Howroyd, Barkisland , Family home.

The farm and lands of Howroyd barkisland were occupied by Holroyds as far back as 1267

Early grants show that William de Howlroyde owned lands at Barkisland near Halifax, Yorkshire in 1272. Howroyd was the family home, but obviously nowadays there are Holroyds all over the world. Isaac Holroyd, younger son of George and Susan Holroyd of Ripponden Yorkshire went to Ireland in the time of Charles I . It was from this side of the family that John Baker Holroyd 1735-1821 and married thrice,later became 1st Earl of Sheffield (Sheffield Park near Brighton).The second Earl George Augustus Frederick 1802-1876 was a great cricket lover, and the first match in England played by Australian touring teams was always played at Sheffield Park before it moved to Arundel some years later. In fact Holroyd presented the Australians with the SHEFFIELD SHIELD which was played for by the Australian State sides like our County Championship.This shield now stands proudly on the wall of the famous Melbourne Cricket Club, having been superceded in these more commercial days by the MILK CUP!There are still plenty of Holroyds in Yorkshire. Not many Earls, but many became Innkeepers. In fact the Old Bridge at Ripponden, supposedly the oldest hostelry in Yorkshire, still on the ancient pack horse trail, once bore the name HOLROYD over its door. A few miles away at Slaithwaite is the White House, formerly the Dyers' Arms, where wheelwright and landlord Alcander Holroyd flew his own aeroplane, albeit not very far, long before the Wright brothers were even thought of!