Edward Wolstenholme Ward

Major-General Sir Edward Wolstenholme Ward KCMG (17 August 1823 – 5 February 1890)[1] was an Indian-born British soldier and Australian politician as well as cricket player.

Background

Born in Calcutta, he was the oldest son of John Petty Ward and his wife Eleanor Erskine, daughter of John Erskine.[2] He was educated at Royal Military Academy, Woolwich and joined then the Royal Engineers as cadet in 1841.[1]

Career

Shortly after his admission, he got a promotion to second lieutenant[3] and then in 1844 to first lieutenant.[4] After additional studies at the Royal School of Mines, he began working for the Royal Mint and became second captain in 1852.[1] Two years later, Ward was sent as deputy-master of its oversea branch to Sydney[1] and was promoted to captain in 1855.[5] In May of the latter year, he was nominated a non-elective member of the New South Wales Legislative Council, sitting in it for nine months.[6] He was appointed to the council for life in 1861, however resigned his seat in 1865.[6] Ward was promoted to major in January 1964[7] and to lieutenant-colonel only few months later.[8] When he returned to England in 1866, he was set on halfpay.[1]

In 1869, he became colonel[9] and resumed his old post as deputy-master in a new branch in Melbourne.[1] He was awarded a Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George in 1874[10] and retired with a pension three years later, having been promoted to major-general.[11] In 1879, he was further honoured as a Knight Commander.[12]

Ward played for the New South Wales cricket team in four of its early matches against Victoria between 1857 and 1862.[13] He was one of the pioneers of roundarm bowling in Australia and was most effective, taking 27 wickets in his four matches at an average of 7.66.[14] In the match against Victoria in 1858-59 he took 10 wickets for 57 runs.[15] In 1857 the Australian Cricketer's Guide said of him: "Is an excellent and puzzling left-hand round-arm bowler, with medium pace, keeping the ball usually 'on the spot'."[16]

He was a trustee of the Australian Museum and member of the Australian Philosophical Society.[1] He was elected a member of the Photographic Society in March 1853 remaining a member until at least 1859.[17]

Family

On 21 November 1857, he married Anne Sophia Campbell, daughter of Robert Campbell, and had by her three sons and four daughters.[18] Ward died in Cannes, aged 66.[13]

See also

References
  1. Greville, P. J. (1976). "Ward, Sir Edward Wolstenholme (1823 - 1890)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. ISSN 1833-7538. Retrieved 23 August 2009.
  2. Lodge, Edmund (1859). The Peerage and Baronetage of the British Empire (28th ed.). London: Hurst and Blackett. p. 41.
  3. "No. 19997". The London Gazette. 9 July 1841. p. 1782.
  4. "No. 20427". The London Gazette. 27 December 1844. p. 5316.
  5. "No. 21688". The London Gazette. 3 April 1855. p. 1335.
  6. "Edward Wolstenholme Ward". Former members of the Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 11 May 2019.
  7. "No. 22820". The London Gazette. 16 February 1864. p. 725.
  8. "No. 22829". The London Gazette. 8 March 1864. p. 1429.
  9. "No. 23473". The London Gazette. 26 February 1869. p. 1385.
  10. "No. 24116". The London Gazette. 24 July 1874. p. 3669.
  11. "No. 24491". The London Gazette. 10 August 1877. p. 4628.
  12. "No. 24726". The London Gazette. 24 May 1879. p. 3597.
  13. "ESPN, Cricinfo - Edward Wolstenholme Ward". Retrieved 23 August 2009.
  14. A. G. Moyes, Australian Cricket: A History, Angus & Robertson, Sydney, 1959, p. 118.
  15. "New South Wales v Victoria 1858-59". CricketArchive. Retrieved 6 March 2020.
  16. "New South Wales Eleven". The Sydney Morning Herald: 5. 7 October 1857.
  17. http://rpsmembers.dmu.ac.uk/rps_results.php?mid=343 Accessed 2 March 2015. See also: Elaine Herbert, 'Who was the first RPS member in Australia?' in The Royal Photographic Society Australian Chapter Newsletter, 30 (2), February 2015, pp. 10-11.
  18. "ThePeerage - Maj-Gen Sir Edward Wolstenholme Ward". Retrieved 23 August 2009.
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