Bolton Church Institute School War Memorial

Norman Howard

Norman Howard was born in Bolton on 2 June 1884.

He was the son of Alexander and Annie Howard, who lived at times in St Petersburg/Petrograd, Russia.

His father, Alexander Howard, was born in Russia (his own father was a British paper manufacturer) and his profession is given as an 'Engine Draughtsman' on the 1881 Census. Norman's brother, Alec Howard, was born in St Petersburg..

Norman - known as Norrie - lived with his uncle, Oswald Simpson, a commercial traveller in grocery and provisions, at 8 Vernon Street, Bolton.

Norrie attended Bolton Church Institute for a period between 1898-1902.

He appears on the 1911 Census, aged 26, as a civil engineer and surveyor.

Howard family tree - pdf

Norrie's War

Norrie enlisted with his brother Alec in the 20th (Public Schools) Battalion, Royal Fusiliers and arrived in France on 14th November 1915.

He was killed in action on 20th July 1916, probably in the attack on High Wood during the Battle of the Somme.

He died on the same day and probably in the same action as Kingsley Brown, who was in the same battalion.

Having no known grave he is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial. High Wood was never fully cleared after the war, and it is estimated that the remains of around 8000 soldiers, British and German, still lie there today.

Bolton Journal and Guardian
4 August 1916

KILLED IN ACTION

Howard – killed in action on July 20th Private Norman Howard (Norrie), Royal Fusiliers (Public Schools) elder and much loved son of Alec and Annie Howard, Petrograd, aged 32.

THE WAR IN PICTURE AND STORY

The heavy fighting in which the Public Schools Battalion of the Royal Fusiliers took part on July 20th has cost Bolton yet another life, the news having been received of the death of Pte. Norrie Howard, a Bolton Church Institute boy, and associated in business with the firm of Messrs. J. Jackson and Son, civil engineers, of Wood-st. Mr. Howard, who lived with his uncle, Mr. O. Simpson, at 8, Vernon-st., had a wide circle of friends, by whom he was held in the highest regard. His brother, Alec (Sasha), joined the Public Schools at the same time, and was severely wounded on April 8th from the effects of which he has now happily almost recovered.