Sir Edward Holden, 1st Baronet

Sir Edward Holden, Bt
Portrait (1911), oil on canvas by Walter William Ouless
Born	Edward Hopkinson Holden (1848-05-11)11 May 1848 Tottington, Lancashire
Died	23 July 1919(1919-07-23) (aged 71) Duff House Sanatorium, Banff, Banffshire
Cause of death	cerebral thrombosis and heart failure
Residence	The Grange, Thorpe, Surrey
Nationality	British
Alma mater	Owens College, Manchester
Occupation	banker
Title	baronet
Political party	Liberal
Board member of	Midland Bank (chairman)
Spouse(s)	Annie Cassie (1877)

Sir Edward Hopkinson Holden, 1st Baronet (11 May 1848 – 23 July 1919) was a British banker and Liberal politician, most notable for his role in developing the Midland Bank into the largest bank in the world.

Hopkinson was born at the Bull's Head, Tottington, Lancashire. He was the eldest son of Henry Holden, a calico bleacher and Ann Hopkinson.

After working as a clerk in local businesses, he entered banking in 1866 as an apprentice at the Bolton branch of the Manchester and County Bank. At the same time he was continuing his education by attending evening classes at Owen's College, Manchester, studying political economy, logic and law.

In 1877 he married Annie Cassie of Aberdeen, and they had three children. They made their home at The Grange, Thorpe, near Chertsey, Surrey. His wife died in 1905.

In 1881 he became accountant at the Birmingham and Midland Bank, and in 1883 he was promoted to secretary. He was involved in the bank's expansion, as it absorbed a large number of banks in central and northern England. He continued to be promoted: to sub-manager in 1887, general manager in 1890, and joint general manager in 1891. In 1898 he personally negotiated the merger with the London-based City Bank, and was to be managing director of the resulting London, City and Midland Bank until his death. He was also appointed chairman of the renamed Midland Bank in 1908 and continued the policy of expansion and acquisition. By 1918, with deposits of £335 million, it ranked as the largest bank in the world.

In 1906 Holden was elected as Liberal member of parliament for Heywood, Lancashire. In 1908 he was considered for the post of Chancellor of the Exchequer in succession to H. H. Asquith. However, the office was given to David Lloyd George, following his threat to resign from the cabinet. Holden did not contest the next general election in 1910.