Frederick Ward was born on 5 November 1825, the second son of Sheffield merchant and man of letters, Thomas Asline Ward (see Broomhead & Ward).  Frederick’s older brother was Asline Ward (1821-1905), who was the agent of George Wostenholm.  By 1849, Asline and Frederick were ‘American merchants’ in Howard Street, and living with their father at Park House.  In 1850, Frederick partnered Benjamin James Eyre (and Asline Ward and Peter Brownell) in Eyre, Ward & Co, Sheaf Works.  The firm sold razors, pocket knives, dagger and Bowie knives, scissors, and edge tools.  They had a New York agency in Cliff Street and then Beekman Street.  When that partnership ended in 1857, Ward began a solo career as an American merchant and manufacturer, based in Norfolk Street.  In 1858, it was reported that Ward had started manufacturing table cutlery by machinery to compete with the Americans  (Sheffield Independent, 9 January 1858).

He was also one of the first traders to recognise the extent of the market in China and in 1857 helped organise an exhibition of Chinese hardware for the benefit of Sheffield manufacturers.  In the early 1860s, Ward moved to George Street and by 1879 had established Frederick Ward & Co, merchants and manufacturers of pocket knives and table cutlery.  In 1884, the address was Tudor Place.  Ward’s trademark was B4*ANY, and two pistol marks (picture), one with the letter ‘L’ and diamond, the other with a letter ‘A’.  Sheffield Museums has a large exhibition pair of scissors in gilt steel made by Frederick Ward & Co for the International Exhibition of 1862.  Ward had apparently retired by 1900, with the B4*ANY mark sold to John Watts.  Ward died on 15 June 1908, aged 82, at Esplanade Road, Scarborough.  His estate was valued at £11,344.  He was buried in Ecclesall churchyard.