William Holder FRS (1616 – 24 January 1698) was an English clergyman and music theorist of the 17th century. His most notable work was his widely known 1694 publication A Treatise on the Natural Grounds and Principles of Harmony.[1]

Life

He studied at Pembroke Hall, Cambridge, where he became a fellow in 1640.[2] He married Susanna Wren, sister of Christopher Wren, in 1643. In 1662 he received a D.D. Oxon., and was a fellow of the Royal Society in 1663. He became a Canon of St. Paul's in 1672, and served as sub-dean of the Chapel Royal from 1674 until 1689 when he resigned. In 1687 he had been preferred to the rectory of Therfield. A few of his musical compositions survive in the British Library in the Harleian MSS 7338 and 7339.[3]

In 1660 at Bletchingdon he taught a deaf mute, Alexander Popham to speak "plainly and distinctly, and with a good and graceful tone". The division of credit for this between Holder and John Wallis became a matter of dispute in the Royal Society.[4][5]

Notes

Holder, William (1615/16–1698), Church of England clergyman and natural philosopher, was born in Southwell, Nottinghamshire, the third son of Clement Holder (d. 1638), prebendary of Southwell and rector of Kilvington and South Wheatley, and his wife, whose maiden name was Brudenell. (1)

Sources

1. Oxford DNB
2. Bio of William Holder D.D. brother-in-law of Sir Christopher Wren - From "Dictionary of National Biographies Vol. 27" (see attached document)
3. Venn, J.; Venn, J. A., eds. (1922–1958). "Holder, William". Alumni Cantabrigienses (10 vols) (online ed.). Cambridge University Press
4. The Holders of Holderness a history and genealogy of the Holder family with especial reference to Christopher Holder, head of the American Quaker branch. by Published 1902 in Pasadena? . Written in English.  Page 11