Thomas Ward, Baron Ward

In these administrative positions Ward showed ability, but a lack of scruple: he was said to have sought popularity by arbitrarily lowering the price of corn, and the partial default on the debt of Lucca was also attributed to his advice.

In 1847, on the death of the Marie Louise, Duchess of Parma, Ward was sent on a mission to Florence to superintend the details of the transfer of Lucca to Tuscany.

He was sent as ambassador-extraordinary to Spain in 1848 to negotiate the resumption of diplomatic relations, and was created a knight grand cross of the Order of Charles III.

[2] Subsequently Ward, who was fluent in French, German, and Italian, went on a diplomatic mission to London, and impressed Lord Palmerston.

[2] His old master's widow Marie Louise, Duchess of Parma headed a group at the Parmesan court suspicious of Ward, who had been given an estate at Urschendorff, and the Austrian connection.