Ward and Hughes

The company began in 1836 as Ward and Nixon, the two worked together for twenty years, exporting windows all over the world. In 1855 they were given the contract for re-glazing of East Window of Lincoln Cathedral. By which time James Nixon started to take less active part in the business and died in 1857.

Following Nixon's death Thomas Ward began a new partnership with Henry Hughes. The new partnership continued to work from the old premises in Frith Street, London. During the next few years the company created a huge amount of work, but as the business expanded the quality of the work suffered from time to time. Originally producing Gothic designs, the style after Ward's death in 1870 tended towards that of the Aesthetic Movement.

The company carried on after Hughes' death in 1883 until the loss of their American market in 1920s. Much of their London work was destroyed during the Blitz along with most of the company records.