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.
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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]
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 send 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 rerturned 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]
After the founding of the cricket club New South Wales Blues in 1856, Ward became one of its first members and played for it until 1861.[13] He was a trustee of the Australian Museum and member of the Australian Philosophical Society.[1]
On 21 November 1857, he married Anne Sophia Campbell, daughter of Hon. Robert Campbell, and had by her three sons and four daughters.[14] Ward died in Cannes, aged 66.[13]