Career
Basil Ward was articled to James Hay in Napier, New Zealand from 1918 to 1923. In 1924, with Amyas Connell, he worked his passage to England to further his architectural studies. In 1926-1927 he was on a scholarship in Rome.
At the end of 1930 he returned to England and joined the Connell partnership just as High and Over was nearing completion.
After dissolution of the partnership in 1939 following the outbreak of war, Ward served in the British Royal Navy, then became a partner in Ramsey, Murray, White and Ward. From 1953 to 1956 he was Lethaby professor of architecture at the Royal College of Art in London, later becoming head of the school of architecture at Manchester Polytechnic and lecturing at Lancaster University.
Connell and Ward formed the architectural practice in London with the English architect Colin Lucas in May 1934. The partners worked separately and carried out a small but highly significant body of work including modernist private houses (notably 66 Frognal), flats and a film studio.
Ward"s particular contributions were The Concrete House, Westbury-on-Trym (with Connell 1934-1935) and Usherwood, Sutton Abinger, Surrey (1934-1935).