President Sir Archibald Howie Biography

Sir Archibald Howie                      (1879 – 1943)

[Image courtesy City of Sydney Archives]

President Royal Agricultural Society of New South Wales 1941 - 1943

Archibald Howie was born in Glasgow. He came to Sydney with his mother in 1881 to join his father, a mason, who set up a building firm which quickly prospered.

Educated at Sydney Boys High School, Howie was apprenticed to the company at 16. As it expanded he became senior partner then chairman. Numerous other chairmanships and directorships followed. He was president of the Sydney Chamber of Commerce and of the Master Builders’ Association, a member of the Legislative Council and Lord Mayor of Sydney.

At ‘Navua’, his property in Richmond, he ran a top Jersey stud, doing much to improve the breed standard. He also bred Shetland and Welsh ponies, Berkshire pigs and Airedale and Irish terriers, exhibiting all at the Show.

As president of the Society, one of Archibald Howie’s  first tasks was to announce the cancellation of 1942 Show. With conflict intensifying in the Pacific, the Showground was required for military use for the rest of the Second World War and activities were correspondingly curtailed. Without a Show there was little revenue and finances were soon stretched. However, work continued for the breed societies and long overdue reform in the dog world was achieved with the establishment of the Kennel Club, with  Howie becoming its first president.

In October 1943, Archibald Howie died suddenly. Though he proved an able wartime custodian, circumstances denied him the chance to fully demonstrate his talents. He is the only RAS president never to have presided over a Show.

A full list of Presidents can be found here.