My husband, Chris Howes, who has died aged 64 of oesophageal cancer, leaves much behind him – cast ironwork from his chosen career, and a range of benefits to communities, particularly in the Cambridgeshire towns of St Neots and Chatteris, where he served as a Liberal Democrat town councillor. Chris also strove for improvements to and better maintenance of countrywide waterway systems. He wrote many articles and boating guides. He was an adept oarsman and over the years was a member of rowing clubs at Bedford, St Neots and Ely.
Born in Barnet, north London, to Monica (nee Stent) and Walter Burnett, Chris was initially raised by his mother, who set up a secretarial and translation business to support them. She planned to emigrate to Australia with Chris in 1967 to start a new life, but instead stayed to marry Hugh Howes, a town planner, with Chris taking his surname. Chris was educated at Magdalen College school, Oxford, and Bedford Modern school, then studied photography in Nottingham.
