Ward, Hugh J. (entrepreneur), 1871-1941

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Hugh Joseph Ward (1871-1941), was an actor and theatrical entrepreneur who was born on 24 June 1871 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. At 16 Hugh joined a minstrel troupe and learned his trade with stock companies at Salt Lake City, Denver, San Francisco, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. Ward visited Australia with Charles H. Hoyt's comedy company, arriving in Sydney on 10 June 1899 and was later engaged as a comedian by J. C. Williamson and joined Williamson's Royal Comic Opera Company, playing in most of the Gilbert and Sullivan operas. In July 1903 Ward returned to the United States and later, having organised an English company with George Willoughby, Ward opened in Sydney in May 1906 in The Man from Mexico and toured Australasia for eighteen months. Returning to London in 1908, he formed his own comedy company and played in India, Burma, China and the Straits Settlements. He brought the company to Australia and settled his wife and children in Sydney. He joined J. C. Williamson Ltd as managing director in Sydney and after Williamson's death in 1913, Ward became managing director of 'the Firm'. Link to catalogue record.

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