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Joseph Thomas Ward
Embossed glass window, Ward Observatory, a memorial to Joseph Thomas Ward
Born	25-01-1862 Chelsea, London, England
Died	04-01-1927 Wairoa, New Zealand
Known for	Ward Doubles, Ward Observatory
Spouse	Ada Evelyn Wright
Children	7
Scientific career
Fields	astronomy, philosophy, science education
Institutions	Ward Observatory

Joseph Thomas Ward was a New Zealand astronomer and telescope maker. Born in England in 1862, he migrated to New Zealand circa 1880, after spending time in the merchant navy.

He and his wife settled in Whanganui, where he was instrumental in establishing both the Wanganui Astronomical Society, and the then Wanganui Observatory.

Ward was also a pioneer New Zealand telescope maker, over the years producing numerous mirrors, mainly in the 6- to 14-inch range.

Ward died in Wairoa in 1927, and upon his death, Sir Robert Stout, former Premier of New Zealand, was moved to write: 'I know no man in the Dominion of greater intellect and reasoning power than the late Mr Ward.'

Early Life

Joseph Thomas Ward was born at Chelsea, London, England, on 25 January 1862, the son of Mary Sarah Clark and Francis Ward, a licensed victualler. He was educated for the Catholic priesthood but instead, joined the Merchant Navy.

Around 1879/1880 he migrated to New Zealand, where he worked for several years as a shepherd and shearer in Marlborough, and as a saddler in Wellington. On 12 October 1894, he married Ada Evelyn Wright (at the residence of the bride’s father) and in 1894 the married couple moved to Wanganui, where Ward opened a lending library in ‘the Avenue’, and later, ‘further up the Avenue’, a bookshop and stationery business, ‘Book Nook’.

Wanganui Astronomical Society and Wanganui Observatory

Ward had always been interested in astronomy and around 1899 he purchased a 4½-inch refracting telescope. When a bright comet appeared in 1901, people in the town flocked to view it through this instrument.

In 1901 Ward helped organise a series of public lectures in Wanganui. The first of these, held on 12 July, featured Professor Richard Maclaurin of the then Victoria College speaking on astronomy. Within a few weeks the Wanganui Astronomical Society was formed and in early August Joseph Ward was elected president. One of the first decisions of the new society was to establish an observatory. Ward led a deputation to the Wanganui Borough Council asking for a site at Cook's Gardens; the council granted a site on 27 August.

Ward arranged the purchase of a second-hand 9½-in (24 cm) refracting telescope from England, for £450. The telescope, built by Thomas Cooke in 1865, is still the largest unmodified telescope of its type in the North Island of New Zealand.

It was installed in the newly constructed Wanganui Observatory, which was officially opened by Premier Richard Seddon on 25 May 1903. Ward was appointed honorary director, a post he would hold until his death. In 1926 the astronomical society gifted the observatory, debt free, to the Wanganui City Council in trust for the citizens of Wanganui. It is now known as the Ward Observatory.

Ward was quick to recognise the research potential of the large refractor and in 1904 he and his assistant, local lawyer Thomas Allison, began systematically searching selected areas of the southern sky for new double stars. In the course of the next six years they catalogued more than two hundred; unbeknownst to Ward, some had previously been detected by others. However, eighty-eight are recognised as 'Ward doubles' and appear with New Zealand Observatory listings in international double star catalogues, thereby serving as a memorial to Ward's international contribution to this specialised field of astronomy.

Ward was a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society.

Telescope maker

Ward was also a pioneer New Zealand telescope maker, and over the years produced numerous mirrors, mainly in the 6- to 14-inch range. These mirrors found their way into private and society observatories throughout the country and many are still used for research purposes and for popularising astronomy. Ward's largest mirror, 20½ inches in diameter, was completed in 1924, and for more than 40 years remained the largest telescope made by a New Zealand amateur astronomer.

Astronomical education

In addition to double stars, Ward observed sunspots, the planet Mars and comets. Although he forwarded drawings of Mars to the British Astronomical Association on various occasions, contrary to some claims he actually published almost nothing on astronomy. Rather, his most important contribution was in astronomical education. He frequently gave talks to the Wanganui Philosophical Society, of which he was vice president from its inception in 1911. Two evenings a week he ran public viewing nights at the Wanganui Observatory, where he eagerly shared his love and knowledge of astronomy with visitors. He delivered the Thomas Cawthron Memorial Lecture in Nelson in 1926 and brought astronomy to a wide audience in a column he wrote for the Wanganui Herald between 1904 and 1926.

Nova Aquilae

In the 20th June 1918 edition of the Wanganui Herald, Ward reported on a new star, ‘Nova Aquilae’, which he and Allison had observed on the evening of June 10th. It had been observed ‘in England and on the Continent of Europe’ on the evening of the 9th. Ward expressed regret that they had not a star spectroscope of adequate power with which to bring out the star’s spectrum, but nonetheless was able to provide a detailed description.

A voice of reason

In 1919, an American ‘solar authority’, Professor Albert F. Porta, was quoted in a San Francisco newspaper as predicting terrible storms due to a great sunspot. Ward’s opinion was duly sought, and his response was that there was “No need to lose sleep”. Percival said,

“The name of Professor Albert F. Porta is one with which I am not familiar. I receive the reports of the Mt. Wilson Solar Observatory, as well as those of the Lick Observatory and some others, but do not remember Professor Porta’s name appearing in any of their transactions, so cannot say if he speaks with any authority. If Dr. Hale, of Mt. Wilson, or Dr. Campbell, of Lick, said these things I would begin to think we were in for a warm time, but they do not say these things, for very good reasons well known to them – and some others.”

Ward responded point by point to Professor Porta’s predictions, finishing with the statement,

“When Prof. Porta says that ‘The whole solar system will be strangely out of balance’ and that ‘storms, eruptions, and earthquakes will be tremendous in the strength and scope’ on the 17th December next, he is dealing in hot air, and, I can assure your readers that they have no cause for alarm, and need lose no sleep over these direful predictions.”

Other interests

Ward was an accomplished violinist and wrote poetry which was well-regarded in his day. Raised a Roman Catholic, he gradually turned his back on religion and became a prominent member of the New Zealand Rationalist Association. He was described as unassuming, quiet, gentle and kindly, and generous to a fault.

Joseph Ward died in Wairoa, on 4 January 1927. He had developed appendicitis while visiting a daughter, and after being operated on, succumbed to peritonitis. He was survived by his wife, four sons and three daughters.

References

Category: 1862 births Category: 1927 deaths Category: New Zealand booksellers Category: New Zealand astronomers Category: English emigrants to New Zealand

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