Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Second War M.B.E. group of four awarded to the Hon. Mrs Kathleen Whalley Howie, Deputy Director Civil Defence Worker’s Health Department Joint War Organisation of the British Red Cross Society and Order of St John

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, M.B.E. (Civil) Member’s 2nd type; Defence Medal; Coronation 1937; Voluntary Medical Service Medal, silver, with additional 5 year Bar (The Hon. Mrs Kathleen Whalley Howie) mounted as worn together with tunic ribbon bar, good very fine (4) £200-£240

M.B.E. London Gazette 9 January 1946: ‘The Honourable Kathleen Whalley Smith (The Hon Mrs Howie), Deputy Director Civil Defence Worker’s Health Department Joint War Organisation of the British Red Cross Society and Order of St John.’

Kathleen Whalley Smith was born in Salford, Lancashire, on 18 January 1903, the daughter of Frederick Henry Smith, First Baron Colwyn, and his wife Elizabeth Ann Savage. Known as Sir Frederick Smith, 1st Baronet, from 1912 to 1917, he was a British manufacturer, investor and banking executive. He was an influential Liberal figure in Manchester politics for many years. Smith was a rubber and cotton factory owner, deputy chairman of Martins bank (23 years after his death the 700 branches were acquired by Barclays Bank) and a Director of several railway companies. In 1917 he served as Sheriff of Caernarvonshire. He was created a Baronet, of Colwyn Bay in the County of Denbigh, in 1912. In the 1917 Birthday Honours he was raised to the peerage as Baron Colwyn, of Colwyn Bay in the County of Denbigh. In 1924, he was admitted to the Privy Council. Lord Colwyn married Elizabeth Anne, daughter of Hamilton Savage, in 1882. They had two sons and five daughters.

The Western Mail newspaper of 14 January 1939 records –
“Lord Colwyn’s daughter Miss Kathleen Whalley Smith has successfully taken up the profession of Architecture and some time ago was elected an Associate Member of the Liverpool Architectural Society one of five (women) in a membership of 200”.
She married Robert Cullen Howie a London Based Accountant in Chelsea on 22 September 1945, whilst living in Kensington and died in Sway, New Forest on 11 April 1990.