British explosives officer with London's Metropolitan Police Service. Born Kenneth Robert Howorth. He served with the Royal Army Ordnance Corps (RAOC), reaching the rank of Warrant Officer Class 1 (Conductor), before leaving to join the Metropolitan Police Service in 1973. He was called to attend to a booby-trapped device planted by the IRA, in a Wimpy restaurant in Oxford Street. While attempting to defuse it, he was killed instantly when it detonated. He was awarded the George Medal posthumously.
Our colleague, Andrew Behan, adds that he was the eldest of the three children of James Robert Howorth (1908-1998) and Florence Howorth née Taylor (1909-1989) and was born on 28 September 1932 in Littleborough, Rochdale, Lancashire. His siblings: John Garry Howorth (1935-2013) born in Todmorton, West Yorkshire and Kathryn Brenda Howorth (1938-2017) born in Littleborough.
In 1959 he married Annie Brook (1936-2003) in Todmorton and they had four children: Christine Howorth (1959-1959), John Howorth (1959-1959), Steven Howorth and Susan Howorth.
After he was murdered, aged 49 years, on 26 October 1981, his body was cremated and his ashes were buried on 27 February 1982 at St Peter's Church, Church Walk, Walsden, Todmorden, OL14 6QU. Probate was granted on 1 February 1982 and probate records confirm his home address had been 6 Malham Fell, Wildridings, Bracknell, RG12 7DU with his effects totalling £34,674.
In 1985, IRA volunteers and , both from Belfast, Northern Ireland, were convicted of his murder (along with other attacks including the Chelsea Barracks nail bomb in September 1981) and each handed five life sentences with a minimum tariff of thirty-five years. They were released in 1999 under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement.
Credit for this entry to: Alan Patient of www.plaquesoflondon.co.uk
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