Mary Howitt (1888-1983): Biographical Entry

1.355 HOWITT, Mary, Untitled, TS, pp.9 (c.3,500 words). Brunel University Library.

 Born 1888(?) in mining village of New Herrington, Co. Durham. Father: foreman carpenter at colliery. 4th youngest of 13 children. Educated at village school (no details). No mention of marriage. Lived at New Herrington; Sunderland; Australia (1949-).

 Geography teacher and headmistress.

 Member of Sunderland Soroptimist Club (1938-), and president (1944); vice-president of the North East Divisional Union (1946); secretary of North East England branch of the Geographical Association (for 20 years); Fellow of Royal Geographical Society.

 A brief account is provided of the author’s childhood in a Durham mining village. The remainder of this short narrative deals with family history, the Soroptimists, war experiences and emigration.

‘Mary Howitt’ in John Burnett, David Vincent and David Mayall (eds) The Autobiography of the Working Class: An Annotated, Critical Bibliography 1790-1945, 3 vols. (Brighton: Harvester, 1984, 1987, 1989): 1:355