Ward Muir

Wardrop Openshaw Muir (22 June 1878 – 9 June 1927) was a British photographer, journalist, editor, and author, known as Ward Muir.

Early life

Muir was born in Waterloo, Lancashire, the younger son of the Rev. J. J. Muir, a minister of the Waterloo Presbyterian Church of England, and his wife Sarah Openshaw Clapperton, both born in Scotland. His older brother and sister had also been born there, and his father had previously served as a minister in St Helier, Jersey. The young Muir was educated at Merchant Taylors' School, Crosby, and Brighton College.

Muir was given his first camera by a Scottish clergyman, and by 1894, while still at school, was a committee member of the Waterloo Social Camera Club. In 1895, he gave a lecture to the club on "Reminiscences of Scotland", illustrated by magic lantern slides.

After leaving school, Muir matriculated at Liverpool University, but soon after that his health broke down, due to a lung disease, and he was ordered to go to Davos. While there, he started writing stories for boys and met an editor of Northcliffe newspapers. This led to a job at Carmelite House in Fleet Street, working on women's magazines. His publisher later commented "Heaven only knows how many pseudonyms he must have adopted here, but I believe his nerve deserted him when it came to the fashion hints."

After travelling in France, the Low Countries, Italy, and Austria, about 1898 Muir began selling photographic work to magazines. In March of that year, he joined the Cyclists' Touring Club from an address in Waterloo.