Howell

Brigadier Arthur Anthony Howell C.M.G., T.D.

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Howell, Arthur A

6 December 1860, Swansea, Wales

David and Ann (née Powell)

General Staff, Commanding 1st London Reserve Brigade

N/A

Brigadier

15 January 1918, Blackdown Barracks, Deepcut, Surrey

Brookwood Cemetery, Woking, Surrey: G.180429

Biography:
Arthur Anthony Howell was born on 6 December 1862 in Swansea, Wales. He was the third son of the Very Reverend David
Howell, Dean of St David's Cathedral, St Davids, Pembrokeshire and Ann (née Powell).

Arthur undertook his medical training in London, qualifying MRCS in 1886 and LRCP Edin in 1891. In 1896, he was
commissioned as a Lieutenant in the 3rd Volunteer Battalion Royal Regiment of Fusiliers. He was promoted to Captain in 1899.

In 1895, Arthur married Charlotte Isabel Firth of Worplesdon Hill, Brookwood.

Arthur was appointed a Captain in the City of London Volunteers, in 1900, and served in the Second Anglo-Boer War in South
Africa. In 1901, he returned to the 3rd Volunteer Battalion and was promoted to Major in 1903. In March 1910, he was promoted
to Lieutenant Colonel and took over command of his battalion.

During WW1, Arthur served with his battalion in France, joining the Indian Corps, being attached to Ferozepore Brigade of the 3rd
(Lahore) Division on 10 Feb 1915, transferring to the Garhwal Brigade of the 7th (Meerut) Division a week later. They fought at
Neuve Chapelle), Festubert, Loos and Givenchy. When the Indian Division left France for Mesopotamia, they remained in France
and the battalion fought at Gommecourt and the Somme.

Lieutenant Colonel Howell left his battalion in late 1915 on promotion to become Commandant of the 45th and 56th Divisional
School in France 1915-16.

Arthur returned to England and, in October 1916, he was promoted to Colonel and acted at Brigadier General commanding the 1st
London Reserve Brigade.

Arthur Anthony Howell died on 15 January 1918, of a heart attack whilst on a parade. He is buried in Brookwood Cemetery,
Woking, Surrey.

Brookwood Cemetery was conceived by the London
Necropolis Company (LNC) in 1849 to house London’s
deceased, at a time when the capital was finding it difficult to
accommodate its increasing population, of living and dead.

In 1852, an Act of Parliament was passed which allowed them
to purchase 2268 acres of heathland near Woking from Lord
Onslow for the purpose of providing a cemetery. Work began
immediately on an area of 350 acres at Brookwood on the
western extremity of the parish. There was no settlement at
that time in the area, and it was not until the 1880s that the
village of Brookwood was developed.

At the time of establishment, the cemetery was divided by
paths and avenues into separate 'grounds' some of which were
allotted to different London parishes, and to various religious
denominations, as it catered for all classes and faiths.

The southern half of the cemetery, known initially as Woking
Necropolis, was consecrated on 7 November 1854 by
Charles Sumner, Bishop of Winchester and opened to the
public on 13 November 1854 when the first burials took
place.

Brookwood was originally accessible by rail from a dedicated
station – The London Necropolis Railway Station – next to
Waterloo station in Central London. Trains, with passenger
carriages reserved for the different classes and Hearse
Carriages for the coffins (also for different classes) came into
the cemetery on its dedicated branch line from the adjoining
South Western Main Line – a junction just to the west of
Brookwood station.

The original London Necropolis station was relocated in 1902 but its successor was demolished after suffering bomb damage during World War II. There
were two stations in the cemetery itself, one serving the non-conformist side (North) One serving the Anglican side (South).

Today, Brookwwood Cemeterry is a Grade I listed park and garden. It continues to serve as a resting place for people of all faiths and none and is open
daily for visitors to explore.