Frederick Ward
Frederick Ward (1850-1919)
1919 Obituary [1]
FREDERICK WARD was born on the 11th March, 1850, at Cambridge, in which town he was also educated. Soon after leaving school he took up telegraphy and obtained employment with railway and telegraph companies.
In 1869 his connection with submarine telegraphy began when he was sent to Italy and Sicily, and he was afterwards stationed at Aden for some time.
In 1871 he was selected, with a few others, to teach and develop telegraphy in Japan. Two decorations - the Order of the Rising Sun, and the Order of the Sacred Treasure - were conferred upon him for his services.
He left the service of the Japanese Government in 1879 and accepted a position with the French Atlantic Cable Company, who appointed him to be Superintendent at Sydney, Cape Breton, Canada.
When the Commercial Cable Company was organized in 1884 he transferred to that Company, and in the following year was stationed at Weston-super-Mare as superintendent, afterwards having charge also of the Bristol, Cardiff, and Swansea stations.
He remained at Weston-super-Mare for 11 years, and was appointed Manager in England to the Commercial Cable Company at the beginning of 1896, which position he held until his death on the 23rd January, 1919.
He was a great traveller and had a large experience, was an excellent linguist, speaking fluently several continental languages, and also spoke and wrote Japanese. In addition to his Japanese decorations he was awarded the Order of Christ by the Portuguese Government.
He was elected an Associate of the Institution in 1886 and a Member in 1888.