I'm presuming that the 19 Jan 1885 is your Grandfathers birth date. Do you have an actual copy of the certificate.

Ancestry 1891 Census

Name: John Holden
Age: 40
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1851
Relation: Head
Gender: Male
Where born: Staverton, Northamptonshire, England

Civil parish: Croydon St John
Ecclesiastical parish: Christchurch St John
County/Island: Surrey
Country: England

Street Address:

Occupation:

Condition as to marriage:

Education:

Employment status:

View image

Registration district: Croydon
Sub-registration district: Croydon
ED, institution, or vessel: 24
Neighbors: View others on page
Piece: 589
Folio: 34
Page Number: 1
Household Members:

Name Age
John Holden 40
Ellen Holden 11
Frances Herbert Holden 8
William John Holden 6
Robert Holden 2
Eliza Histed 29

Further information from the Ancestry 1891 Census

John Holden 40 Widower - Staff Sergeant Instructor of Volunteers
Ellen Holden 11 born Bengal BS (British Subject)
Frances Herbert Holden 8 born Bengal BS
William John Holden 6 born Guildford Surrey (your grandfather)
Robert Holden 2 born Croyden Surrey

Eliza Histed 29 Servant

It appears that Maria died before the 1891 a after 1888 when Robert was born

Roberts Birth
Births Sep 1888 (>99%)
HOLDEN Robert Croydon 2a 201

There is this possible death for Maria
Deaths Jun 1890 (>99%)
HOLDEN Maria 38 Croydon 2a 136

So it looks like John was in the Army and was most likely in India according to the two older childrens births, Maria may or may not be their mother.

1901 Census

Name: John Holden
Age: 50
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1851
Relation: Head
Gender: Male
Where born: Staverton, Northamptonshire, England

Civil parish: Hemel Hempstead
Ecclesiastical parish: Boxmoor St John
County/Island: Hertfordshire
Country: England

Street Address:

Occupation:

Condition as to marriage:

Education:

Employment status:

View image

Registration district: Hemel Hempstead
Sub-registration district: Hemel Hempstead
ED, institution, or vessel: 7
Neighbors: View others on page
Household schedule number: 70
Piece: 1325
Folio: 111
Page Number: 10
Household Members:
Name Age
John Holden 50 Bricklayers labourer
Ellen Holden 21 born India Houskeeper
William Holden 16 born Surrey Postman
Robert Holden 12 born Surrey Scholar

John Holden on my grand fathers details I have is a colour sargent with the Royal west surrey regiment at stoughton barricks Guildford this is 1885
Maria is claimed to be my grandfathers mother but when I ask about her to my only living uncle he says who do not know..
Thank you for your wonderful help and information.
Maria is a hard one to find.!!!

Thanks
xx

If you purchase the Death for Maria Holden in Croydon it may give you further details - it may not be your Maria but at least you have ruled it out.

The other option is to purchase Robert's birth certificate to see if you can get any further information from it.

Maria may have gone to India as a servant for a family or she could have gone as another soldiers wife and he died and she married John before returning to England.

Have you tried contacting the Barracks to see if they can shed any light on your John HOLDEN they might have some papers in the archives, you just never know.

Good luck on your hunt.

Thank you for this support it has been very useful,
Sx