Howorth, Henry H. (Henry Hoyle), Sir, 1842-1923

The politician and antiquary, Henry Hoyle Howorth, was born in Lisbon, Portugal, on 1 July 1842, where his father, Henry Howorth, was operating as a merchant. He was educated at Rossall School, and was called to the Bar at the Inner Temple (1867) and joined the Northern Circuit. He was elected as the Conservative Member of Parliament for South Salford in July 1886, and retired from Parliament in 1900.

He was a prominent figure in the literary and social life of Manchester and North-West England in general. He was an active member of the Manchester Literary Club, and served as its Vice-President. He was also Vice-President of the Manchester Conservative Association. He was one of the founding members of the Lancashire and Cheshire Antiquarian Society (1883) and was later made an Honorary Member; he was also one of the founding members of the Record Society of Lancashire and Cheshire (1878), serving as a councillor (1878-95) and Vice-President (1892-5); he was also a member of the Historic Society of Lancashire and Cheshire (1879), and served as a councillor (1881-9); as well as a member of the Chetham Society also serving as a councillor (1877-1900). He was one of the Governors of Owens College, Manchester. He was one of the Feoffees of Chetham’s Hospital, and also later its Honorary Librarian. At a national level, he was a Member of the Royal Commission on Ancient Monuments, one of the Trustees of the British Museum, and President of the Royal Archaeological Institute. He was also a Fellow of the Royal Numismatic Society, and was the society’s President (1908-14). His contribution to national life was acknowledged by his creation as a Knight Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire (1892).

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