Thomas Ward

Thomas Ward was a prominent Wellington surveyor and civil engineer. He was born in Oxford and worked at the New England Works, Great Northern Railway and Messrs. Ransom and Sons Ironworks.

Ward came to New Zealand in 1873 and was appointed as engineer to the Westport Borough Council before working for the contractors constructing the Rimutaka and Manawatu railway lines. He was Assistant City Engineer for the Wellington City Council from 1877 until he formed his own practice of engineers and surveyors in 1882. 

Ward is best known in Wellington for his work as a surveyor, particularly for the creation of the detailed map of Wellington City that was produced in 1889-1892. These maps are available at http://wellington.govt.nz/your-council/archives/whats-in-the-archives/historic-thomas-ward-maps  

Sources: 

'Mr Thomas Ward' Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 111, 7 November 1934 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP19341107.2.28.4