What Happened To Mr Ward?
By Mary John
On 16 July 1904 Mr Ward went missing.
He was apparently visiting his brother, Admiral Thomas Le Hunte Ward, in Kensington, London, and was intending to make his way from Charing Cross Station to Cannon Street via Waterloo Junction when he disappeared.
On the 19 July the following appeared in the Times-
Missing – Mr Robert Ward, J.P. Pembrokeshire, of Sodston, Narberth. Aged 79, height 5 foot 6 inches. Blue serge coat and trousers, gold watch and chain and locket containing his wife’s portrait. Wore a panama hat, no waistcoat, no shirt collar. White cambric handkerchief pinned round neck. Has a boil on neck. Underclothing marked R.W. Last seen outside Charing Cross Post Office about noon on Saturday.
This appeal appeared in a number of newspapers throughout the country to no avail. The Metropolitan Police and Railway Police began searches. His appearance, a gentleman with a handkerchief round his neck, was considered to make him rather conspicuous. Hospitals were searched. A reward of £25 was offered by Admiral Ward for any information about his brother.
Robert Ward lived with his wife Elizabeth at Sodston House (also called Great Sodston to distinguish it from Sodston Manor which is close by). They had moved to this large and impressive property a short distance north of Narberth in the 1850s. Robert, clearly a man of means, was recorded in the Census as being born in Kent, and Elizabeth in Northhampton. However, later reports claimed he was born in Stanton, in Gloucestershire, where his father was Rector.
Details of their lives before coming to Pembrokeshire have been difficult to find but it is known that Robert attended school in Winchester and went to Oxford University.
Soon after settling into the county Robert began working enthusiastically for the local community and was involved in many aspects of Narberth life for decades. He was a magistrate since 1859 and a county councillor for 12 years. An active member of the Guardians of the Narberth Workhouse; only weeks before his disappearance he visited there to hand out tobacco to the men, tea to old women and books and periodicals for the use of the inmates. He was a member of the Prisoners Committee.
Numerous newspaper reports reveal Robert’s determination to encourage education and learning in the locality. He was a trustee of the Devonald Charity and founder and first chair of the governors of the County Intermediate School, having donated £200 in support. He fought to establish a Mechanics’ Institute in the town. He was also a keen farmer who won prizes for his livestock and an active member of the local agricultural society.
DISTURBING NEWS
Some time around the 26 July 1904 news came that a French fishing smack had discovered a man’s body floating in the English Channel, about ten miles off shore. The body was taken to the local mortuary in Calais. No papers or personal effects were found to help with identification but, as the Pembrokeshire County Guardian reported, ‘the clothing went to show that the body was that of a well-to-do person, apparently of English nationality. … The linen was marked R.W.’.
The English Consul was advised, a telegram dispatched and Admiral Ward was soon crossing over to Calais. Robert’s body was already in a coffin about to be interred. His gold watch and chain, the locket with his wife’s portrait and the £5 he had with him were all gone. After the necessary formalities Robert was brought back to Britain and was buried in the village of Stanton, Gloucestershire.
Naturally there was much speculation on the circumstances of Robert’s death. How came he to be in the English Channel when he was last seen in the centre of London? Did he choose to go down to the coast? There appeared to be no evidence of violence. Who took his valuables? Was it the fisherman? Was it some wandering thief? Was it the sea? It appears that no one has found the answer.
One can only imagine the shock experienced by those close to Robert Ward and also by the community of Narberth to which he had dedicated so much of his life and resources. Mr C. F. Egerton Allen paid tribute to him in a number of newspapers. In The Welshman he was to write-
‘His characteristic was righteousness; this gave him a touching personal humility combined with a fearless boldness of advocacy of every question, and every cause which in his judgement tended to exalt mankind. His judgement was very well informed as he spared no pains to investigate problems of social welfare, and his position enabled him to test by assiduous attention to the public business of the county the values of theories of reform.’
Robert Ward left an estate valued at £18,799:13s:5d.gross. Probate was granted to his brother, Admiral Ward. His wife was left just £200 and the household effects along with the income from Sodston House estate for life. He also directed that if the Narberth North authorities adopted the 1892 Libraries Act he would contribute standard works of reference to the value of £100 and £5 per annum for 2 years towards the maintenance of a librarian.
His wife, Elizabeth, who must have been devastated by her tragic loss, continued to live at Sodston House until 1923 where at the age of 90 she died.