Peggy Ashcroft

Birth Name: Edith Margaret Emily Ashcroft

Date of Birth: 22 December, 1907

Place of Birth: Croydon, Surrey, England, U.K.

Date of Death: 14 June, 1991

Place of Death: London, England, U.K.

Ethnicity:
*father – English, some Irish
*mother – Ashkenazi Jewish

Dame Peggy Ashcroft was a British actress. She won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for A Passage to India (1984).

Peggy was the daughter of Violetta/Violet Maud (Bernheim), an amateur actress, and William Worsley Ashcroft, a land agent. Her father was English, and was from a Protestant background. Her mother was Jewish.

Peggy had two children with her former husband, attorney Jeremy Hutchinson.

Peggy’s paternal grandfather was William Ashcroft (the son of Michael Ashcroft and Eliza Ann Sheridan). William was born in Kirkdale, Liverpool. Michael was the son of Edward Ashcroft. Eliza was the daughter of John Sheridan.

Peggy’s paternal grandmother was Edith Blanche Rayner (the daughter of John Hicks Rayner and Mary Worsley). Peggy’s grandmother Edith was born in Seaforth. John was the son of Lloyd Rayner and Ellen Ashcroft.

Peggy’s maternal grandfather was Julius Bernheim (the son of Edward Bernheim and Bernardine Schlesinger). Julius was born in Hamburg, Germany, to a Jewish family. Bernardine was the daughter of Levin Berend Schlesinger.

Peggy’s maternal grandmother was Emily Caroline Unna (the daughter of Jacob Arnold Unna and Serine/Serene/Sarne Luine Salomon). Emily was born in Bradford, Yorkshire, England, to Jewish immigrant parents. Jacob was born in Hamburg, Germany, the son of Asher/Ascher Kusel/Cusel Unna and Friederike/Frederike Feilchen Weinberg. Serine was born in Anverscrona, near Copenhagen, Denmark.

Sources: Peggy Ashcroft on the 1911 England and Wales Census – https://www.familysearch.org

Obituary of Peggy’s father – https://www.findagrave.com

Marriage record of Peggy’s paternal great-grandparents, Michael Ashcroft and Eliza Ann Sheridan – https://www.familysearch.org

Genealogy of Peggy Ashcroft (focusing on her mother’s side) – http://bradfordjewish.org.uk

Peggy’s mother on the 1891 England and Wales Census – https://www.familysearch.org

Peggy’s maternal grandfather, Julius Bernheim, on the 1861 England and Wales Census – https://www.familysearch.org

Peggy’s maternal grandmother, Emily Caroline Unna, on the 1861 England and Wales Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Emily Caroline Unna on the 1871 England and Wales Census – https://www.familysearch.org

Peggy’s maternal great-grandparents, Jacob Arnold Unna and Serine/Serene/Sarne Luine Salomon, on the 1841 England and Wales Census – https://www.familysearch.orh
Jacob Arnold Unna and Serine/Serene/Sarne Luine Salomon on the 1851 England and Wales Census – https://www.familysearch.org

Information about Peggy’s maternal great-grandfather, Jacob Arnold Unna –  https://bradfordjewish.org.uk