Rectory Lane Cemetery, Berkhamsted

George James Holliday

d.13/06/1937

Founder of Holliday Cycle Shop on Berkhamsted High Street

Relatives

Louisa Campian Holliday — wife

• Karen Evans

George James Holliday was the third generation of his family to have had the business on the High Street. When he was born in 1853 Holliday Street was a mere track, but as he grew up in the area it became a proper street carrying his family’s name.

Maps of Berkhamsted show that Holliday Street was already built and housed by 1877.

George James married his wife Louisa Campian Peach, from the Lincolnshire village of Fulbeck, in 1879 at Marylebone.  They had four children of whom three survived to adulthood:-

• Thomas Campian baptised on 22nd January 1882.
• Henry Charles baptised on 28th December 1884.
• Eleanor Caroline baptised on 27th May 1888. She died on 29th January 1889 and was buried with her grandparents, aunt and cousins in plot 139.
• Herbert George baptised on 27th April 1890.

With the departure of Stephen Lusted back to his family home in Sussex, George James took over the business. Unlike his father who died relatively young, George James had time to establish himself. He was enumerated on the High Street in the 1891, 1901 and 1911 censuses. Kelly’s trade Directory of 1898 listed him as a wheelwright and coachbuilder of 64 High Street.

The business changed to accommodate the technological advances of the day. In 1891 and 1901 George James was a wheelwright, by 1911 he gave his occupation as Coach Builder and Cycle Agent. His sons all followed the family trade at that time as well. Thomas Campian was the first member of the family to live around the corner in Holliday Street, his occupation the same as his father “Coachbuilder and Cycle Agent”. Henry Charles was a Coachbuilder living in Castle Street, and the youngest, Herbert George, was still living with his parents as a Coachbuilder. In 1914, by which time George James would have been 61 years old.  Kelly’s Trade Directory has two listings for the family: Mrs Thomas C Holliday was a dressmaker of 10 Holliday Street, while Holliday Brothers, coachbuilders were at 64 High Street.

In 1929 the listing was for Holliday Bros, Cycle Agents, 64 High Street.

George James and Louise both lived on into their 80s, with Louise dying in 1932 and George James in 1937. He died in the house in which he was born and raised at 64 High Street.

Louisa Campian Holliday

d.17/02/1932

Wife of bicycle shop owner George James Holliday

Relatives

George James Holliday — husband

• Karen Evans

Louisa Campian Peach came from from the Lincolnshire village of Fulbeck.

In 1879 she married wheelwright George James Holliday of Berkhamsted at Marylebone, London.  They had four children of whom three survived to adulthood:-

• Thomas Campian baptised on 22nd January 1882.
• Henry Charles baptised on 28th December 1884.
• Eleanor Caroline baptised on 27th May 1888. She died on 29th January 1889 and was buried with her grandparents, aunt and cousins in plot 139.
• Herbert George baptised on 27th April 1890.

George later adapted his business and turned to selling bicycles in the Holliday cycle shop on the High Street.

George James and Louisa both lived on into their 80s, with Louisa dying in 1932 and George James in 1937. He died in the house in which he was born and raised at 64 High Street.