This business has it's origins with that of John Howell's hosiery shop that was established at 76, Aldersgate in London in 1832. John was later joined by his son, Henry, and later still, by his nephew, Jonathan. John Howell became a widower in 1851 following the death of his wife, Sarah, but remarried in 1859 to Sarah Akerman, a widow whose husband had been the walking stick and umbrella manufacturer, James Thomas Akerman. Henry Howell appears to have passed the Aldersgate business over to his much younger cousin, Jonathan and taken over the Akerman business that was located at Old Street, London and restyled it to Henry Howell & Co.. In 1867 Jonathan closed the Aldersgate shop and joined Henry in the walking cane business, they were to work together again until Henry's death in 1888, they was successful and built a reputation for quality products and rapidly expanded with their address in 1892 being noted as 176, 178, 180, 182, & 196, Old Street, and 53 & 54, Featherstone Street, London EC and in 1895 they were noted as employing 460 workers and claimed to be largest manufacturer of walking sticks in the world. The manager of the walking stick and umbrella stick departments being noted as John Walter Anderson who died at the age of 42 years in 1895.
In 1903 the firm converted into a limited liability company, the directors being noted as Jonathan Howell, George Short, and Edwin Short, the new company being styled Henry Howell & Co. Ltd.
Following the Great War the company saw a slow decline in its fortunes, but it continued to operate for many more years. Jonathan Howell died in 1934 and was replaced as managing director by Bernard Charles Howell who ran the company with his cousin, John Waddy-Howell. Following the death of Jonathan the company down sized and relocated to Carlisle Road, The Hyde, Hendon, London NW9, and retaining its showrooms at 180, Old Street, but it was only a stay of execution and the company was liquidated in July, 1936. However, this was not the end of the this long established business, a new company was formed, styled Henry Howell (1936) Limited, and was to exist for another ten years or so before that too went into voluntary liquidation in March 1947.
