Joseph Ward

Sir Joseph George Ward, 1st Baronet, GCMG (1856–1930) was the 17th Prime Minister of New Zealand on two occasions in the early 20th century. Ward was born in Melbourne on 26 April 1856. His family was of Irish descent, and Ward was raised as a Roman Catholic. His father, who is believed to have been an alcoholic, died in 1860, aged only 31 – Ward was raised by his mother, Hannah. In 1863, the family moved to Bluff (then officially known as Campbelltown), in New Zealand's Southland region, seeking better financial security – Hannah Ward established a shop and a boarding house. Joseph Ward received his formal education at primary schools in Melbourne and Bluff. He did not go to secondary school. He did, however, read extensively, and also...