Arthur Howe Holdsworth

Arthur Howe Holdsworth (1780-1860), was named Governor of Dartmouth Castle, a position held by his father Arthur from 1760 to 1777, in 1809. He was elected member of Parliament for Dartmouth in 1812, 1818, 1829 and 1831.

Holdsworth was from an Devon merchant family and resided at Widdecombe House and Mount Galpin in Dartmouth located near Kingsbridge within the Stokenham Priory estate, owned by the Holdsworth family for many years. He served as the last Governor of Dartmouth.

Holdsworth was a well-known politician in Devonshire, his father Arthur having been a prominent shipowner and merchant. Arthur Howe Holdsworth Holdsworth was an active businessman with interests in shipping and an inventor with many patents to his name, most relating to shipbuilding and boats. He was a shareholder in the Bristol and Exeter Railway. He was a prime force behind the active shipping interests of Devon.

The Holdsworth family's roots lay in Yorkshire, and a vicar ancestor moved to Devon in 1620. The vicar's son Arthur entered trade and, aided by the Champerdowne family, began a lucrative trade with Newfoundland. By 1672 he was mayor of Dartmouth and am imposing figure on the local business scene. In the following two centuries the Holdsworth family would come to dominate the mercantile and cultural life of Dartmouth. They were the leaders in the trade with Newfoundland and with Portugal, where they owned land. Their interests also extended into trade with the Baltic, the West Indies and America.

"The family continued to prosper," according to David K. Brown in his book The Way of the Ship in the Midst of the Sea, "helped in 1725 by the award of 'The Waters of the Dart' from the Duchy of Cornwall in 1725 which entitled them to levy tolls on all goods landed between Salcombe and Torbay, a rich perquisite which lasted until 1860. The Holdsworths and their relations held most of the important posts in and around Dartmouth, Freemen, Mayors, Governor of the Castle since 1725, Rector of Stokenham and Brixham, etc. The family home was Widdicombe House, near Torcross, built in 1785 and enlarged in 1820. They also owned Brooke Hall, Dartmouth."

At his death in 1871, Holdsworth left an enormous estate. Following Holdsworth defeat for his Parliamentary seat in 1832 by John Henry Seale, whose family had challenged the Holdsworth family's hold on the Corporation, all the members of the Holdsworth family left Dartmouth.