Percy Thomas Ward was born at the Coast Guard Buildings, Weymouth, Dorset, England on 28 January 1872 and he was later baptised on 5 July that same year in Holy Trinity Church, Weymouth. 

He was the son of Thomas Alfred Ward (b. 1840), a boatman in the coast guard, and Mary Hobbs (b. 1838). His father was a native of St Pancras, Middlesex and his mother from Burton, Wiltshire and the couple had married in Portsea in 1865.

Percy's known siblings were: Ada Mary (b. 1869), Ernest Henry (b. 1873), Sidney Fred (b. 1874) and Elizabeth Catherine (b. 1877). Several died during infancy. 

Percy and his family appear on the 1881 census living at Norfolk House, Prison Path in Woking, Surrey where his father was then working as a prison officer. There is no sign of the family on the 1891 census records.

Percy was married in Greenwich, London in 1895 to Annie Kelvie (b. 9 April 1869 in Greenwich, London), daughter of William Kelvie, a hay and straw merchant, and the former Margaret Wild. 

The handsome couple had two children: Annie Muriel (b. 25 March 1896) and Percival Arthur (b. 25 December 1897), who were both born in Charlton, Kent.

Percy and his family appear on the 1901 census living at 558 Woolwich Road, Charlton, the home of his wife's maternal grandmother, Frances Wild, and Percy was described as a dockyard labourer. The family later moved to Southampton and are recorded on the 1911 census living at 36 Richville Road, Shirley, Percy by then described as a ship's steward.

Percy was on board the Titanic for her delivery trip from Belfast to Southampton. When he signed-on again, in Southampton, on 4 April 1912, he gave his address as 36 Richville Road, Shirley, Hampshire. His previous ship had been the St Louis and as a bedroom steward he received monthly wages of £3, 15s.

Percy Ward died in the sinking and his body, if recovered, was never identified. His estate, worth £169, 8s, 1d, was administered to his widow Annie on 22 June 1912.

Annie Ward did not remarry, later moving to Berkshire where she and her younger, unmarried sister Margaret lived with her daughter Annie. By 1939 she was living on Wokingham Road in Reading. Annie died in Berkshire in 1952 aged 83. 

Percy's daughter Annie Muriel was married in Southampton in 1917 to Walter Charles John Dawkins (1896-1971) and she had two children. She died in Berkshire in 1992 aged 96.

His son Percival later worked as a ship's welder; he was married in Portsmouth in 1920 to Alice Ellen Kimber (b. 18 July 1898) and they had three children. He died in Portsmouth in 1985 aged 87.