Over the years, Canada has been a popular destination for emigration. In some cases, it was a temeporary home before finally sttling in the USA, as happened with Gregory and William S Hollyer, the two painters, sons of William Perring Hollyer. The earliest traveller to Canada appears to have been Walter Henry Babbage Hollier who went to Canada from Wales in the 1860s, had children there but later returned to Wales. But three of his sons, George, Henry and Frederick did later emigrate permanently.
Another prominent family to emigrate to Canada in 1907 was Albert Owen Hollier with his wife Rachel and 5 of his 6 children from the Sharnford Holliers, about whom more is written in Harry Duckworth's article here. Two of Albert's brothers, Thomas Arthur and Vincent Oswald also settled in Canada.
Other Holliers to emigrate included 2 from the Lambeth family, 2 from the Moreton in the Marsh family and one from Swindon, descended from the Somerset family.
Amongst the Hollyer families, the Bank Manager Alfred John Hollyer (1865-1941) was an early emigrant in 1883. It was his son John Elphicke Leslie Hollyer that did a lot of early research on the Hollyer families, corresponding with John Unmey-Grey. They thought they must be related, but in fact the former was part of the Coventry group, while the latter was part of the Kent Hollyers. Montague Robert, a younger brother of Alfred John emigrated in 1913, but died soon after.
Another descendant from the Coventry families was Christopher William Hollyer (1866-1938). Like his famous Uncle Frederick, he became a photographer. He emigrated to Canada sometime in the 1890s, but later gave up photography and became a carpenter. In 1916 he was described as a lumber shipper.
Mary Louise Hollyer, eldest daughter of George and Elizabeth Hollyer married John Graffy in 1889 and had 6 children. They emigrated in 1912, closely followed by Charles Stanley Hollyer, who in 1920 married one of the Graffy daughters, Mary Elizabeth, who was his first cousin. This family still thrives in the Toronto area. One of George's sons, Edgar (1877-1967) also followed sometime after 1918. His son, Edgar, still lives in Kanata. The last of this family to emigrate was Helen Beatrice, in 1930, but she died the following year.
Holyer families went to Canada too. Frederick Henry Holyer (1887-1975), son of Jabez Holyer went out to farm at Weyburn, Saskatchewan in 1910. Although he later returned to Britain, other members of his family stayed.
Back to top