Thomas Hiram Holding

Thomas Hiram Holding (c. 1844 – 1930[1] ) was a British tailor and often considered the founder of modern camping.

[2][3][4][5] His passion for camping developed as a child when he crossed the United States with his parents in a wagon train.

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[7] detailing how the four made that pioneering journey and how this kind of holiday could be enjoyed by anyone for little cost.

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