{{Short description|Welsh politician}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} thumb|Williams thumb|Howell J. Williams Sir '''Howell Jones Williams''' DL JP (died 13 August 1939), was a Welsh Progressive politician and a prominent London builder. He represented Islington South on the London County Council from 1898 to 1925.

==Background== Williams was born in Merioneth, Wales, but spent his adult life in London. He was a prominent builder and city council member. Williams success in London did not remove him from his Welsh roots. He was an active member of the London Welsh community; this is highlighted by his 1923-1924 presidency of the London Welsh Trust. Additionally, he acted as the Sheriff of Merionethshire in 1917.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue= 29982|page=2509|date=13 March 1917 |nolink=y}}</ref>

Williams was married and had three sons.<ref name="ukwhoswho.com">‘WILLIAMS, Sir Howell Jones’, Who Was Who, A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 1920–2016; online edn, Oxford University Press, 2014; online edn, April 2014 [http://www.ukwhoswho.com/view/article/oupww/whowaswho/U219209, accessed 24 Jan 2017]</ref>

His sons were Howell Williams (circa 1895), Captain Arthur Ifor Meakin Williams (1895 - 9 October 1918), Meyrick Richard M Williams (1900 - 1967)

==Building== Some of the more noteworthy buildings constructed by Williams are the Daily Mail and Evening News Offices on the Thames Embankment, Rotherhithe Town Hall, and a substantial number of buildings along Gray's Inn Road.<ref name="Newspaper">{{cite news |title=Welshmen Known in London. - X. Sir Howell J. Williams, L.C.C. |url=https://newspapers.library.wales/view/3108247 |access-date=17 August 2021 |issue=66 Volume 3 |publisher=The London Welshman |date=December 30, 1905}}</ref> Of particular note are buildings for the Benchers of Gray's Inn and the London Welsh Centre.<ref name="LWC">{{cite web |title=History |url=https://www.londonwelsh.org/about-us/history-of-the-centre/ |website=London Welsh Centre |access-date=17 August 2021}}</ref><ref name="Rotherhithe">{{cite news |title=Rotherhithe Town Hall- The Opening Ceremony |url=http://www.arthurlloyd.co.uk/Rotherhithe.htm |access-date=17 August 2021 |publisher=Building News and Engineering Journal |date=April 30, 1897}}</ref>

The London Welsh Centre was built on a 15,000 square foot lot that Williams purchased for this purpose. Upon completion of the building, he gifted it to the Young Wales Association for their use.<ref name="LWC"/>

While not constructed directly by Williams, the David's Wing of the Royal Northern Hospital was built with donations from Williams. With donations of £158,000, Williams was the hospitals largest benefactor.<ref name="Hospital">{{cite web |last1=Baggs |first1=AP |title=Islington: Public services |url=https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/middx/vol8/pp82-88 |website=British History Online |publisher=Victoria County History |access-date=17 August 2021}}</ref> The building has since been demolished but a memorial wall of plaques remains; one of these plaques recognizes Williams' contribution to the building.<ref>{{cite web |title=Howell Jones Williams Plaque with id 3972 |url=https://www.blueplaques.net/show_images.php?search_id=id!3972 |website=John Yugin's plaque website |access-date=17 August 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Plaque: RNH - St David’s Wing |url=https://www.londonremembers.com/memorials/rnh-st-david-s-wing |website=London Remembers |access-date=17 August 2021}}</ref>

==Political career== Williams was Progressive candidate for the Rotherhithe division of Southwark, at a by-election on 31 March 1894. He was elected to the London County Council (LCC), holding the seat for the party.<ref>County Council Election, The Times, 2 April 1894, p. 11.</ref> He served until the full elections in 1895. He was Progressive candidate for the Islington South division at the 1898 LCC elections. He was elected, holding the seat for the party. He was re-elected for Islington South at the next seven elections. He was a Justice of the Peace in the County of London. He was a Deputy Lieutenant and served as High Sheriff of Merionethshire from 1917–18.<ref>13 March 1917. Retrieved 2012-07-17.</ref> He was knighted in 1921. He was Deputy Chairman of the London County Council in 1921.<ref name="ukwhoswho.com"/>

===Electoral record=== right|thumb|190px|Rotherhithe in London 1885-1918 right|thumb|190px|Islington South in London 1885-1918 {{Election box begin | |title=1901 London County Council election: Islington South<ref>"London County Council Election." Times [London, England] 4 Mar. 1901: 7. The Times Digital Archive. Web. 22 Sept. 2016.</ref> }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party =Progressive Party (London) |candidate =Howell Jones Williams |votes =unopposed |percentage =n/a |change =n/a }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party =Independent (politician) |candidate =George Samuel Elliott |votes =unopposed |percentage =n/a |change =n/a }} {{Election box hold with party link| |winner =Progressive Party (London) |swing =n/a }} {{Election box hold with party link| |winner =Independent (politician) |swing =n/a }} {{Election box end}} {{Election box begin| |title=1910 London County Council election: Islington South<ref>London County Council Election." Times [London, England] 7 Mar. 1910: 7. The Times Digital Archive. Web. 1 May 2016.</ref> }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party=Progressive Party (London) |candidate=Howell Jones Williams |votes=2,855 |percentage=26.7 |change= }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party=Progressive Party (London) |candidate=George Dew |votes=2,841 |percentage=26.6 |change= }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party=Municipal Reform Party |candidate=S Lambert |votes=2,515 |percentage=23.5 |change= }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party=Municipal Reform Party |candidate=Violet Douglas-Pennant |votes=2,475 |percentage=23.2 |change= }} {{Election box majority| |votes= |percentage= |change= }} {{Election box hold with party link| |winner=Progressive Party (London) |swing= }} {{Election box end}} {{Election box begin | |title=1913 London County Council election: Islington South<ref>London Municipal Notes, 1913</ref> }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Progressive Party (London) |candidate =George Dew |votes = 3,197 |percentage =26.6 |change =+0.0 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Progressive Party (London) |candidate =Howell Jones Williams |votes = 3,195 |percentage =26.6 |change =-0.1 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Municipal Reform Party |candidate = A Dingli |votes =2,829 |percentage = 23.5 |change =+0.0 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Municipal Reform Party |candidate =William Hunt |votes =2,807 |percentage = 23.3 |change =+0.1 }} {{Election box majority| |votes = 366 |percentage = 3.0 |change = }} {{Election box hold with party link| |winner = Progressive Party (London) |swing =-0.0 }} {{Election box end}} right|thumb|190px|Islington South in London 1918-49 {{Election box begin | |title=1919 London County Council election: Islington South<ref name="ReferenceA">London Municipal Notes - Volumes 18-23, London Municipal Society</ref> }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Progressive Party (London) |candidate =Howell Jones Williams |votes = Unopposed |percentage = n/a |change =n/a }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Progressive Party (London) |candidate =George Dew |votes = Unopposed |percentage = n/a |change =n/a }} {{Election box hold with party link| |winner = Progressive Party (London) |swing =n/a }} {{Election box hold with party link| |winner = Progressive Party (London) |swing =n/a }} {{Election box end}} {{Election box begin | |title=1922 London County Council election: Islington South<ref name="ReferenceA">London Municipal Notes - Volumes 18-23, London Municipal Society</ref> }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Progressive Party (London) |candidate =Sir Howell Jones Williams |votes = 4,916 |percentage = 25.6 |change =n/a }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Progressive Party (London) |candidate =George Dew |votes = 4,882 |percentage = 25.4 |change =n/a }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Municipal Reform Party |candidate = A Hudson |votes =4,735 |percentage = 24.7 |change =n/a }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Municipal Reform Party |candidate = G Hampton Lewis |votes =4,665 |percentage = 24.3 |change =n/a }} {{Election box majority| |votes = 147 |percentage = 0.7 |change =n/a }} {{Election box hold with party link| |winner = Progressive Party (London) |swing =n/a }} {{Election box hold with party link| |winner = Progressive Party (London) |swing =n/a }} {{Election box end}}

==References== {{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Williams, Howell Jones}} Category:1939 deaths Category:Progressive Party (London) politicians Category:High sheriffs of Merionethshire