Roland Colin Holt, known as Colin Holt (1945–2006) was a founder member of the Yorkshire Ridings Society

Yorkshire Ridings Society

The Yorkshire Ridings Society is a group affiliated to the Association of British Counties calling for the wider recognition of the historic borders of Yorkshire, and its traditional subdivisions, the North, East and West Ridings.-History:...

, and served as its chairman for many years until his death.

Colin Holt live in Fenwick

Fenwick

- Places :In Canada:*Fenwick, Nova Scotia*Fenwick, OntarioIn the United Kingdom:* Fenwick, East Ayrshire* Fenwick, Northumberland* Fenwick, South YorkshireIn the United States:* Fenwick, Connecticut* Fenwick, Michigan* Fenwick, West Virginia...

 near Doncaster

Doncaster

Doncaster is a town in South Yorkshire, England, and the principal settlement of the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster. The town is about from Sheffield and is popularly referred to as "Donny"...

. Until his retirement he was a lecturer at Doncaster College

Doncaster College

Doncaster College is a further and higher education college in Doncaster, South Yorkshire. It comprises two campuses, which are known as "The Hub" and the "University Centre".-Staff and students:...

. Though best known for vocally championing the cause of Yorkshire, Colin Holt was also a dedicated member of Moss and District Parish Council, and was also a vintage vehicle enthusiast.

He also served on the committee of the Association of British Counties

Association of British Counties

The Association of British Counties is a non-party-political outsider pressure group formed in 1989 that promotes the traditional counties of the United Kingdom. It claims that the traditional counties are an important part of Britain's cultural heritage and as such should be preserved and promoted...

, to which the YRS is affiliated.

The Yorkshire Ridings Society

As publicity officer of the Yorkshire Ridings Society, Colin Holt achieved his first publicity coup through his refusal to pay bills addressed to "Fenwick, South Yorkshire" rather than "Fenwick, Yorkshire" or "Fenwick, West Riding". Eventually, after many official letters, British Telecom cut the Holts off. They were not reconnected for several years. After British Telecom was privatized, the company agreed to make the address read "Yorkshire" and the Holts had their telephone back.

Colin Holt had a genius for generating publicity, which the Yorkshire Ridings Society used throughout his chairmanship.

His message was simple and unchanging: that the sidelining of Yorkshire's ancient North, West and East Ridings, under local government re-organisation in 1974, was a crime and an insult.

Yorkshire Day

In Colin Holt devised Yorkshire Day

Yorkshire Day

Yorkshire Day is celebrated on 1 August to promote the historic English county of Yorkshire. It was celebrated in 1975, by the Yorkshire Ridings Society, initially in Beverley, as "protest movement against the Local Government re-organisation of 1974", The date alludes to the Battle of Minden, and...

 (1 August), as a celebration of all things Yorkshire. He began the tradition, still continued, for members of the YRS, with white roses in their buttonholes, to make a circuit of the ancient city walls of York

York

York is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...

, reading out a "Yorkshire Declaration of Integrity". The 1st August was chosen as the county day because on that day in 1759 that soldiers from Yorkshire regiments who had fought in the Battle of Minden

Battle of Minden

The Battle of Minden—or Thonhausen—was fought on 1 August 1759, during the Seven Years' War. An army fielded by the Anglo-German alliance commanded by Field Marshal Ferdinand, Duke of Brunswick, defeated a French army commanded by Marshal of France Louis, Marquis de Contades...

picked white roses as a tribute to fallen comrades.