(c.1723 - 86) of Redgrave Hall, Suff., e. s. of Rowland Holt of Redgrave; Magd. Oxf. 1740; MP 1759 - 68, 1771 - 80; unm.
1745 - 7 Rome (winter 1745 - 6 May 1747), Florence (by 16 May)
1750 - 1 [dep. England Oct. 1749] Rome (1750 - May 1751) [England Jul. 1751]
Holt's first visit to Italy was made with John Monro. In January 1746 Horace Mann heard that Holt, Monro, John Bouverie and Richard Phelps had been paying court to the Pretender in Rome,1 where Holt and Monro were lodging in the Selciata di S.Sebastianello in 1746.2 On 16 May 1747 they had returned from Rome to Florence, 'on the way, 'tis said, to England', wrote Mann, adding 'I should think some notice would be taken of them, as their behaviour in Rome has been so publicly insolent'.3 While in Rome Holt commissioned James Russel to draw some statues for him,4 and in July 1749 Russel had dedicated the second plate in his Letters to Holt, in recognition of 'favours received during his residence abroad'.5
Holt set out again from England in October 1749,6 this time with the Rev. Edward Ventris. They had originally planned to leave Rome in September 1750, but stayed until the following May.7 Holt engaged James Russel as his antiquarian and commissioned from him more drawings of statues. They were back in England in July 1751, and in October James Russel received a letter from his father in London, saying that he had presented to Holt 'a sett of the Letters large paper', and that he hoped his son had been paid.8 Russel replied that Holt had paid him very generously as an antiquarian, 'but never mentioned anything to me as to the engraving; he likewise paid me before hand for the drawing of several statues, many of which I have finished'.9 The drawings were finally dispatched in July 1753.(10)
1. Wal.Corr., 19:191. 2. AVR sa, S.Lorenzo in Lucina. 3. Wal.Corr., 19:400. 4. Add.41169, f.8v (J. Russel, 9 Dec. 1747). 5. Ibid., f.25v (14 Jun. 1749). 6. Ibid., f.37v (R. Russel, 18 Oct. 1749). 7. Ibid., f.52v (J. Russel, 13 Jul. 1751). 8. Ibid., f.53 (24 Oct. 1751). 9. Ibid., f.55 (30 Nov. 1751). 10. Ibid., f.70 (31 Jul. 1753).