Witt was born in Newport, Wales, where his father worked as a docker.
[5] Ordained deacon in 1944 and priest in 1945, after curacies at Usk (1944–48) and St George', Camberwell (1948–49)[6] he emigrated to Australia where he became chaplain at the Woomera Rocket Station, South Australia (1949–54).
While at Woomera, Howell gave the first performance of his drag act, "the Dowager Duchess of Dingo Creek".
[9] A hugely colourful character,[9] in 1965 he was ordained to the episcopate as Anglican Bishop of North West Australia and was often featured in the media.
[10] He was later translated to serve as Bishop of Bathurst from 1981 to 1989 and in that role was reported to be "bumbling, inappropriate, and adventurous to the end".