Rosamund Holland-Martin
Encyclopedia
Dame Rosamund Mary Holland-Martin, DBE, DL
(26 June 1914, London
– 18 June 2001), née Hornby, was a long-term leader and fund-raiser for the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children.
as Chairman of the Central Executive Committee for nearly two decades (1969 - 1988). During her 40 years with the charity she played a crucial role in the establishment of the NSPCC's position as Britain's leading child protection organisation, and helped to engineer its development into a modern professional body.
She personally played a significant part in fund-raising in 1984, the organisation's centenary. She was the prime mover in persuading the Duke of Westminster to chair its Centenary Appeal in 1984. This was the largest charitable appeal ever planned and executed in the UK and, because of its success, it became a blueprint for other charities, such as Great Ormond Street Hospital
. The Centenary Charter set the agenda for the future direction of the society. After 19 years in the chair she retired in 1988, but she never lost interest and she continued to attend meetings and speak whenever invited. By the time she left, the NSPCC had increased the funds it raised from under £500,000 in 1947 to more than £20 million a year.
printed 40 works between 1895 and 1935.
In 1942, Rosamund Hornby joined the Women's Voluntary Services, giving up her job as assistant matron of the girls' school which had been evacuated in 1939 to Chantmarle, the family home in Dorset
. The WVS was led by Stella, Dowager Marchioness of Reading
.
In 1951 Rosamund Hornby married Captain Douglas Eric "Deric" Holland-Martin (later Admiral Sir Deric Holland-Martin
), a naval officer (10 April 1906-1977), fourth son of Robert Martin Holland-Martin. They had two children, Emma and Benjamin, who both work for the NSPCC. Twice Lady Holland-Martin went to Valletta, Malta while her husband was Commander-in-Chief of Allied Forces in the Mediterranean. They lived in Bell's Castle, Kemerton, Worcestershire
.
) for Hereford and Worcester, a governor of Malvern School and chair of the Tewkesbury Abbey
Appeal.
Rosamund Holland-Martin continued to be a member of the central executive committee until 1992 and subsequently became a vice-president of the NSPCC. For her work for the Women's Voluntary Service she was appointed OBE, and, in 1983, she advanced to DBE.
She died in 2001, eight days before her 87th birthday, and was interred near her home in Worcestershire
.
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
(26 June 1914, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
– 18 June 2001), née Hornby, was a long-term leader and fund-raiser for the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children.
NSPCC
She led the NSPCCNSPCC
The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children is a United Kingdom charity campaigning and working in child protection.-History:...
as Chairman of the Central Executive Committee for nearly two decades (1969 - 1988). During her 40 years with the charity she played a crucial role in the establishment of the NSPCC's position as Britain's leading child protection organisation, and helped to engineer its development into a modern professional body.
She personally played a significant part in fund-raising in 1984, the organisation's centenary. She was the prime mover in persuading the Duke of Westminster to chair its Centenary Appeal in 1984. This was the largest charitable appeal ever planned and executed in the UK and, because of its success, it became a blueprint for other charities, such as Great Ormond Street Hospital
Great Ormond Street Hospital
Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children is a children's hospital located in London, United Kingdom...
. The Centenary Charter set the agenda for the future direction of the society. After 19 years in the chair she retired in 1988, but she never lost interest and she continued to attend meetings and speak whenever invited. By the time she left, the NSPCC had increased the funds it raised from under £500,000 in 1947 to more than £20 million a year.
Family life
She was the fifth child of St John Hornby, a founding partner of W. H. Smith and a deputy vice-chairman of the NSPCC, and his wife, Cecily. St John Hornby was a public speaker, a bookman and collector of medieval and Renaissance manuscripts and printed books. His private Ashendene PressAshendene Press
The Ashendene Press was a small private press founded by Charles Henry St John Hornby . It operated from 1895 to 1915 in Chelsea, England, and was revived after the war in 1920...
printed 40 works between 1895 and 1935.
In 1942, Rosamund Hornby joined the Women's Voluntary Services, giving up her job as assistant matron of the girls' school which had been evacuated in 1939 to Chantmarle, the family home in Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
. The WVS was led by Stella, Dowager Marchioness of Reading
Stella Isaacs, Marchioness of Reading
Stella Isaacs, Marchioness of Reading, GBE , née Stella Charnaud, was a British political and military figure....
.
In 1951 Rosamund Hornby married Captain Douglas Eric "Deric" Holland-Martin (later Admiral Sir Deric Holland-Martin
Deric Holland-Martin
Admiral Sir Douglas Eric "Deric" Holland-Martin GCB DSO DSC was a senior Royal Navy officer who went on to be Second Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Personnel.-Naval career:Educated at West Downs School, Holland-Martin joined the Royal Navy in 1920...
), a naval officer (10 April 1906-1977), fourth son of Robert Martin Holland-Martin. They had two children, Emma and Benjamin, who both work for the NSPCC. Twice Lady Holland-Martin went to Valletta, Malta while her husband was Commander-in-Chief of Allied Forces in the Mediterranean. They lived in Bell's Castle, Kemerton, Worcestershire
Kemerton
Kemerton is a village and civil parish in Worcestershire in England. It lies at the extreme south of the county in the local government district of Wychavon. Until boundary changes in 1931, it formed part of neighbouring Gloucestershire, and it remains in the Diocese of Gloucester...
.
Later life
After her husband's untimely death in 1977 she became a Deputy-Lieutenant (DLDL
DL, dL, or dl may stand for:Measurement of volume* the symbol of the decilitre , an SI unit of measurement of capacity or volume Science and tech* Data link, a computer connection for transmitting data...
) for Hereford and Worcester, a governor of Malvern School and chair of the Tewkesbury Abbey
Tewkesbury Abbey
The Abbey of the Blessed Virgin Mary at Tewkesbury in the English county of Gloucestershire is the second largest parish church in the country and a former Benedictine monastery.-History:...
Appeal.
Rosamund Holland-Martin continued to be a member of the central executive committee until 1992 and subsequently became a vice-president of the NSPCC. For her work for the Women's Voluntary Service she was appointed OBE, and, in 1983, she advanced to DBE.
She died in 2001, eight days before her 87th birthday, and was interred near her home in Worcestershire
Worcestershire
Worcestershire is a non-metropolitan county, established in antiquity, located in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire" NUTS 2 region...
.