Biography of William Humble Ward 2nd Earl of Dudley 1867-1932

On 24th April 1851 [his father] William Ward 1st Earl of Dudley [aged 34] and Selina Constance de Burgh Baroness Ward [aged 21] were married. She by marriage Baroness Ward of Birmingham; she died seven months later.

On 21st November 1865 [his father] William Ward 1st Earl of Dudley [aged 48] and [his mother] Georgina Moncrieffe Countess Dudley [aged 19] were married. The difference in their ages was 29 years.

On 25th May 1867 William Humble Ward 2nd Earl of Dudley was born to William Ward 1st Earl of Dudley [aged 50] and Georgina Moncrieffe Countess Dudley [aged 20].

On 7th May 1885 [his father] William Ward 1st Earl of Dudley [aged 68] died at Dudley House Park Lane. His son William [aged 17] succeeded 2nd Earl of Dudley of Dudley Castle in Staffordshire, 12th Baron Ward of Birmingham.

In 1891 William Humble Ward 2nd Earl of Dudley [aged 23] and Rachel Anne Gurney Countess Dudley [aged 23] were married. She by marriage Countess of Dudley of Dudley Castle in Staffordshire. He the son of William Ward 1st Earl of Dudley and Georgina Moncrieffe Countess Dudley [aged 44].

On 30th January 1894 [his son] William Humble Eric Ward 3rd Earl of Dudley was born to William Humble Ward 2nd Earl of Dudley [aged 26] and [his future wife] Gertrude "Gertie" Millar Countess of Dudley [aged 14]. He married (1) 8th March 1919 Rosemary Millicent Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, daughter of Cromartie Sutherland-Leveson-Gower 4th Duke of Sutherland and Millicent Fanny St Clair-Erskine Duchess of Sutherland, and had issue (2) 23rd February 1943 Frances Laura Charteris Duchess of Marlborough.

On 5th January 1895 [his brother-in-law] Frederic Glyn 4th Baron Wolverton [aged 30] and [his sister] Edith Amelia Ward Baroness Wolverton [aged 22] were married. She by marriage Baroness Wolverton. She the daughter of [his father] William Ward 1st Earl of Dudley and [his mother] Georgina Moncrieffe Countess Dudley [aged 48].

In 1896 [his daughter] Morvyth Lilian Ward was born to William Humble Ward 2nd Earl of Dudley [aged 28] and [his future wife] Gertrude "Gertie" Millar Countess of Dudley [aged 16]. She married Constantine Evelyn Benson.

1902. James Lafayette [aged 49]. Photograph of William Humble Ward 2nd Earl of Dudley [aged 34].

In 1902 Lionel Monkton [aged 40] and [his future wife] Gertie Millar [aged 22] were married.

In 1913 [his wife] Rachel Anne Gurney Countess Dudley [aged 45] commissioned a new reredos at Saint Michael and All Angels Church, Great Witley [Map] from Salviati of Venice. The three lamps hanging in the sanctuary were given by the Countess in thanks for her husband [aged 45] and his two brothers [John Hubert Ward [aged 42] and Robert Arthur Ward [aged 41]] returning safely from the Boer War. The initials on the mosaics appear to be those of the three brothers.

On 8th March 1919 William Humble Eric Ward 3rd Earl of Dudley [aged 25] and Rosemary Millicent Sutherland-Leveson-Gower [aged 25] were married. She the daughter of Cromartie Sutherland-Leveson-Gower 4th Duke of Sutherland and Millicent Fanny St Clair-Erskine Duchess of Sutherland [aged 51]. He the son of William Humble Ward 2nd Earl of Dudley [aged 51] and Gertrude "Gertie" Millar Countess of Dudley [aged 40].

In 1920 Herbert Smith, a Kidderminster carpet manufacturer, bought Witley Court, Worcestershire from William Humble Ward 2nd Earl of Dudley [aged 52].

On 26th June 1920 [his wife] Rachel Anne Gurney Countess Dudley [aged 52] drowned at Screebe House, Connemara. She had left the house alone to swim in the sea-lake from which her body was later recovered.

On 15th February 1924 Lionel Monkton [aged 62] died. His wife Gertie Millar [aged 44] married William Humble Ward 2nd Earl of Dudley [aged 56] two months later.

On 30th April 1924 William Humble Ward 2nd Earl of Dudley [aged 56] and Gertrude "Gertie" Millar Countess of Dudley [aged 45] were married. She by marriage Countess of Dudley of Dudley Castle in Staffordshire. He the son of William Ward 1st Earl of Dudley and Georgina Moncrieffe Countess Dudley [aged 77].

On 2nd February 1929 [his mother] Georgina Moncrieffe Countess Dudley [aged 82] died.

On 29th June 1932 William Humble Ward 2nd Earl of Dudley [aged 65] died. He was buried at the Earl of Dudley's Memory Garden, St Michael's Church, Himley [Map]. His son William [aged 38] succeeded 3rd Earl of Dudley of Dudley Castle in Staffordshire, 13th Baron Ward of Birmingham.

On 25th April 1952 [his former wife] Gertrude "Gertie" Millar Countess of Dudley [aged 73] died. She was buried at the Earl of Dudley's Memory Garden, St Michael's Church, Himley [Map].