Oxford Ghost Signs: Ward's Furniture & Prams at 11 & 12 Park End Street
The letter W for Ward's survives in a cartouche dating from 1926 in the centre of the six top-floor windows:
Thomas Henry Ward was born in Oxford on 7 July 1885.
At the time of the 1891 census he was aged five and living with his parents Henry and Ann at 75 St Aldate's Street, where his father had his butcher's shop.
In 1901 Thomas (15) and his older brother Harry (22) were both working as butcher's assistants for their father at that address, and in 1911 Thomas (25) was still his father's butcher's assistant.
On 12 August 1912 at St Thomas’s Church, Oxford Thomas Henry Ward married Alice Jane Franklin, and both he and his future wife were then living at 14 Park End Street, Oxford.
At the time of the 1921 census Thomas (35) was described as a taxi driver and pram dealer and was living at 11 Park End Street with his wife Alice (35) and their daughter Frances (3), plus their servant.
Ward had the above building at 11/12 Park End Street built for his furniture business in 1924/5, and a painting of his shop dated 1926 can be seen here. The earliest directory entries describe the firm as “Thomas Henry Ward, baby carriage specialist, house furniture &c.” There was another entrance at the back from Hythe Bridge Street. In 1927 Ward had an extension built to the west.
At the time of the 1939 register, Ward described himself as the retired director of a furniture company, and was still living here at 11 Park End Street with his wife Alice. A 17-year-old female sales assistant was lodging with them, and they had two domestic servants.
Ward's wife Alice died in 1956 and was buried at Dorchester-on-Thames. He himself died at Nineacres, Abingdon Road, Dorchester-on-Thames on 15 April 1963 and was buried with her. His probate record described him as being of 11 Park End Street, Oxford and his effects came to £10,843 18s.