Isaac Holden
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Sir Isaac Holden, 1st Baronet (7 May 1807 - 13 August 1897) was an inventor and manufacturer, who is known both for his work with wool-combing and with matches.
He was born in the village of Hurlet near Glasgow, and from the age of ten worked in a cotton mill. He became largely self-educated, although he did briefly attend a grammar school. After an unsuccessful apprenticeship, he became a teacher at local schools, and in 1829 obtained a post at the Castle Academy in Reading, Berkshire. It was here that he developed the Lucifer match, but did not patent the invention. (It was apparently taken up by the father of one of his pupils). The following year he returned to Scotland, and after a brief period of teaching became a bookkeeper at a worsted factory. Transferring to the technical side, he developed a square motion wool-comber and a device for making genappe yarns, which he did patent along with S. C, Lister (later Lord Masham).
In 1848, trading as Lister & Holden, they set up a factory near Paris which became the largest wool-combing establishment in the world. Lister retired from the business, and the company became Isaac Holden and sons.
From 1865 to 1868, he served as Member of Parliament For Knaresborough, as a Liberal, and from 1882 to 1885 for North Yorkshire, from then until 1895 for Keighley, near where he owned Oakworth Hall.
He was made a baronet in 1893.
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This page incorporates information from Leigh Rayment's Peerage Page