Sir Henry Holland, 1st Baronet

Sir Henry Holland, 1st Baronet (27 October 1788 – 27 October 1873) was a British physician and travel writer.

Born in Knutsford, Cheshire, Holland was the son of the physician Peter Holland (1766-1853) and his wife Mary Willets, through whom he was a cousin of the novelist Elizabeth Gaskell and nephew of the potter Josiah Wedgwood. In 1822 he married, Margaret Emma Caldwell (1795-1830, known as Emma), with whom he had two sons and two daughters:


 * Henry Holland, 1st Viscount Knutsford (1825-1914)
 * Francis James Holland, (1828-1907)
 * Emily Mary Holland (1824- 1908) married Charles Buxton; their son was Sydney Buxton, 1st Earl Buxton
 * Elinor Anne Holland (1826 -1829)

Emma died in 2 February 1830. He later became son-in-law to the wit Sydney Smith whose daughter, Saba, he married as his second wife, with whom he had two daughters.


 * Caroline Holland (1834-1909)
 * Gertrude Holland (1840-1898)

Holland gained fame through his travel writings, having travelled to Iceland and through the Balkans and the Iberian peninsula, while the British were at war with France. He was also a talented society physician, and between his good looks, his charm, and his experiences and conversation, he was much in demand.

Holland died on his 85th birthday, the 27th October 1873 at his house in Brook Street, London.