At the corner of Holland Park, the statue of Lord Holland, Henry Vassall-Fox, sits alone on a plinth by a murky pond, covered with bird droppings.
Like other corrupt aristocrats, Holland was accused of profiting from slavery, leading to the vandalism of his statue in 2020. Ironically, it was he and his uncle Charles James Fox who advocated the abolition of slavery in the early nineteenth century. Mired in the controversy, the very fact that the Holland family promoted liberalism and peace beyond Britain is noteworthy.
Holland was imbued with liberal ideals in his youth. He saw his uncle Fox, the Whig leader who devoted himself to upholding parliamentary rights and emancipating Catholics, as a role model. As part of the noble education, Holland embarked on a grand tour of Europe in 1792, where he met his love Elizabeth Vassall, the future Lady Holland.
Travels in Naples, Rome, and Florence gave them their first taste of the European salon, where they broadened their minds by exchanging progressive ideas with artists and intelligent people. Back in London, she decided to sustain this culture in Holland House. She wrote in her journal about the importance of the salon:
Mankind was made to live together; the more they mix with each other the better able a man is to judge them and conduct himself; otherwise it becomes what a priest once said of the universal truth, ‘Orthodoxy is my doxy.
Lady Holland
The salon was famed for its diversity. When the Whig opposition was out of office, it became an unofficial centre of the politicians. It also attracted notable intellectuals such as the poet Byron, the German scientist Alexander von Humboldt and American writer Washington Irving, earning an international reputation. The historian Linda Kelly stated it had been the most celebrated salon in London.
The Hollands’ tolerance was also a key factor. They attempted to bridge political divides by dining with opponents such as the Tory politician Duke of Wellington. Besides, they had a close relationship with the poet Byron, despite his satirical poem poking fun at them.
The implications of Holland House were subtle but far-reaching. During a time of wars and revolutions across Europe, the house served as a refuge for exiles. Among frequent visitors was Talleyrand, who had been left destitute during the Terror of the French Revolution but was later appointed the French Foreign Minister. The friendship facilitated the peace talks between Britain and France in 1806, although Napoleon was too ambitious to make concessions.
Another noteworthy guest was Joseph Blanco White, a former Spanish priest and adviser of the Central Junta who took refuge in Holland House after the French invasion of Seville in 1810. He edited the journal L’Espagnol to support the Spanish resistance against Napoleon’s Empire and the independence of Latin America. The historian José Baptista de Sousa further specified the knock-on effect of Holland House on the establishment of constitutional regimes in Spain, Portugal, and Brazil.
All in all, the history of Holland House reminds us of the importance of open dialogue and the way to expand the international network. These insights may shed light on how Britain finds its feet after Brexit.
Further readings:
Linda Kelly, Holland House: A History of London’s Most Celebrated Salon
kai-kong.com 