and Cornwall and then in Russia as a platelayer. Retired in 1850 with £2,000 which he gave to his son to open up a grocer's shop in Bradford. Holmes had a stroke and ended up in Bradford Workhouse temporarily. His son went off to Australia and left him.

Year

1888

Image filename

sowden-223