Born in Allanton, Scotland. After being articled to James Cranstoun in Oxford Ward came to Birmingham in 1864 and started his own practice. He had offices at 27 Paradise Street, and designed some of Birmingham's most notable Victorian buildings including the Great Western Arcade. Ward wrote The Architecture of the Renaissance on France 1495-1830, a period that influenced his work greatly.
A SELECTION OF WARD'S WORK
The Great Western Arcade
Built between 1874 and 1876 the Great Western Arcade seems to be somewhat in revival at present, with a number of independent shops opening inside.
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| Postcard of the Arcade, with the Gt. Western Vaults next door. |
Colonnade Hotel, New Street
Built in 1882 replacing an altered but fine Georgian house with Regency extension. Andy Foster calls the building Ward's masterpiece where he successfully integrates 'Italian and French Renaissance detail into powerful overall massing'.* Demolished.
Stork Hotel, Corporation Street
Built in 1883 by Ward in French Renaissance style and demolished in the 1960s for the Priory Square redevelopment.
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| Stork Hotel shortly after construction in 1883. |
Grand Theatre, Old Square
Built in 1883 for plays, music and opera. It was kitted out for the new 'talkies' in 1930 but closed only three years later. It was later used as a ballroom until 1960 and then demolished in 1963.
* Andy Foster, Pevsner Architectural Guides: Birmingham (2007: Yale University Press, New Haven)