Arnold Sandwith Ward

Arnold Sandwith Ward (1876 – 1950) was a journalist and Conservative Member of Parliament for the United Kingdom constituency of Watford between 1910 and 1918.

Son of Humphry "Thomas" Ward, a fellow and tutor of Brasenose College and Mary Augusta Ward, a popular author;grandson of Tom Arnold;greatgrandson of Thomas Arnold, the famous headmaster of Rugby School.

Educated at Eton and Balliol College, Oxford. [http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/PRward.htm Spartacus page on Arnold Ward] ]

Career

After working as a special correspondent for the Times in Egypt, the Sudan and India from 1899 to 1902 [http://www.archiveshub.ac.uk/news/0409wfp.html Archives Hub] ] , and as a solicitor , he was elected to parliament in 1910.

His mother was a founder of the Women's National Anti-Suffrage League, and Ward spoke in support of their cause as an MP. [ [http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/commons/1913/may/05/representation-of-the-people-women-bill#S5CV0052P0-05197 HC Deb 05 May 1913 vol 52 cc1704-819.] ]

Volunteered for the Army on the outbreak of the First World War, and served with A Squadron of the 1st/1st Hertfordshire Yeomanry [http://www.1914-1918.net/CAVALRY/herts.htm Herts Yeomanry on 1914-1918.net] ] in Egypt August 1914–June 1915. cite book
last= Sainsbury
first= J.D.
title= A Bibliographic List of Officers of the Hertfordshire Yeomanry, 1794-1920
date=1 Nov 2004
publisher=Hart Books
isbn=0948527072] He was then assigned commandant of a convalescent camp on Cyprus June-August 1915, and returned to Egypt January - June 1916. From November 1916 to February 1917 he was attached 3rd Battalion The King's Own Scottish Borderers, then to the Machine Gun Corps, February-May 1917.

For the 1918 general election the Conservative party dropped him as candidate in favour of Dennis Herbert. The 1918 election was the first to be held after the Representation of the People Act 1918, which meant it was the first general election in which women could vote. Ward's Anti-Suffrage stance, which lasted after many others had dropped their objections , would have been a major liability.

On the death of his mother in 1920 the family home, Stocks House at Aldbury in Hertfordshire, had to be sold to pay off his gambling debts.

References