The family of Robert Holborne of Harwich have been for centuries involved in shipbulding, with a few exceptions, and some missing links, even up to the 1930's.

The earliest chronological reference found for any Shipwright bearing the name ‘Holb(o/u)rn(e)’ is that of Robert Holborn who was granted ‘Letters Patent’, along with Peter Pett and others skilful in shipbuilding, in 1543.

The authority for the letters patent not being by the usual Writ of Privy Seal, but ‘Per Ipsum Regent’, i.e, by ‘direct motion of the King’, Henry VIII'th.

Shipwrights were to be granted direct employment by the Crown, the first list of ‘Master Shipwrights’ appointed ‘by Patent’ by Henry VIIIth included ‘John Smyth, Robert Holborn, Richard Bull and James Baker’ (father of Mathew Baker) and again Peter Pett the son of John was summoned from his place of residence, then at Harwich to work on the King’s Ships at Portsmouth, in 1543 Pett was granted a wage and fee for life (vadium et feodum).

On the 23rd April 1548 Robert Holborn, Smyth and Bull received similar Patents, the very fact of which should be considered of some significance, and it was added as Shipwrights they should instruct others, by reason of their long and good service.

With the shipwright in such high demand during the C16th and so many kin found in the Pett family, engaged in a single trade it is only obvious a conclusion that Robert would also be from a family of shipwrights. Earlier wills place him amongst the family of Holborne of Erith.

Given these circumstance it is likely that he was an uncle or father to Richard Holborn of Chatham. A reference to original layout of Chatham dockyard is avaiable in the will of a Chatham churchwarden, Richard Holborne, Shipwright at the old dockyard, a quaint and intriguing description of that area of Chatham then part of the Dockyard survives.

It includes a reference to his "ould house...as it is now fenced with the brewing house and garden joyning it with the belle now standing... and the wharfe in the millponde...unto the fence of James Marsh...to have ingresse, egresse, and regresse through that way unto the waterside or water gate...and...the greate Gate Westward...and the...pumpe".

By reference to the Chatham parish Churchwarden accounts it is clear that this cousin of Phineas Pett named Richard (Hoborn) was to hold the post of Churchwarden from 1634 to 1643, curiously as was his son in law Joseph Pett. Richard was to die in 1654, a year after, and possibly as a result of the stress caused by the ‘Adderley Inquest’ at Chatham.