Noteworthy naturalist
Bernard Taverner Ward (1906-1980) Essex Naturalist, Curator and Verderer of Epping Forest
Bernard Ward was born in Leyton on 3rd July 1906 the eldest child of Bernard Francis Ward (1878-1965) and Ethel Mary Pallet (1879-1938) who married at Kensington in 1903. Bernard T. Ward, of 24 Long Deacon Road, Chingford died in the City of London on 31st December 1980.
His father, Bernard F. Ward was born on 8th February 1878 in Little Malvern, Worcestershire. He was called up for short service in the First World War. Although his health was good, he reported he suffered with bleeding piles. In 1939 he was listed as a Superintendent (Higher Grade) of the Government Telegraph (Foreign) Central Telegraph Office, London. His mother Ethel Mary Pallet was born in Leyton on 20th August 1878 and baptised at St. Mary Stratford Bow church on 3rd November 1878. She was the daughter of Taverner Pallett (1845-1915), a builder and Frances Clarissa Wilson (1848-1885). Bernard had a younger brother Denis James Ward (1910-1996), who was born on 27th May 1910. He was a Bank Clerk in 1939. The 1911 census enumerated Bernard, his parents and brother living at 81, Dyers Hall Road, Leytonstone and in 1929-1930 Bernard was still living with his parents at 24 Long Deacon Road, Chingford. In 1939 Bernard was still living with his father and younger brother at 24 Long Deacon Road, Chingford. Bernard was listed as an Insurance Clerk. Bernard married Edith M. Jackson in South Liverpool in 1943. The couple lived with his father until he died.
Bernard was encouraged to study natural history by his parents and later joined the London Natural History Society. Despite never owning a car he knew Essex intimately. Bernard outlined his introduction to natural history in a 1971 article as follows: - 'Whilst botany has been my main interest, I have delved into many disciplines in the natural history field, particularly ornithology, bryophytes. Odonata, some groups of diptera, mycetozoa, lepidoptera and phytophagous hymenoptera. In brief, my interests have included anything concerned with natural history and local history, too.' (Ward 1971). Ted Benton, in his Dragonflies of Essex (Benton 1988 p. 108) summarises Bernard's work, mainly on dragonflies, often with Edward Bertram Pinniger (1913-2005), and quotes R. M. Payne as regarding him as 'the best all-round naturalists Essex has produced this century'. Bernard was very much a conservationist and hated seeing displayed long pinned rows of set specimens. He was also averse to publicising the occurrence of rare species in a determined effort to help protect them. Bernard helped to set up the Essex Naturalists' Trust in 1959 and served as Chairman 1960-1961. Richard Morris (2004 p. 177) tells us that Bernard knew Epping Forest intimately and was an ideal person to be appointed a Verderer. He was a great advocate for the Forest and gave many talks and lectures. Bernard was knowledgeable about the natural history and local history of the forest and penned an article on Lawrence of Arabia and Pole Hill for the Essex Journal which was reprinted in 1976 for the Chingford Historical Society. He also wrote a booklet on the Retreats of Epping Forest in 1977 as part of the centenary celebrations and a book on the forest trees in 1980.
Bernard Ward and the Essex Field Club
Bernard found the one guinea (£1.05) entrance fee prohibitive, but eventually allowed Mr. Glegg and Mr. Keeves to nominate him. He was eventually elected to membership of the Essex Field Club on 20th March 1937 and acted as the Club's Honorary Secretary with W. Foster 1950-1952. He served as President 1964-1966 and was Curator of the Essex Field Club's museum at Queen Elizabeth's Lodge, Chingford from 1948-1960 and again from 1967-1969. He spent many years arranging and curating the museum until the City Corporation took over the museum contents and provided a paid curator in 1960. Bernard wrote many short notes for the Essex Naturalist, mainly related to the natural history of the forest but he published significant articles on the herbaria of the Essex Field Club (Ward 1954) and on Essex naturalists, including William Coys, Samuel Dale, Richard Warner, the Forster family and Edward Doubleday (Ward 1955).
Sources
Benton, E. 1988. The Dragonflies of Essex. Essex Naturalist Number 9 138 pp.
Harley, L.S. 1980. The Essex Field Club '“ the first hundred years. Essex Naturalist Number 5. 21 pp.
Morris, R. 2004. Verderers and Courts of Waltham forest in the County of Essex, 1250-2000. Loughton and District Historical Society.
Ward, B.T. 1954. The Herbaria of The Essex Field Club. Essex Naturalist Vol. 29 pp 187-195.
Ward, B.T. 1955. Some Essex Naturalists. Essex Naturalist Vol. 29 pp. 306-326.
Ward, B.T. 1971. Personal View. Essex Field Club Bulletin Number 3 pp. 5-8.
Ward, B.T. 1976. Lawrence of Arabia and Pole Hill, Chingford. Chingford Historical Society.
Ward, B.T. 1977. The Retreats of Epping Forest. 31 pages.
Ward, B.T. 1980. Trees in Epping Forest. 12 pages.
Probate of his £53,511 estate was granted on 3rd April 1980.