Career
Holmes had influence over the election of members for five of the six seats in the island"s boroughs (Newport, Newtown and Yarmouth). Even though the extent of his power in the boroughs fell far short of the power of many borough-owners who could directly return MPs, he was sufficiently valuable to the Pelham and Newcastle ministries for him to ask for, and be given, an Irish peerage. He was raised to the Peerage of Ireland as Baron Holmes, of Kilmallock in the County of Limerick, on 11 September 1760.
The peerage became extinct on his death in 1764.
Holmes was Governor of the Isle of Wight from 6 April 1763 until his death.
