Sir Isaac Holden was born in Paisley in 1807. He worked in a cotton mill, as a shawl-weaver, and as a teacher before taking the post of book-keeper in Townend Brothers worsted mill in 1830. He stayed with the firm until 1846, becoming works manager and introducing mechanical woolcombing methods. In 1847 he took out a joint patent with Samuel Cunliffe Lister for Improvements in carding preparing combing and spinning wool, and also in making heald and genappe yarns . In 1848 Holden and Lister opened a wool-combing factory at St. Denis, near Paris ; this was soon replaced by factories at Croix and Rheims. About this time the two were involved in work on the square-motion comb, which Lister later patented. In 1858, after a number of disagreements, Lister sold his share of the business to Holden. Leaving the running of the French factories largely to his nephews Jonathan Holden (1828-1906) and Isaac Holden Crothers (1830-1908), in 1864 Holden opened a large new wool-combing plant in Bradford, the Alston Works.
Holden was elected M.P. for Knaresborough 1865-68, for the Northern Division of the West Riding 1882-85, and for Keighley 1885-95. He was created a baronet in 1893, and died in 1897.
From the guide to the Papers of Sir Isaac Holden (1807-1897) and Family, West Riding wool combers, [1840?]-1897, (University of Bradford)
