Wilfrid Arthur Ward

Wilfrid Arthur Ward
CMG MC
Ward with King George VI at the British Industries Fair, London in 1950
Resident Commissioner of Selangor
In office
1946–1948
Preceded byGeorge Evans Cameron Wisdom
Succeeded byArthur Louis Birse
Commissioner for Malaya in the United Kingdom
In office
1948–1953
Preceded bySir Geoffrey Cator
Succeeded byPostion abolished
Personal details
Born9 May 1892
Died7 May 1981 (aged 88)
NationalityBritish
Children1
OccupationColonial administrator

Wilfrid Arthur Ward (9 May 1892 – 7 May 1981) was a British colonial administrator. He was Resident Commissioner of Selangor from 1946 to 1948 and Commissioner for Malaya in the United Kingdom from 1948 to 1953.

Early life and education

Ward was born on 9 May 1892, the son of Arthur Henry Ward. He was educated at Christ's Hospital.[1][2]

Career

Ward joined the Civil Service Rifles on the outbreak of World War I and in 1914 was sent to France. He was commissioned in the Lancashire Fusiliers in 1915, and served in France, Salonika and Palestine. He was promoted to the rank of Captain in 1917, and in the following year was awarded the Military Cross.[1]

Ward joined the Malayan Civil Service as a cadet in 1920 and passed the prescribed civil service examination in 1922.[3] He then proceeded to serve in various posts in the Federated Malay States including in succession:– assistant District Officer, Krian (1923); chief Sanitary Inspector, Penang Municipality (1923);[4] acting Superintendent of Lands, Kelantan (1925);[5] District Officer, Port Dickson (1925);[6] acting District Officer, Batang Padang (1927);[7] District Officer, Temerloh (1929);[8] officer of the Federal Secretariat (1930);[9] assistant Treasurer, Federated Malay States (1930);[10] assistant Secretary to the government of the Federated Malay States (1933);[11] District Officer, Larut (1934);[12] Secretary to Resident, Selangor (1936);[13] Malayan Establishment Officer (1940);[14] Secretary to the High Commissioner (1940);[15] and Under-Secretary, Straits Settlements (1941).[16]

Ward was interned in Singapore during the Japanese occupation from 1942 to 1945. In 1946, he was appointed Resident Commissioner of Selangor, serving until 1948. After leaving Malaya, he returned to England and served in London as the last Commissioner for Malaya to the United Kingdom from 1948 to 1953 when he retired.[1][17][18][19]

Personal life and death

Ward married Norah Anne Phelps in 1922 and they had a son who died aged 9.[1][20]

Ward died on 7 May 1981, aged 88.[1]

Honours

Ward was awarded the Military Cross (MC) in 1918. He was appointed Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) in the 1948 New Year Honours.[21]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Who was who 1981-1990 : a companion to Who's. Internet Archive. London : A. & C. Black. 1991. p. 790. ISBN 978-0-7136-3336-8.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  2. ^ Office, Great Britain Colonial (1949). The Colonial Office List. H.M. Stationery Office. p. 563.
  3. ^ "F.M.S. Appointments". The Straits Echo. 25 April 1922. p. 493.
  4. ^ "Untitled". The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser. 24 August 1923. p. 12.
  5. ^ "F.M.S. Government Appointments". The Straits Budget. 27 March 1925. p. 11.
  6. ^ "The following appointments, etc". The Straits Echo. 6 May 1925. p. 475.
  7. ^ "F.M.S. Appointments". The Straits Times. 22 March 1927. p. 13.
  8. ^ "F.M.S. Appointments". The Straits Times. 3 September 1929. p. 12.
  9. ^ "Untitled". The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser. 27 January 1930. p. 20.
  10. ^ "Untitled". Malaya Tribune. 24 November 1930. p. 9.
  11. ^ "Social and personal". Pinang Gazette and Straits Chronicle. 4 March 1933. p. 4.
  12. ^ "F.M.S. Government Appointments". The Straits Times. 20 December 1934. p. 7.
  13. ^ "F.M.S. Appointments". The Straits Times. 1 December 1936. p. 10.
  14. ^ "Untitled". Malaya Tribune. 23 March 1940. p. 3.
  15. ^ "Social & Personal". Pinang Gazette and Straits Chronicle. 6 May 1940. p. 5.
  16. ^ "Official appointments". The Straits Times. 10 May 1941. p. 12.
  17. ^ "This London..." Malaya Tribune. 18 September 1949. p. 7.
  18. ^ "New Malayan Commissioner". The Straits Budget. 15 January 1953. p. 19.
  19. ^ "Ward Retires; An Era Begins". Singapore Standard. 26 June 1953. p. 5.
  20. ^ "Untitled". The Straits Times. 8 August 1928. p. 10.
  21. ^ "Page 7 | Supplement 38161, 30 December 1947 | London Gazette | The Gazette". www.thegazette.co.uk. Retrieved 2025-07-02.
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