Joseph Ward
Son of Aron Ward late of Eckenton (?) in the County of Worcester shoemaker deceased, apprenticed to Joseph Slicer 4 October 1672. Free, 4 January 1689. First mark entered as largeworker, undated, probably April 1697 on commencement of register. Signatory to the petiton against the work of 'aliens or foreigners', 11 August 1697, again to the petiton of 1 October 1703 against marking foreigners' work and extending the freedom 'to certain Frenchmen', and as 'working goldsmith' to that complaining of the competition of 'necessitous strangers', 1 December 1711. Livery, April 1705. Court, October 1714. Second mark, 19 September 1717. Address: St.Paul's Churchyard. In 1716 Ward was appointed Assistant Assayer at Goldsmiths' Hall, in spite of which the fine tea-kettle by him belonging to the service of 1719 in the Company's Collection is a 'duty-dodger'! Heal records him as plateworker, Water Lane, 1697; Rose and Crown, Cornhill, 1706-08; St.Paul's Churchyard, 1717; Foster Lane (bankrupt), 1723; and Goldsmiths Hall, 1727-34. He was obviously a colorful character, since in 1722 the Court of the company passed an order that he was not to be admitted to any further meetings (later rescinded) and there are further references to his having made public apologies for having used 'unbecoming langugage'. He resigned from the Court January 1726.