Rachel Ward

Birth Name: Rachel Claire Ward

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

Date of Birth: 12 September, 1957

Ethnicity: English, Scottish, some Northern Irish, French, Welsh, 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 actress Tracy Louise Ward. Rachel is from an upper-class family, with many prominent ancestors on both sides.

Rachel is married to Australian actor and author 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, the 2nd Earl, was Governor-General of Australia from 1908 to 1911. He was the son of William Ward, 1st Earl of Dudley, and of Georgina Elisabeth/Elizabeth Moncreiffe. Rachel’s great-grandmother Rachel was the daughter of Charles Henry Gurney and Alice Marie/Maria Princep/Prinsep. Charles’ father was banker and antiquary Daniel Gurney.

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). Rosemary was born in Dunrobin Castle, Sutherland, Scotland. 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, whose grandfather was Lieutenant-General William Wemyss; and of Blanche Adeliza Fitzroy, whose own grandfather was Lord Henry FitzRoy of Grafton.

Rachel’s maternal grandfather was Giles Baring, a cricketer (born Amyas Evelyn Giles Baring, the son of Lieutenant Colonel Guy Victor Baring, an army officer and politician, and of Olive Alethea/Althea Smith). Giles was born in Wandsworth, London, England. Guy was the son of Alexander Hugh Baring, 4th Baron Ashburton, whose father was from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S., and whose mother was French; and of The Hon. Leonora Caroline Digby, whose own father was the 9th Baron Digby of Geashill. Rachel’s great-grandmother Olive was the daughter of Hugh Colin Smith and Constance Maria Josepha Adeane, whose grandfather was the 1st Baron Stanley.

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.

Sources: Genealogies of Rachel Ward – http://www.thepeerage.com
https://www.geni.com