Mr Howells - Obituary 2001

While researching some press clippings about the Gilberd this week I came across an obituary for Mr Howells, who died in 2001. I'm sure I'm not alone in having missed this at the time and, as many people will have memories of him, I thought it would be good to include it here for everyone to see.

Evening Gazette - 12th November 2001
Former teacher dies, 85

A former teacher who was a veteran of the Normandy landings has died aged 85.

Ken Howells was head of the Lower School at the Gilberd, Colchester, until 1981. Welshman Mr Howells played rugby for Llanelli in his youth and was capped three times as an under 23 player. He came to Colchester in 1938 as a PE teacher at the North East Essex Technical College, North Hill.

He served with the RAF throughout the war and was at the Normandy landings.

After the war, Mr Howells returned to North Hill and stayed there until 1980. 

He taught PE, maths and geography. When the new Gilberd School opened in High Woods, Mr Howells spent one year as head of the first year before retiring.

He is survived by his widow, Molly, two daughters and four grandchildren.

His funeral was at Colchester crematorium on November 2nd.

There are a few photos of Mr Howells in Eddie's book but these were taken with sports teams he coached in the 1940s. The only more recent photo we have was taken on a school holiday to the Rhineland in the 1970s and can be found here.