|
Caribbean Consulting Merchandising w Marketing w Distribution w Profitability
The Holm family is of Scandinavian origin. Our Holm’s on Saba, however, came from Holland via St. Eustatius. After the decline of St. Eustatius, once known as the "Golden Rock", the Holm family moved to Saba. The two brothers who moved to Saba were George William Christian Holm (b.1823) and Phenias Lawrence Holm. G.W.C. Holm was a shoemaker, and had two sons. Thomas Holm was Act. Lt. Governor of Saba for many years, also Kings Council as well as a member of the Local Court of Policy.
This photo of the Saban Dignataries from 1897 includes - back row (left to right) Edward James Simmons, Dr. Christian Pfanstiehl, Sammy Simmons, Lovelace Hassell, engle Heyliger Simmons (King's Cpouncil) - front row: Rev. J.W. Leverock (Anglican), theodore Heyliger, Governor DeVeer, Lt. Governor Thomas Holm, Father Mulder (Roman Catholic). Thomas's daughter Ida was mother to Calvin Holm who currently owns Captain's Quarters.
Thomas’s brother George was the father of our captain. Captain George Irvin Holm was born in 1891 and died in 1984. His father George died in an accident with a falling stone while farming under the cliffs at Crispeen when the captain was only 11 years old and his brother Ralph, 9. Ralph also went on to become a Captain and the last years before he retired he was captain for Farrell Lines until his retirement in 1946. He sailed mostly to Europe and took part in D-Day and went into the beach with his ship. Captain Irvin started sailing as was customary back then at the age of 13 on a two masted schooner 'Mary Love', which belonged to Captain Ben Hassell, as a cabin boy. In 1906 he visited the United States for the first time. The 'Mary Love' took 22 passengers from Saba, Statia and St. Maarten and brought back the lumber to build the home of Captain Ernest Alfred Johnson on Booby Hill. In 1909 he moved to New York and started to work on sailing ships and yachts. At the age of 18, he sailed as a 'donkeyman' on the 'Prescott Palmer' sister ship to the five masted 'Rebecca Palmer'. He obtained his 3rd mates license in 1916, his second mate’s license in 1917 and that of Chief Mate in 1918. He then joined the Navy as Lieutenant and sailed on a troopship to Liverpool, England. He was transferred and worked as an assistant to the port captain of Brest, France, then to a navy ship with headquarters at Cardiff, England. After the war he became captain of a private yacht named 'Halcyon', which later became a rum runner. In 1931 he became captain of a steamer for the Dupont (International Trading Co.) then went over to Prudential Lines as Captain until he retired in 1947. His last ship was the 'Thomas E. Mitchell'. Captain Holm died at the age of 93. His remains were brought to Saba and a lifelong wish fulfilled when he was laid to rest next to the grave of his beloved father. © Will JohnsonReturn to listing of Saba Sea Captains
This page was last updated on 06/29/2008 |
||
|
|
Captain George Holm
at the grave of his father, George W.C. Holm in Windwardside with Mt.
Scenery in the background. 
Thomas's son
Lovelock was the father of George and grandfather of Richard Holm who is
co-owner of Captain's Quarters. Lovelock is pictured above with
grandsons Robin Butterfield and Kenneth Holm in 1954 at his home in
Connecticut. 
Caribbean Consulting is a member of Caribbean Hotel Association (