For more than 60 years he was a partner in one of London's most significant law firms and was involved in several high profile cases, including Bank of England v Vagliano Bros (1891), British South Africa Co v Companhia de Moçambique (1893), and the trial of Leander Starr Jameson and his compatriots for their actions in the Jameson Raid in 1895-1896.
[1] His grandfather, also named John Hollams, served as the mayor of Deal, Kent five times and was knighted in 1831.
[1] Poor health prevented the youngest John Hollams from attending school in his youth, and he was educated privately.
[2] Ill health further prevented him from continuing the family tradition of attending the University of Cambridge, and he began his legal career apprenticed as a clerk to a local solicitor in Maidstone.
[4] At the time of his death, The Guardian wrote "Sir John Hollams had for many years held a position among solicitors to which few parallels can be found.
[1] His funeral service was held at St Paul's Church, Knightsbridge and he was buried at Brompton Cemetery.