This cabinet photograph appears to depict the family of Corporal John Ward with his five-month-old son Henry Ward and a woman assumed to be his wife. The identification of this family is based upon the name of the infant which is inscribed on the reverse: "Henry Ward age 5 months & week." That is the way it was written and I suppose the author meant "5 months and 1 week" by this.

Based upon the age of infant Henry when this photo was taken I assumed that he was born in Bermuda. After a bit of searching, I found a Henry St. J. Ward, born in Bermuda and living in Southwick, Durham with his parents in the 1901 Census. The Regimental Birth Indices show a Henry St. John Ward being born in Bermuda in
1884. His father - John Ward - is listed as Sergeant-Major in the Royal Artillery.

The senior John Ward was born around 1853 at Lambeth, London. In 1891 John Ward is listed as living in Bishop Wearmouth, Durham with the rank of Sergeant in the Royal Artillery.

Henry Ward's wife named as Harriet Cecelia Jones was shown to have been born in the East Indies. The couple would have another nine children between 1887 and 1905.

According to his service paper, Sergeant-Major John Ward attested with the Royal Artillery at Lambeth Police Court, London on 6 July 1871. He would serve 32 years, 154 days with the colours but saw no active service in the field. His overseas postings included:

Gibraltar: 1874 - 1880
Bermuda: 1880 -1885
Halifax, Nova Scotia: 1885-1886

Ward would be presented with the Long Service & Good Conduct Medal in August 1891. At the time of his discharge on 5 December, 1903 Ward was acting sergeant-major with the permanent staff of the 1st Durham Royal Garrison Artillery Volunteers.


Cabinet Photograph
John A. Frith - Photographer
St. Georges, Bermuda
c. 1884