Walter Henry Howard (c. September 1858 – 7 August 1947) was a South Australian educator, priest, and historian, best known for his work on the west coast of South Australia's
Eyre Peninsula.
History
W. H. Howard
Howard was born in England, the youngest son of William Howard, of
St Osyth, near Colchester.[1] Little has been found of his early life except that he had been a teacher at a school approved by the London School Board, and at the choir school attached to
St Mary's Cathedral, Edinburgh.[2]
He emigrated to South Australia and was appointed headmaster of
Pulteney Street School in mid-1884.
W. S. Moore retired as headmaster in April 1883 and the school corporation immediately began advertising for a replacement,[3] but was still advertising a year later.[4] Howard's appointment was announced in June 1884,[2] so it is likely he had recently arrived in the colony.
While serving as headmaster, he was a member of the
South Australian Militia, appointed lieutenant in 1889[5]
He undertook studies leading to priesthood at
St Barnabas' College and was ordained in 1897.[6]
He resigned as headmaster in March 1898 and from 1898 to 1902 received an appointment as
rector at
Port Lincoln, with an attached mission district.[7]
In 1904
Bishop Harmer praised the efforts Howard and Gordon Cuming (who later returned to England)[8] put into re-establishing the church in previously neglected areas,[9] and appointed Howard priest-in-charge of the Anglican West Coast Mission, stationed at
Streaky Bay.[10]
He was, in addition, made
rural dean of
Eyre's Peninsula in 1908, a demanding position which entailed regular travel by
horse and buggy across hard country, conducting services and sacraments in whatever hall or schoolroom was available, days or weeks away from his home and family.[11] That same year, he was appointed to the Streaky Bay
School Board of Advice.[12]
In 1911
Bishop Thomas appointed him a canon of
St Peter's Cathedral, a purely honorary position, following the death of Canon Robert Bennett Webb (1841–1911) of
Clare,[10] with Rev. E. C. W. H. Limbert (1877–1935) as his curate.
Thanks to his efforts, a mission hall was built at
Murat Bay, and the old church at Streaky Bay, built in 1869, was replaced by a new Church of St Augustine of Hippo,[13] of which Howard was the rector, on top of his role as rural dean.
In April 1916 he resigned those positions to remove to the
Adelaide diocese, his wife and family having already made the move.[14] In October 1916 Howard and fellow-Anglican
S. T. C. Best, were appointed temporary chaplains to the
First AIF.[15]
Sometime around 1918 he was appointed rector of
Port Augusta.
In December 1920 he was admitted to Port Augusta Hospital, seriously ill, but Church law prevented his repatriation to Adelaide,[16] so he resigned, and was replaced by Rev. W. J. Stringer (1882–1966).
He died at his home at Glen Osmond aged 88 years and 11 months. He had been head of Pulteney Street School for 14 years and in holy orders for 52, much of that time as a lonely pioneer in harsh country. An obituary concluded that he would be remembered "with affection and esteem" by "those who came under his spiritual influence and in the up-bringing of their families".[11]
Other interests
Howard was exposed to the principles of
single tax in
Henry George's book Progress and Poverty, which he was convinced would solve many economic and social problems. His book of essays, The Land Question and Christian Justice, expounded his own supporting arguments.[11][17]
Howard was a
Freemason, and served as
W.M. of the Port Lincoln Masonic Lodge, No. 45, in 1902.[11]
^
ab"Advertising". The Express and Telegraph. Vol. XXI, no. 6, 144. South Australia. 26 June 1884. p. 4. Retrieved 9 July 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
^"Advertising". The Express and Telegraph. Vol. XXI, no. 6, 109. South Australia. 14 May 1884. p. 1. Retrieved 9 July 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
^"Advertising". The Express and Telegraph. Vol. XXI, no. 6, 122. South Australia. 30 May 1884. p. 1. Retrieved 9 July 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
^
ab"Personal News". The Express and Telegraph. Vol. XLVIII, no. 14, 263. South Australia. 16 March 1911. p. 1. Retrieved 8 July 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
^"Personal". The Advertiser (Adelaide). Vol. L, no. 15, 438. South Australia. 10 April 1908. p. 4. Retrieved 8 July 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
^"General News". The Advertiser (Adelaide). Vol. LIV, no. 16, 697. South Australia. 22 April 1912. p. 8. Retrieved 8 July 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
^"Military News". The Express and Telegraph. Vol. LIII, no. 15, 948. South Australia. 6 October 1916. p. 4. Retrieved 8 July 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
^"Personal News". The Express and Telegraph. Vol. LVIII, no. 17, 222. South Australia. 29 December 1920. p. 2. Retrieved 9 July 2024 – via National Library of Australia.