Thomas Henry Howell, Mayor of Newport 1899 - 1900


Photo reference number: 1399

(Photo and text from "Who's Who In Newport" 1920.)

Howell, Thomas Henry was born at Liverpool in 1840, being a son of the late Captain Thomas Howell. He was educated at private schools in Newport. At the age of fourteen he entered the service of Messrs. S. M. & H. Phillips, iron merchants, Newport, as junior clerk, ten years later was appointed manager of the firm, and in 1879, on the retirement of the surviving partner, Mr. Howell purchased the business, converted it in 1900 into a private limited company for family reasons. He was elected a member of the Newport Corporation in 1888, was Mayor of the borough in 1899, has been an alderman since 1902, and was appointed a magistrate of the borough in 1896. Mr. Howell has ever taken a great interest in matters educational. He was for many years chairman of the Free Library and Museum Committee, also of the Secondary Education Committee, and during his chairmanship of the latter the Technical Institute in Clarence Place was brought into existence. Mr. Howell is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, member of the Council of the University College of South Wales and Monmouthshire, member of the Governing Body of the Monmouthshire Grammar School, the Jones West Monmouthshire School, the National Library of Wales, and member of the Central Welsh Board. He is also a vice-president of the Board of Directors of the Royal Gwent Hospital, and a life governor of the Children's Hospital, Great Ormond Street, London. He married in 1865, at Holy Trinity Church, Oxford, Miss Emma Gould, of Oxford, and has six sons and four daughters. Although a Liberal in politics, he has never taken a very active share in party strife. He is a non smoker and a life-long total abstainer. Two of his sons served in the late war, viz., Engineer Commander Llewelyn Howell, R.N., and Captain Trevor Howell, M.C., R.A.M.C. Address: Llanarth Street. Tel. 2151. Residence: Cader Idris, Stow Park Circus.

List of Newport's Mayors