William Murthwait How was born in Chesham, Buckinghamshire, England in July 1873 and was articled to Arthur Marshall, an engineer from 1892 to 1895, and to John Thomas Christopher (1829?-1910) and Eley Emlyn White (?-1900) of Christopher & White from 1896 to 1898. He remained briefly with them as an improver and worked as an assistant to Frederick George Knight (?-1930). He also attended the Royal Academy Schools in London.
How commenced practice as architect in London in 1899. From 1905 he was in partnership with William James Kemp and William James Kemp, Jnr. (1882-?) as Kemp & How.
How was elected a Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects (FRIBA) in 1907. Hi's address was given as Chesham, Buckinghamshire in 1907; 6 Bloomsbury Square, London in 1907 and 1914; 4 Bloomsbury Square, London in 1926 and 1939. He died in Amersham Buckinghamshire on 4 October 1957
Directory of British Architects 1834-1914. Compiled by Antonia Brodie, et al. Volume 1: A-K. London; New York: British Architectural Library, Royal Institute of British Architects/Continuum, 2001
‘Obituary’. The Builder vol. 193, 18 October 1957 p. 680