He was born at Heavitree, Exeter, the son of Major William Hole by his wife Louisa Mallet. He married Elizabeth Mercer (1816-1902), eldest daughter of J. Mercer of Maidstone and Major, 13th Hussars, North Devon Yeomanry. He attended the opening ceremony of the new church of St Giles in the Wood built by Hon. Mark Rolle. He and his wife were buried in Weare Giffard churchyard, where their inscribed monument survives. Much of the estate surrounding Beam House is owned by Lord Clinton (Clinton Devon Estates), whose family was the heir of Hon. Mark Rolle (d.1907). Lord Clinton's family had long owned the manor of Frithelstock, adjoining Beam on the opposite side of the River Torridge. During World War I Beam House was used as a convalescence home for injured soldiers. This was possibly the hospital established by William Pethebridge Martin (1859-1935) lord of the manor of Colleton, Chulmleigh (see below). In World War II the house was occupied by the 2nd Battalion, Gloucester Regiment, and was used for training in clandestine operations. In the 1950s Beam was used for ten years as a borstal, and then as an educational establishment, when a new accommodation block was built. In 1959 Beam was the home of Philip Michael Pethebridge Martin, High Sheriff of Devon in that year. He was the third son of William Pethebridge Martin (1859-1935) of Colleton and of New South Wales in Australia, by his wife Maude Price daughter of William Price of Sydney, NSW. William had founded the Sydney wool-brokerage firm W.P. Martin & Co, but later moved to Devon, where he purchased and resided at Colleton Manor near Chulmleigh, and was lord of the manor of Chulmleigh. He was High Sheriff of Devon 1918-19, and Master of the Eggesford Foxhounds. With his partner Harry Austin, William equipped a hospital for soldiers during WW I, possibly at Beam House, which he later donated to the municipal council as a children's hospital. He died at Colleton in 1935. In the 1970s a Mr Osbourne of Barnstaple purchased the property and used it as the base for the "Kingsley Adventure Centre". The operation was then taken over by Quest Adventure Centres, which business failed and was purchased by PGL Travel Ltd which, as of 2013, continues to operate the site under lease from the Osbourne family as an adventure centre providing holidays for young people.