William Henry Ward, senior [also known as William Henry Ward] was born in Allanton, Lanarkshire, Scotland on 31 December 1844 and was articled to James Cranston in Oxford, England. Having completed his articles, Ward commenced independent practice as an architect in 1864 with an office at 27 Paradise Street, Birmingham. Not long after he relocated the practice to 29 1/2 Paradise Street, Birmingham where he remained for the next five decades. He practised alone until 1904 when he formed a partnership with his son, William Henry Ward, junior (1878-?).
William Henry Ward, senior retired in 1914, but soon retuned to the practice when his son was called up for military service following the outbreak of World War One that year.
William Henry Ward, senior died in Folkestone, Kent on 10 October 1917.
Architectural works by William Henry Ward, senior included restoration work at Maxstoke Castle, Coleshill for Sir Charles Featherstone Dilke (c.1865); City Chambers, 84-86 New Street, Birmingham for E. C. Osborne, stationer (1871); Corporation Depot, Sheepcote Street, Birmingham (1873); Great Western Arcade, Temple Row and Colemore Row, Birmingham for Great Western Arcade Co. (1874-76); Two Shops with offices, Corporation Street, Birmingham for Alfred Humpage (1879); Shops and offices, Corporation Street, Birmingham (1879); Central Arcade with nine shops, 15-17 Corporation Street, Birmingham for Alfred Humpage (1880); The Colonnade Building, including Temperance Hotel and restaurant, shops and offices, New Street and Ethel Street, Birmingham for Alfred Humpage (1881); New Stork Hotel, Corporation Street, Birmingham (1882); Parish Offices for Board of Guardians, Edmund Street, Newhall Street annd Cornwall Street, Birmingham (1882-84); Lincoln's Inn Building, including shops and lawyers' offices, Corporation Street, Birmingham (1883); New Theatre [Grand Theatre], Corporation Street, Birmingham for Andrew Melville (1883); Stabling and alterations warehouse, Clement Street, Birmingham (1884); Rebuilding of Woolpack Hotel, Moor Street, Birmingham (1885); Two and warehouse, Moor Street, Birmingham (1885); Red Cross Stone Public House, Dale End, Birmingham for J. C. Bourne (1886); Central Club and shops, Corporation Street, Birmingham (1886); Infirmary, Dudley Road, Birmingham for Birmingham Board of Guardians (1887); Alterations and reconstruction of Club, High Street, Birmingham for Edwin Fletcher (1887); Brentford Workhouse, Isleworth, London (1887); Workshops and warehouse, Vyse Street, Birmingham for C. Peyton & Sons, brassfounders (1887); Shops and offices, Lower Temple Street, Birmingham for J. & H. Creamer (1890); 23 terraced houses, Green Lane, Small Heath (1890); 12 terraced houses, Green Lane, Small Heath (1890); Offices for Th Birmingham Argus newspaper, Corporation Street, Birmingham (1890); Salvation Army Building, Corporation Street, Birmingham (1891); Cannon Street Chambers, business premises and warehouses, Cannon Street for S. C. Larkins (1891); Addition to Billiard Room, Somerset Road, Edgbaston for Henry Barber (1892); Infection Diseases Hospital, Yardley Road, Birmingham for Birmingham Corporation (1893); Alterations to shop front, Hockley Hill, Birmingham for Harry Smith (1895); Alterations and additions to Clarendon Chambers, Temple Street and Temple Row, Birmingham for C. F. Price (1896); Additions to offices, Temple Street for Bikkow & Co., Birmingham (1897); Alterations to shop, Broad Street, Birmingham (1899); Frontage to offices, 29, 29 1/2 and 30 Paradise Street, Birmingham (1901); Additions to Moseley Road Working Boys Home, Moseley Road, Birmingham (1906); Salterley Grange Sanatorium, near Cheltenham, Gloucestershire (1906); Motor House, St. Mary's Road, Harborne, Birmingham for R. J. Curtis (1913); Additions, Church HillRoad, Handsworth for F. J. Burton (1914); and Offices, 189 Hagley Road, Edgbaston for J. B. Webster (1914).
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
Hartland, Stephen. ‘William Henry Ward’ in Birmingham’s Victorian and Edwardian Architects, edited by Phillada Ballard. Wetherby: Oblong Creative Ltd. for the Birmingham and West Midlands Group of the Victorian Society, 2009 pp. 253-274