George Arthur Howson
Encyclopedia
Major George Arthur Howson MC
(7 September 1886 – 28 November 1936) was an officer in the British Army
in the First World War, and later the founder and chairman of the Royal British Legion Poppy Factory
.
(then in Flintshire
). He was the descendant of Anglican clergymen through both parents: his paternal grandfather (John Howson) was Dean of Chester, and his maternal great-grandfather (Thomas Dealtry
) was Bishop of Madras
. He was christened with a second forename, Arthur, but he disliked it, and never used it.
Howson was educated at Loretto School
, Musselburgh
, and studied at Heriot-Watt College in Edinburgh. After university, through his father's connections, he was found a position as assistant manager at a rubber estate in Borneo
in 1909, where he contracted malaria, dysentery, and jaundice.
throughout the war, from 1914 to 1918. Having been promoted to captain, he was awarded the Military Cross
for his actions at Pilckem Ridge in the Battle of Passchendaele on 31 July 1917, where, despite receiving a shrapnel wound, he encouraged his unit to continue repairing a road under shellfire. He was promoted to major, and finally retired from the army in May 1920.
department stores. The newly married couple quickly became wealthy after William Gibson died in November 1918. His eldest child, and only son, Peter Howson
later became a government minister in Australia.
Howson was the founding chairman of the Disabled Society in 1920, with Jack Cohen
MP. After the first Poppy Appeal in 1921 used artificial poppies imported from France by Madame Anna Guérin, the British Legion commissioned the Disabled Society to make poppies in England for the 1922 appeal. Howson started with a workforce of five disabled ex-servicemen at a former collar factory on the Old Kent Road
in June 1922. The number of employees rapidly increased to over 40, and they made a million poppies within two months. The Prince of Wales
(later Edward VIII) visited the Poppy Factory
in November 1924. The factory made 27 million poppies that year. Most of the employees were disabled, and by then there was a long waiting list for prospective employees.
The Disabled Society merged with the British Legion in 1925, and the Poppy Factory became a company limited by guarantee
, with Howson as chairman. The factory moved to Richmond, Surrey in 1926, to the premises of an old brewery bought using money donated by Howson. Howson instituted the Field of Remembrance at Westminster Abbey
in 1928, and the factory started to make remembrance crosses and wreaths.
Howson lived at Hambleden
, near Henley-on-Thames, with a town house in Kensington. He died of cancer of the pancreas. He was buried at Hambleden, with the funeral service conducted by his father, by then an archdeacon and canon emeritus of Liverpool Cathedral
. He was survived by his wife and their four children.
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
(7 September 1886 – 28 November 1936) was an officer in the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
in the First World War, and later the founder and chairman of the Royal British Legion Poppy Factory
Poppy Factory
The Poppy Factory is a factory in Richmond, Surrey, where remembrance poppies are made. It was established in 1922 and makes approximately 36 million poppies each year...
.
Early life
Howson was the youngest child of George John Howson, rector of Overton-on-DeeOverton-on-Dee
Overton-on-Dee is a small rural town and a local government community, the lowest tier of local government, part of Wrexham County Borough in Wales....
(then in Flintshire
Flintshire
Flintshire is a county in north-east Wales. It borders Denbighshire, Wrexham and the English county of Cheshire. It is named after the historic county of Flintshire, which had notably different borders...
). He was the descendant of Anglican clergymen through both parents: his paternal grandfather (John Howson) was Dean of Chester, and his maternal great-grandfather (Thomas Dealtry
Thomas Dealtry
The Rt Rev Thomas Dealtry was an Anglican Bishop in the 19th century.Mainly self-taught, Dealtry worked as an usher in a Doncaster school and then as tutor to a private family, where he eloped with the sister of his pupil in 1819. After she died, he married again in 1824. He then studied at St...
) was Bishop of Madras
Bishop of Madras
The Bishop of Madras was the Ordinary of the Anglican Church in Madras from its inception in 1835 until the foundation of the Church in India, Pakistan, Burma and Ceylon in 1927; and since then head of one of its most prominent Dioceses.-External links:*...
. He was christened with a second forename, Arthur, but he disliked it, and never used it.
Howson was educated at Loretto School
Loretto School
Loretto School is an independent school in Scotland, founded in 1827. The campus occupies in Musselburgh, near Edinburgh.-History:Loretto was founded by the Reverend Thomas Langhorne in 1827. Langhorne came from Crosby Ravensworth, near Kirkby Stephen. The school was later taken over by his son,...
, Musselburgh
Musselburgh
Musselburgh is the largest settlement in East Lothian, Scotland, on the coast of the Firth of Forth, six miles east of Edinburgh city centre.-History:...
, and studied at Heriot-Watt College in Edinburgh. After university, through his father's connections, he was found a position as assistant manager at a rubber estate in Borneo
Borneo
Borneo is the third largest island in the world and is located north of Java Island, Indonesia, at the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia....
in 1909, where he contracted malaria, dysentery, and jaundice.
War service
Howson was on sick leave in England in 1914 when the First World War broke out. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the 11th (Service) Battalion of the Hampshire Regiment in September 1914. He served on the Western FrontWestern Front
Western Front was a term used during the First and Second World Wars to describe the contested armed frontier between lands controlled by Germany to the east and the Allies to the west...
throughout the war, from 1914 to 1918. Having been promoted to captain, he was awarded the Military Cross
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
for his actions at Pilckem Ridge in the Battle of Passchendaele on 31 July 1917, where, despite receiving a shrapnel wound, he encouraged his unit to continue repairing a road under shellfire. He was promoted to major, and finally retired from the army in May 1920.
Post-war career
Howson married Jessie Gibson in September 1918. She was the daughter of William Gibson, the Australian owner of the Foy & GibsonFoy & Gibson
Foy & Gibson was one of Australia's earliest department store chains, modelled on Le Bon Marché in Paris and other European and American Stores of the period...
department stores. The newly married couple quickly became wealthy after William Gibson died in November 1918. His eldest child, and only son, Peter Howson
Peter Howson (Australian politician)
Peter Howson, CMG was an Australian politician.-Biography:Howson was born in London, England in 1919 to Jessie and George Arthur Howson, and was educated at Stowe School and Trinity College, Cambridge...
later became a government minister in Australia.
Howson was the founding chairman of the Disabled Society in 1920, with Jack Cohen
Jack Cohen (politician)
Major Sir Benn Jack Brunel Cohen KBE was a British Conservative Party politician and campaigner on behalf of disabled people...
MP. After the first Poppy Appeal in 1921 used artificial poppies imported from France by Madame Anna Guérin, the British Legion commissioned the Disabled Society to make poppies in England for the 1922 appeal. Howson started with a workforce of five disabled ex-servicemen at a former collar factory on the Old Kent Road
Old Kent Road
The Old Kent Road is a road in South East London, England and forms part of Watling Street, the Roman road which ran from Dover to Holyhead. The street is famous as the equal cheapest property on the London Monopoly board and as the only one in South London....
in June 1922. The number of employees rapidly increased to over 40, and they made a million poppies within two months. The Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales is a title traditionally granted to the heir apparent to the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the 15 other independent Commonwealth realms...
(later Edward VIII) visited the Poppy Factory
Poppy Factory
The Poppy Factory is a factory in Richmond, Surrey, where remembrance poppies are made. It was established in 1922 and makes approximately 36 million poppies each year...
in November 1924. The factory made 27 million poppies that year. Most of the employees were disabled, and by then there was a long waiting list for prospective employees.
The Disabled Society merged with the British Legion in 1925, and the Poppy Factory became a company limited by guarantee
Company limited by guarantee
In British and Irish company law, a private company limited by guarantee is an alternative type of corporation used primarily for non-profit organisations that require legal personality. A guarantee company does not usually have a share capital or shareholders, but instead has members who act as...
, with Howson as chairman. The factory moved to Richmond, Surrey in 1926, to the premises of an old brewery bought using money donated by Howson. Howson instituted the Field of Remembrance at Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey
The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, popularly known as Westminster Abbey, is a large, mainly Gothic church, in the City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom, located just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English,...
in 1928, and the factory started to make remembrance crosses and wreaths.
Howson lived at Hambleden
Hambleden
Hambleden is a small village and civil parish within Wycombe district in the south of Buckinghamshire, England. It is about four miles west of Marlow, and about three miles north east of Henley-on-Thames in Oxfordshire....
, near Henley-on-Thames, with a town house in Kensington. He died of cancer of the pancreas. He was buried at Hambleden, with the funeral service conducted by his father, by then an archdeacon and canon emeritus of Liverpool Cathedral
Liverpool Cathedral
Liverpool Cathedral is the Church of England cathedral of the Diocese of Liverpool, built on St James's Mount in Liverpool and is the seat of the Bishop of Liverpool. Its official name is the Cathedral Church of Christ in Liverpool but it is dedicated to Christ and the Blessed Virgin...
. He was survived by his wife and their four children.