Geraint Howells

Howells was born in Ponterwyd, Cardiganshire, in 1925. He was the son of David John and Mary Blodwen Howells, both farmers. He was educated at Ponterwyd Primary School and Ardwyn Grammar School, Aberystwyth. ==Pre-parliamentary career==

Howells' main living was as a hill farmer in Glennydd, Ponterwyd in Ceredgion. He held some 750 acres there with around 3,000 sheep. The majority were prize winning Speckled Faces. Howells was also a champion sheep shearer. He held senior positions in the British Wool Marketing Board and was also chairman of the Wool Producers of Wales, 1977–1983. Politically, Howells was elected to Cardiganshire County Council as an Independent in 1952, defeating the sitting member by twelve votes. At this time it was normal practice in Welsh rural counties for Liberal members to stand as independents. However, in 1958 he was briefly appointed as agent for the prospective Labour candidate for Cardiganshire, Loti Rees Hughes. ==Parliamentary career==

Howells was selected as the parliamentary candidate for Brecon and Radnor in 1968. He was the first Liberal to contest the seat in the post-war period. He came third with 18.9 per cent of the vote. During this period Howells became one of the central players in the Welsh Liberal Party. Howells was a close friend of both Richard Livsey and Emlyn Hooson, both of whom he served with at Westminster in the House of Commons and the House of Lords. ==Personal life==

Geraint Howells married Mary Olwen Griffiths on 7 September 1957. They had two children: Gaenor, a newsreader with the BBC World Service, born in 1961 and Mari born in 1965. Howells died in Aberystwyth on 17 April 2004, two days after his 79th birthday. ==References==