Thomas Howell, son of a Welshman, was born in around 1480 and became a prosperous 16th century merchant and philanthropist. He was the son of John and Alice Howell. His mother later married Sir Thomas Morgan of Pen-coed, Monmouthshire, South Wales, which was also his father’s native area.

Thomas Howell was apprenticed to William Roche, a senior member of the Drapers’ Company and later Mayor of London. As an apprentice he worked in Spain. On completing his apprenticeship in 1507 he became a Freeman of the Drapers’ Company, became a Liveryman in 1521, a Warden in 1527 and remained on the Court of Assistants until his death, but he did not become Master of the Company.

By the 1520s Thomas Howell had become a flourishing and affluent merchant. His wealth came from the Anglo-Spanish trade in various fine cloths that were exported to Spain. He also imported to Britain oil, alum, iron, raisins and wine. In most of his later years he resided in Seville, Spain.

One of the most interesting legacies of Thomas Howell’s activities as a merchant is a remarkable ledger he kept. Deposited with the Drapers’ Company following Howell’s death it has been preserved in Drapers’ Hall ever since. It is of unique interest for two reasons: for the light it sheds on Anglo-Spanish trade during the early Tudor period, and as the earliest surviving English example of double-entry book keeping.

By 1536, Thomas Howell had become ill and drew up his third and final Will. In 1537, he died and was buried in Seville. Under the terms of this Will he left by far the biggest 16th century charitable endowment for marriage subsidies. Howell had married Joanna Christian but having no children, he bequeathed 20,000 ducats in gold (around £2,700 – a large fortune in the 16th century) to the Drapers. The Company purchased land to raise 400 ducats a year to provide dowries for deserving Welsh maidens as Thomas Howell had requested. His preference was for dowries for orphan girls of his own lineage. To quote every yere for maydens for ever.

It proved impossible for the Company to collect all the bequeathed monies but the money that was collected was used to purchase the Herber and other houses in Dowgate in the City of London. In 1543, the Company acquired the former house of Thomas Cromwell from King Henry VIII. This is now the Company’s Hall in Throgmorton Street. The price paid to the King for the property was 1,800 marks or £1,200. This money was that of Thomas Howell though the Company later reimbursed the charity.

Thomas Howell wanted the interest from his investments to pay annually for the marriages of four maiden orphans of his own lineage. Finding the appropriate maidens was initially difficult. Hence the Drapers’ Company advertised in Bristol on market days. This proved successful. In 1547, the first dowries were paid under the terms of Thomas Howell’s Will.

Over the following years, the supply of applicants who were appropriately qualified under the terms of the Will was small, and lawful beneficiaries were difficult to locate. Occasionally, there were fraudulent or inappropriate applicants.

By the early 19th century, the income from the Trust fund had increased substantially. As a result, a new Scheme to regulate the future of the Charity was created. Finding ‘maiden orphans of his own lineage’ had become difficult, and therefore the scope of the Charity was extended to cater for the education of female orphans in Wales. The report of the fourth Charity Commission of 1837 dealt with Howell’s Trust as well as other charities. A private Act of Parliament (1853) provided a scheme to regulate Thomas Howell’s Charity.


The Thomas Howell’s School
This Scheme of 1853 decreed that two schools were to be established at Llandaff (Cardiff) and Denbigh in North Wales for the instruction of girls, and to maintain, clothe and provide portions for orphan inmates educated in the schools. Orphan maidens of the blood of Thomas Howell were to be preferred for admission to all others. Provision was made for taking paying boarders and day girls. The appointment of local governors was in the power of the Drapers’ Company.

Howell’s School, Llandaff was administered by Glamorgan County Council from 1894 to 1976 (when direct grant status ceased and the school came under the control of the Girls’ Day School Trust). It maintains close links with the Drapers’ Company who appoints one of the Governors.

Howell’s School, Denbigh, was until 1997 administered by the Drapers’ Company. In 1975, the Charity of Howell’s School, Denbigh was established as a separate charity to govern the school. Through a Charity Commission Scheme of April 1997 the undertaking of Howell’s School, Denbigh was transferred to Howell’s 2000 Limited. A new Scheme in August 2000 updated the name and beneficiaries of the Charity. Today, the Thomas Howell’s Education Fund for North Wales, as it is now known aims to promote the education of young people under the age of 25 in North Wales.

Funding for Howell’s School, Llandaff and for the Thomas Howell’s Education Fund for North Wales is provided through the Thomas Howell’s Trust, a charity administered by the Drapers’ Company.