William Henry Ward was born in Iver, Buckinghamshire, England, on 13 September 1865. His father, Rev. W.S. Ward, was the Vicar of Iver. After studying at Clare College, University of Cambridge, he was articled to Sir Arthur William Blomfield (1890-92.) He was then an improver with Sir Ernest George and Harold Ainsworth Peto of Messrs George & Peto in 1892-93. Ward qualified as an architect in 1892 and was elected an Associate of the Royal Institute of British Architects (ARIBA) in 1893.
After a brief period with Dan Gibson in Windermere, Westmorland, and as a draughtsman with Edwin Lutyens from 1895 to 1898, Ward established his own independent practice in London in 1898. He was later also in partnership with William Gerald St. John Cogswell (1870-c.1940).
Ward exhibited 8 works at the Royal Academy in London between 1898 and 1909. He was the author of 'French Châteaux and Gardens in the XVIth Century' (London: B.T. Batsford, 1909) and 'The Architecture of the Renaissance in France: a history of the evolution of the arts of building, decoration and garden design under classical influence from 1495 to 1830'. (London: B.T. Batsford, 1911).
Ward's address was given as 18 Lyndhurst Road, Hampstead, London (1892); 28 Theobald's Road, London (1899); 2 Bedford Square, London (1911, 1914); and Colne House, Iver, Buckinghamshire (1914). He died in Iver, Buckinghamshire, on 10 March 1924.
Architectural projects by Ward included the Rectory in Marston, Leicestershire; the Emmanuel Church in Fazakerley, Liverpool (with W.G. St. John Cogswell, 1908); St. Peter's School in Weston-super-Mare, Essex (with J.S. Lee); a boathouse in Derwentwater; The Steep in Keswick, Cumberland; a garden at High Moss, near Keswick, Cumberland; 'Melcombe' in Harrogate, Yorkshire; and a house at Holgate in Lincolnshire.
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"Moss Garth", "Lingey Acre," "High Moss", "Little Ellers", &c, Portinscale, Cumberland; "Melcombo, Harrogate; " High Clare", Claygate; New Rectory, Harston, Leics.; house at Halton Holgate, Lincs.; alterations and additions to Iver Vicarage and Parlaunt Park Farm, Langley, Bucks. In association with W. G. Cogswell: Emmanuel Church. Fazakerley, Liverpool, and St. Peter's School. Weston-super-Mare. In association with J. S. Lee, Sneerwater Cottage, Byfleet. [Source: Who's Who in Architecture 1914]
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Houses and cottages at Portlnscale (Camb.), Harrogate, Iver (Bucks), Claygate, Byfleet, and Halton-Holgate. In partnership with W. G. Cogswell: Emmanuel Church, Fazakerley; St. Peter's School, Weston-super-Mare; Village Crosses at Brackley, Wherwell, Iver, Trimley St. Martin, etc. [Source: Who's Who in Architecture 1923]
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‘Obituary’. The Builder 14 March 1924 pp. 407, 414
‘Obituary’. The Builder 28 March 1924 p. 488
Who's Who in Architecture 1914. London: Technical Journals Ltd., 1914
Who's Who in Architecture 1923. Edited by Frederick Chatterton, 1926