George Holt Thomas
George Holt Thomas (31 March 1869 – 1 January 1929) was an aviation industry pioneer and newspaper proprietor. In 1911, Holt Thomas founded the business which became Aircraft Manufacturing Company Limited or Airco. Son and grandson of successful artists, he initially followed his father into The Graphic and Daily Graphic newspaper business in 1890, later making his own name and fortune by founding The Bystander and Empire Illustrated magazines. Something of a shrewd visionary. he turned to aircraft in 1906. Background George Holt Thomas was the seventh son of William Luson Thomas (1830–1890) and his wife Annie, daughter of John Wilson Carmichael. Born at Hampton House, Stockwell, south London, educated privately and at King's College School, London, he left Queen's College, Oxford, in 1890 after two years and without taking a degree. In 1894 he married Gertrude, daughter of architect Thomas Oliver of Newcastle upon Tyne; there were no children of the marriage. Newspapers After Thomas left university in 1890 he joined his father's newspaper business as a director then became its general manager and later founded The Bystander with its comic strip character "Old Bill" and Empire Illustrated so making his own name and fortune. Aviation During 1906 he