Sir Harold Walter Seymour Howard, 1st Baronet (1886–1967) was an English stockbroker and Liberal politician who served as Lord Mayor of London.

Background

Howard was born on 8 April 1886.The Peerage: Sir Harold Walter Seymour Howard, 1st Bt.
/ref> His father was William Albert Howard (1854-1940) and his mother, Elizabeth Mary Seymour. He married Edith Maud Turner on 10 September 1913. They had two sons: Sir Hamilton Edward de Coucey Howard, 2nd Baronet (1915-2001). David Seymour de Coucey Howard (1919-1954). Later, they resided at Adelaide Crescent in

Hove Hove ( ) is a seaside resort in East Sussex, England. Alongside Brighton, it is one of the two main parts of the city of Brighton and Hove. Originally a fishing village surrounded by open farmland, it grew rapidly in the 19th century in respon ...

East Sussex East Sussex is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Kent to the north-east, West Sussex to the west, Surrey to the north-west, and the English Channel to the south. The largest settlement ...

. He became a Knight Commander in the Order of Christ of Portugal and a Knight of Grace in the Order of St. John of Jerusalem. In February 1955, he was

knighted A knight is a person granted an honorary title of a knighthood by a head of state (including the pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church, or the country, especially in a military capacity. The concept of a knighthood ...

. Ten months later, in December of that year, he became Sir Seymour Howard, 1st Baronet of Great Rissington.

Career

He was a Director of Home and Foreign Securities Corporation.The Times House of Commons, 1931 In September 1930 he was adopted by Chippenham Liberal Association as their prospective parliamentary candidate. Chippenham was regarded by the Liberal party as a good prospect, given that their candidate in 1929 had come second, only 1,731 votes behind the winning Conservative. At the time Howard was also living in

Corsham Corsham is a historic market town and civil parishes in England, civil parish in west Wiltshire, England. It is at the southwestern edge of the Cotswolds, just off the A4 road (England), A4 national route. It is southwest of Swindon, east of ...

, which was a part of the constituency. However, in the political climate of 1931, his Conservative opponent was seen as the most natural candidate in support of the newly formed National Government; In May 1938 Howard agreed to stand again for parliament at the 1938 Barnsley by-election as a Liberal candidate in support of the National Government. Barnsley had last been won by a Liberal at the 1931 General Election. Following the Liberal split of that year, the Barnsley Liberal Association had supported its MPs decision to join the Liberal National breakaway. The Barnsley Conservative Association had chosen not to run candidates of their own and instead support Liberal National candidates. However, Labour had easily regained the seat in 1935. Howard received Conservative support and might have hoped to re-gain the seat but was well beaten; During the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, he worked at the

Ministry of Aircraft Production Ministry may refer to: Government * Ministry (collective executive), the complete body of government ministers under the leadership of a prime minister * Ministry (government department), a department of a government Religion * Christian mi ...

. He served as

Sheriff of the City of London Two Sheriffs of the City of London are elected annually by the members of the City livery companies. Today's Sheriffs have only ceremonial duties, but the historical officeholders held important judicial responsibilities. They have attended the ...

in 1944 and

Lord Mayor of London The Lord Mayor of London is the Mayors in England, mayor of the City of London, England, and the Leader of the council, leader of the City of London Corporation. Within the City, the Lord Mayor is accorded Order of precedence, precedence over a ...

in 1954, as well as Alderman of the City of London from 1945 to 1960. He was a Conservative Party member of the

London County Council The London County Council (LCC) was the principal local government body for the County of London throughout its existence from 1889 to 1965, and the first London-wide general municipal authority to be directly elected. It covered the area today ...

from 1946 to 1949 representing the

City of London The City of London, also known as ''the City'', is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county and Districts of England, local government district with City status in the United Kingdom, city status in England. It is the Old town, his ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Howard, Seymour 1886 births 1967 deaths People from Hove Sheriffs of the City of London 20th-century lord mayors of London 20th-century English politicians Commanders of the Order of Christ (Portugal) Knights of Grace of the Order of St John Members of London County Council Baronets in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom