Rachel Ward

Birth Name: Rachel Claire Ward

Place of Birth: Marylebone, London, England, U.K.

Date of Birth: 12 September, 1957

Ethnicity: English, some Scottish, Northern Irish, French, distant Dutch

Rachel Ward is an English and Australian actress, film director, television director, and screenwriter.

She is the daughter of Claire Leonora (Baring) and the Hon. Peter Alistair Ward. Her sister is environmental campaigner and former actress Tracy Louise Ward. Rachel is from an upper-class family, with many prominent ancestors on both sides. She has English, as well as some Scottish, Northern Irish, French, and distant Dutch, roots.

Rachel is married to Australian actor Bryan Brown, with whom she has three children, including actress, writer, and director Matilda Brown. Rachel has become an Australian citizen.

Rachel’s paternal grandfather was William Humble Eric Ward, 3rd Earl of Dudley (the son of William Humble Ward, 2nd Earl of Dudley, a politician, and of Rachel Anne Gurney). Rachel’s grandfather William was born in St. George Hanover Square, London, England. Rachel’s great-grandfather William was the son of William Ward, 1st Earl of Dudley, and of Georgina Elisabeth Moncreiffe. Rachel’s great-grandmother Rachel was the daughter of Charles Henry Gurney and Alice Marie Princep.

Rachel’s paternal grandmother was Lady Rosemary Millicent Leveson-Gower (the daughter of Cromartie Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, 4th Duke of Sutherland, and of Lady Millicent Fanny St. Clair-Erskine). Rachel’s great-grandfather, the 2nd Earl of Dudley, was Governor-General of Australia from 1908 to 1911. Cromartie was the son of George Granville William Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, 3rd Duke of Sutherland, and of Anne Hay-Mackenzie, Countess of Cromartie. Lady Millicent was the daughter of Robert Francis St. Clair-Erskine, 4th Earl of Rosslyn, and of Blanche Adeliza Fitzroy.

Rachel’s maternal grandfather was Giles Baring, a cricketer (born Amyas Evelyn Giles Baring, the son of Guy Victor Baring, an army officer and politician, and of Olive Alethea Smith). Giles was born in Wandsworth, London, England. Guy was the son of Alexander Hugh Baring, 4th Baron Ashburton, and of The Hon. Leonora Caroline Digby. Olive was the daughter of Hugh Colin Smith and Constance Maria Josepha Adeane.

Rachel’s maternal grandmother was Mona Montgomerie Mullins (the daughter of Willoughby Brooking Mullins and Mabel Beatrice Montgomerie). Mona was born in Midhurst, Sussex, England. Willoughby was the son of John Mullins and Rachel Stiles Willoughby. Mabel was the daughter of Frederick Montgomerie and Mary Adelaide Henry.

Source: Genealogy of Rachel Ward – http://www.thepeerage.com

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