Joseph Howard (1862–20 May 1925) was Prime Minister of Malta from 1921 to 1923. May 20 is the 140th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (141st in leap years). ... 1925 (MCMXXV) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar). ... A prime minister is the most senior minister of a cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. ...

Born in Valetta, Malta's first Prime Minister under the Colonial Government, Joseph Howard was educated at the Lyceum and abroad and served as an officer in the French Military academy. He joined the commercial sector - the tobacco industry - and was appointed director of Cousis Cigarettes. Between 1914 and 1925 he served as consul of Japan and later President of the Chamber of Commerce. St Johns Co-Cathedral Valletta, population 7048 (official estimate for 2000), is the capital of Malta. ...

In 1912, Joseph Howard was elected member to the Council of Government after being nominated by the Comitato Patriottico. In 1921, he joined the UPM of Mgr. I. Panzavecchia and was elected Senator in the first Maltese Parliament. As Panzavecchia did not accept the premiership, Governor Lord Plumer offered the post to Howard. Between 1921 and 1923 Joseph Howard managed to lead the first Maltese Government with the support of the Labour Party. His successes were mainly due to his keen sense of tolerance and the result of his vast experience in administration. The Nationalist Party or Partit Nazzjonalista (PN) is a Maltese political party. ... The Malta Labour Party (MLP, Maltese: Partit Laburista) is a Maltese political party. ...

Howard was regarded as the gentleman 'par excellence' and was held in great esteem by politicians of all political creeds.

Joseph Howard was President of the Government emigration committee and in 1919 he headed the Maltese delegation to France which discussed the employment of Maltese labour in that country.

He was also President of the Societa' dell'Arte, Manifattura e Commercio and President of the La Societa Filarmonica La Valette. He was also made Officer of the British Empire (OBE).