His father was Richard Haswell Holman, a Shipowner and the family are recorded at "Chesnuts" Leigham Cout Road. Adrian was the Uncle of Herbert Leight Holman, a barrister who also lived in Streatham and first husband to Vivien Leigh
Sir Adrian Holman KBE CMG MC (22 December 1895 - 6 September 1974) was a British diplomat. He was educated at Copthorne Preparatory School, Harrow School and New College, Oxford.
He served in the British Army with the Royal Artillery during the First World War, from 1915 to 1918, received the Military Cross and was mentioned in despatches.
In 1920, he joined the Diplomatic Service as a Third Secretary, serving in Brussels from 1921 to 1924 (promoted to Second Secretary while there, 1922). In Rome, 1924–1926, then Paris, 1926 to 1931, (becoming First Secretary in 1931) then at HM Legation in Peking from 1931 to 1935.
Image ©National Portrait Gallery NPGx168384