The many occupations of Manasseh Ward

Manasseh Ward grew up in the Brisbane Water district during the pioneer era. As is the way of most pioneers, he could turn his hand to almost anything that needed doing. In researching Manasseh, I have found direct evidence or been told stories that show him working in a wide range of occupations:

• Teamster was probably his chosen occupation as a young man. This is the occupation that is shown on his marriage documents and also on the birth certificates of his younger children. By all reports, he was an expert at this work and was famous in the district for his ability to move almost anything with pulleys, levers and a few good horses.
• Mariner – he was a competent mariner, able to crew and probably captain the small trading vessels owned by his father. One family story also places him as the ferryman, operating the East Gosford punt.
• Cattleman – with his brother Ephraim, he ran cattle on the family properties at Killcare, Kincumber, Mooney Mooney and other parts of the district.  He also leased land from the Council where he ran cattle.
• Poultry breeder – he ran extensive poultry yards. This was well beyond a backyard hobby and he sold eggs, birds for the table and breeding stock. He exported his best breeding stock as far as New Zealand.
• Dairy farmer – he operated a small dairy in Gosford and sold milk and cream.
• Orchardist – he had an orchard at Brady's Gully.
• Local Government politician – he served on both the Gosford Borough Council and later the Erina Council, including six terms as Mayor of Gosford and another six terms as Shire President of Erina Shire.
• Landowner – this his his occupation on the birth certificates of several children. In addition to several farms, he also owned a number of houses in the district that were rented out.
• Forest Inspector – When he stood for election to the newly created Erina Council, Manasseh told constituents that he was currently working as a Forest Inspector for the Forestry Department!
• Racehorse owner – while it was primarily a recreational passion, I am including it here because I think he was quite a successful owner of both gallopers and trotters.
• Gentleman – This is shown as Manasseh's profession on many documents after about 1885. It probably represents the diversity of his business interests and activities as well as the standing he held in the community.

I think many assume that Manasseh was able to pursue his political career because of the independent income that Madeline received from the Henderson Trust. But when I see the breadth of his business activities I think it likely that he like worked very hard to establish his own independent stream of income to support his family. Having said that, Madeline's income allowed them to live a more comfortable existence than would otherwise have been the case, and they certainly seem to have been very philanthropic in their support of the community.

Manasseh would devote huge energy to any undertaking that he thought worthwhile. The following is a direct quote from an admirer, referring to the welcome home of Gosford's Boer War veterans:

"...it was not generally known that Mr Ward was the originator of it, its secretary, treasurer, and chairman all rolled into one "

My research into Manasseh and his wife Madeline is finally drawing to a close and I am starting the complicated process of trying to make a complicated life story easy to read and understand.