Thomas Hiram Holding (c. 1844 – 1930 ) was a British tailor and often considered the founder of modern

camping Camping is a form of outdoor recreation or outdoor education involving overnight stays with a basic temporary shelter such as a tent. Camping can also include a recreational vehicle, sheltered cabins, a permanent tent, a shelter such as a Bivy bag ...

. He wrote the first edition of '' The Camper's Handbook'' in 1908 and founded the Association of Cycle Campers, now the

Camping and Caravanning Club The Camping and Caravanning Club is a not-for-profit membership organisation for camping and caravan enthusiasts in the United Kingdom. It was founded in 1901, and has over 730,000 members. History The Camping and Caravanning Club was founded i ...

. His passion for camping developed as a child when he crossed the United States with his parents in a

wagon train ''Wagon Train'' is an American Western television series that aired for eight seasons, first on the NBC television network (1957–1962) and then on ABC (1962–1965). ''Wagon Train'' debuted on September 18, 1957, and reached the top of the ...

. He was also passionate about sailing, designed his own sailing dinghies, and published ''Watery Wanderings 'mid Western Lochs. A practical canoe cruise'' in 1886. In July 1897, at the age of 52, he designed and made a very small, lightweight tent which could be carried on a bicycle, and set off on a three-day cycle-camping tour in south-west Ireland with his son Frank and two friends, all of whom had spent much time together camping and sailing for many years. By December of that year, he had written ''Cycle and Camp'' detailing how the four made that pioneering journey and how this kind of holiday could be enjoyed by anyone for little cost. Some of his published works on tailoring, advertised in the journal ''Tailor & Cutter'' in 1897, included: Ladies’ Garment Cutting; Breeches, Trousers, Vest, and Gaiter Cutting; Coat Cutting; Stout Cutting; Livery Cutting; Uniforms for all Services; Tailoring: How to Make it Pay; Alterations; Diagram Book; London Tailor, and Gentleman's Magazine.

References

Book - The Life and Times of Thomas Hiram Holding by Carl White

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Holding, Thomas Hiram 1840s births 1930 deaths British non-fiction outdoors writers Camping in the United Kingdom