Clifford Thomas Ward (10 February 1944 – 18 December 2001)was an English singer-songwriter, best known for his career as a solo artist. 　　Born in Stourport-on-Severn, Worcestershire, Ward was the fifth child of Kathleen and Frank Ward, and he had one older sister and three older brothers. He was educated at Stourport secondary modern and King Charles grammar schools. He met his future wife, Pat, at school when she was 13 years old, and he 14. At school he spent some time as a choir boy. They married when he was 17 and she 16, after Pat fell pregnant with the first of their four children: Debbie, Martin, Sam and Polly.[citation needed] They initially lived in Castle Road, then Stourbridge Road in Kidderminster, for several years and both were active in raising funds for cerebral palsy, a condition their daughter Debbie had from birth.[citation needed] He was also an English teacher for many years at North Bromsgrove High School. 　　In 1962, shortly after leaving school, Ward formed a beat band Cliff Ward and the Cruisers, which won the 1963 Midland Band of the Year contest in Birmingham.The band was popular in Birmingham and also in demand at American Army bases in France. It was during this time abroad that Ward wrote "Home Thoughts from Abroad" (a song that would later appear on his second solo album and also as the B-side of "Gaye"). In the mid 1960s and after several member changes, the group was renamed Martin Raynor and The Secrets, with Ward in the role of the elusive Raynor. The fictitious name was soon dropped and the band continued on as Raynor's Secrets, and went on to tour around Britain and France, achieving moderate success. Along the way, six singles were recorded by the group (ten of the songs penned by Ward himself), though these made little impact.