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BA 1837

Assistant Editor, 'The Daily Telegraph'.

Howard was educated at Aldenham Grammar and Trinity Hall, Cambridge. He graduated BA in 1898 and was an athletics 'blue', representing the University in 1896 and 1897. Howard was appointed to the Indian Civil Service in 1897 and held various offices: Under-Secretary (Finance Dept.) to the Government of India (1905), Controller of Customs, Calcutta (1909-13), Controller of Currency, India (1914-16), Secretary (Finance Dept.) to the Government of India (1917-20), and Controller of Finance, India Office (1920-3). He retired from the Civil Service in 1925. In 1923 Howard was elected to a Fellowship at St John's and became Senior Bursar, in which capacity he was outstandingly successful. During his time at St John's he was also a successful coach of the Lady Margaret Boat Club. Howard wrote several books, including 'An account of the finances of the college of St John the Evangelist in the University of Cambridge 1511-1926' (1935). He was knighted in 1923.

Albert Howard was born at Bishops Castle, Shropshire in 1873 the son of a farmer. His experience of working on the family farm in his youth influenced his practical approach to agricultural science throughout his professional life. After gaining an associateship in chemistry at the Royal College of Science he took his BA in Natural Sciences at St John’s graduating with first class honours in 1899. From 1905 he was imperial economic botanist to the government of India, running the research station at Pusa until 1924 with his wife, Gabrielle Louise Caroline Matthaei. Together they established the Institute of Plant Industry at Indore in 1924, where their work on soil fertility led to the development of the Indore process of composting. Following Gabrielle’s death in 1930, Howard returned to the UK, marrying in 1931 his sister-in-law Louise Ernestine Matthaei, who supported his work as his first wife had. Howard was knighted in 1934. Throughout the 1930s Howard travelled worldwide advising agriculturalists in Africa, Asia and Europe on composting methods. Until his death in 1947 he wrote and spoke on organic cultivation. The foundation of the Soil Association in 1946 was largely due to his influence.