Margaret Howells was born on 4^th May 1873 and was the eldest daughter in her family from Begelly, Pembrokeshire.

As a child, she was a pupil of Narberth County School where she later spent a year as a supplementary teacher. The school log books from 30^th September 1909 reveal ‘Miss Margaret Howells, formerly student teacher at this school has succeeded in gaining an entrance scholarship, to the value of £25, tenable for 3 years, to Cardiff University College.’ This was awarded as part of the historically significant ‘Caroline Williams’ Scholarship; created to ensure that women had access to higher education in 19^th century Wales.

During her lifetime, Caroline Williams was described as a ‘radical’ and ‘opinionated’ colliery heiress.* The scholarship in her name was established when she gave £1,000 of her inheritance to the University College of South Wales and Monmouthshire for scholarships for female students residing at Aberdare Hall (established in Cardiff in 1883 by Lady Aberdare, another champion of women’s education in Wales). This was the first scholarship for women ever given at a Welsh college. Caroline was also notably one of the founders of the Women’s printing society, Westminster, left £100 for the promotion of women’s suffrage in her will, and £450 to her 5 servants.

Because of the legacy of Caroline Williams, Margaret Howells was able to fulfill her potential and graduated with a 1^st class honours degree in History. She was later ‘appointed Senior Mistress at the Narberth County School in place of Miss Smith…’(Haverfordwest & Milford Haven Telegraph and General Weekly Reporter, June 1918), before going on to join the staff at a school in Lancashire

Margaret died on 15^th January 1934.

Ganed Margaret Howells ar y 4^ydd o Fai 1873 yn ferch hynaf ei theulu o Fegeli, Sir Benfro.

Fel plentyn, roedd yn ddisgybl yn Ysgol Sirol Arberth lle treuliodd flwyddyn yn ddiweddarach fel athrawes atodol. Mae llyfrau log yr ysgol o’r 30^ain o Fedi 1909 yn datgelu bod ‘Miss Margaret Howells, cyn athrawes dan hyfforddiant yn yr ysgol hon wedi llwyddo i ennill ysgoloriaeth mynediad, gwerth £25, a delir am 3 blynedd, i Goleg Prifysgol Caerdydd’. Dyfarnwyd y cymorth ariannol hwn fel rhan o Ysgoloriaeth ‘Caroline Williams’ oedd o bwys hanesyddol gan i’r ysgoloriaeth gael ei chreu i sicrhau bod gan fenywod fynediad i addysg uwch yng Nghymru yn y bedwaredd ganrif ar bymtheg.

Yn ystod ei hoes, disgrifiwyd Caroline Williams fel etifeddes pwll glo oedd yn ‘radical’ a ‘chadarn ei barn’. Sefydlwyd yr ysgoloriaeth yn ei henw pan roddodd £1,000 o’i hetifeddiaeth i Goleg Prifysgol De Cymru a Sir Fynwy ar gyfer ysgoloriaethau i fyfyrwyr benywaidd yn byw yn Neuadd Aberdâr (a sefydlwyd yng Nghaerdydd ym 1883 gan Arglwyddes Aberdâr, un arall o hyrwyddwyr addysg i ferched yng Nghymru). Dyma oedd yr ysgoloriaeth gyntaf i fenywod a roddwyd erioed i goleg yng Nghymru. Roedd Caroline hefyd yn un o sefydlwyr cymdeithas argraffu y Menywod yn Westminster, a gadawodd £100 yn ei hewyllys i hyrwyddo pleidlais i fenywod, a £450 i’w 5 o weision.

Roedd cymynrodd Caroline Williams wedi galluogi Margaret Howells i gyflawni ei photensial, a graddiodd gyda gradd anrhydedd dosbarth 1^af mewn Hanes. Yn ddiweddarach, ‘cafodd ei phenodi yn Uwch Feistres yn Ysgol Sirol Arberth yn lle Miss Smith… ‘ (Gohebydd Cyffredinol y Telegraph yn ardal Hwlffordd ac Aberdaugleddau, Mehefin 1918), cyn mynd ymlaen i ymuno â’r staff mewn ysgol yn Swydd Gaerhirfryn.

Bu farw Margaret ar y 15^fed o Ionawr 1934.