BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES. 
241 
birth and death. He was bom at Brightside, near Sheffield, January 
25th, 1786. His father had ironworks at AtterdifF, where he was 
during the earlier part of his life. He afterwards had the Milton 
Ironworks. After that he became mineral agent to Lord Fitzwilliam. 
I believe he was a member of the Geological Society from its forma- 
tion, and took a great interest in all branches of science. He died 
April 18th, 1865. 
Yours very truly, 
H. J. Morton, Esq. T. Hartop Holt. 
^Y. Sykes Ward. 
Mr. Richard Reynolds, of Cliff Lodge, Leeds, has contributed 
the following brief notice of Mr. W. Sykes Ward, who was for a 
period of sixteen years Honorary Secretary. During this time 
the late Mr. Denny was Assistant Secretary, and to the latter the 
greater part of the energy infused into the Society must be attributed. 
Mr. Ward was not possessed of gTeat powers of organization, but was 
peculiarly ingenious in speculation and experiment. 
Mr. William Sykes W^ard was the son of a solicitor practising in 
Leeds, and became his father's associate and successor in that pro- 
fession. This social position permitted him to employ both leisure 
and pecuniary means in the pursuit of such arts and science as 
attracted his interest. 
Mr. Ward took an active part in the work of the Leeds Philo- 
sophical and Literary Society, of which he was an Honorary Secretary 
from 1840 to 1869, communicating many papers to its meetings. He 
was an enthusiastic lover and student of music. In such matters as 
telegraphy, atmospheric railways, photography, and various chemical 
subjects Mr. Ward was an early explorer. He was one of the 
earliest elected Fellows of the Chemical Society of London. 
Mr. Ward became a member of the West Riding Geological and 
Polytechnic Society in 1842, and in 1848 he was elected a Member 
of its Council, whilst in 1855 he accepted the office of Honorary 
Secretary, an office which he held until the year 1870. 
The following is a list of the papers which he read before the 
Society, some of which will be noticed at length on other pages : — 
