Francis Edward Ward was born in Belfast, Ireland 16 October 1868 and was articled to Robert Graeme Watt (1848?-?) in Belfast from 1886 to 1889. He was then clerk of works for six months. He moved to London where he worked in the offices of William Frederick Unsworth (1851-1912) in 1890, and George Rackstraw Crickmay (1830-1907) and George Lay Crickmay (1855-1921) in 1892. He also attended classes at the Royal Academy Schools in London. He then returned to Belfast. He qualified as an architect in 1892 and was elected an Associate of the Royal Institute of British Architects (ARIBA) later that year.
He commenced independent practice as an architect in Belfast in 1892. However, in 1894 he abandoned architecture to establish Ward & Partners, an art-furniture and stained glass business in Belfast. Ward closed the firm in c.1930 and went to work for another company as head of their stained glass department. Ward died in 1940.
Directory of British Architects 1834-1914. Compiled by Antonia Brodie, et al. Volume 2: L-Z. London; New York: British Architectural Library, Royal Institute of British Architects/Continuum, 2001