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Nicholas Ward
4th September 1934 - 5th February 2011
Remembered by Jack Stephens
It is with great sadness that I report the passing away of Nicholas
Ward.
Nicky (he was always known as Nicky) was one of the UK's top children's
entertainers during his heyday - the 70's, 80's and 90's. Based in Highgate,
North London at the time, he was one of the best of a team of magicians working
for the premier agency for children's entertainers, Geoff Donald.
Nicky was immaculate in his appearance - his clothes and props always looked
like they had just been bought that day. He had a wonderful manner with
children, and a very dry sense of humour, which the children loved.
He started his career in magic performing cabaret shows for Warners, after a
stint in the RAF as a dog handler. He was also a fine close-up entertainer, but
it was as "Naughty Nicky", the children's magician, that he became well known on
the party and cruise line circuit.
Another great skill he had was in routining. You could give Nicky any trick and
he would spend an evening fiddling with it, and come up with the right patter
and routine for it. This was a great skill of his which anyone who ever saw him
perform would remember.
In 1999 he left London and moved to Farnham in Surrey to live with his partner
Trish. A year ago he was diagnosed with Leukemia and in the early hours of
Saturday morning the world of magic lost one of its finest.
Jack Stephens, February 2011