[2] In 1909 he formed a company of his own, which toured India, Burma and China for Allan Hamilton and, reportedly, displayed a gift for publicity stunts by faking the abduction of a princess,[3] before returning to Australia, where he is made his "last appearance on stage" on 4 March 1910, in a revival of The Man from Mexico, though Melba-like, he made another farewell appearance in The Girl from Rector's in Brisbane in March 1911.

Hugh Ward was a notable fundraiser for patriotic causes during the First World War, and in recognition of his aid to Belgium he was made Knight of the Order of Leopold II.

He became a naturalised Australian in 1922,[5] and his obituaries report him as receiving an OBE, though he had hoped for a knighthood,[3] but this is hard to verify and must surely be fictitious.

Ward was a blue-eyed handsome, benevolent, outgoing fellow, a raconteur with a ready wit, who could entertain his friends for hours with anecdotes of the stage and performers.

On his death E. J. Tait, managing director of J. C. Williamson, Ltd., paid tribute to him as "... 100 per cent, in earnest all through his career, and never appeared in a "flop", except The Emerald Isle ....

The theatre critic of the Sydney Morning Herald, calling him a "picturesque theatrical personality" praised his public-spiritedness and dedication to his craft.

Ward married (Mary) Grace Miller ( – ) in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on 30 June 1897;[5] they had two sons: They had a home at Potts Point, Sydney.