Ned Ward

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Ned Ward (also known as Edward Ward) was a satirical writer and publican in the late seventeenth and early eighteenth century based in London, England. His most famous work is The London Spy. Published in 18 monthly instalments starting in November 1698 it was described (by the author) as a "complete survey" of the London scene. It was first published in book form in 1703.

He was born in 1660 or 1667 in Oxfordshire and died on 20th June, 1731. He was publican at the King's Head Inn, London from 1699.

At least 70 publications of his are known including Vulgus Britannicus, Hudibras Redivivus, A Trip to Jamaica and Satyrical Reflections on Clubs. This last contains one of the first descriptions of homosexual clubs in London.

He is the subject of a book by Howard W Troyer, Ned Ward of Grubstreet; a study of sub-literary London in the eighteenth century published in 1946

The New London Spy was later used as title of a book by Hunter Davies.