Robert Arthur Ward 1871-1942

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 23rd February 1871 Robert Arthur Ward was born to William Ward 1st Earl of Dudley [aged 53] and Georgina Moncrieffe Countess Dudley [aged 24].

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

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

In 1895 Robert Arthur Ward [aged 23] was elected MP Crewe which seat he held until 1900.

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 Robert Arthur Ward [aged 24] fought in the Matabeleland campaign.

From 1900 to 1902 Robert Arthur Ward [aged 28] served with the 4th Battalion, Imperial Yeomanry, in the Second Boer War.

On 5th March 1902 Robert Arthur Ward [aged 31] was appointed a second lieutenant of the Worcestershire Yeomanry (The Queen's Own Worcestershire Hussars).

In 1906 Robert Arthur Ward [aged 34] and Mary Acheson [aged 25] were married. She the daughter of Archibald Brabazon Sparrow Acheson 4th Earl Gosford [aged 64] and Louisa Augusta Beatrice Montagu Countess Gosford [aged 49]. He the son of William Ward 1st Earl of Dudley and Georgina Moncrieffe Countess Dudley [aged 59].

In 1913 [his sister-in-law] 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 15th February 1924 Lionel Monkton [aged 62] died. His wife [his future sister-in-law] Gertie Millar [aged 44] married [his brother] William Humble Ward 2nd Earl of Dudley [aged 56] two months later.

On 30th April 1924 [his brother] William Humble Ward 2nd Earl of Dudley [aged 56] and [his sister-in-law] 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 [his father] William Ward 1st Earl of Dudley and [his mother] Georgina Moncrieffe Countess Dudley [aged 77].

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

On 29th June 1932 [his brother] 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 [his nephew] William [aged 38] succeeded 3rd Earl of Dudley of Dudley Castle in Staffordshire, 13th Baron Ward of Birmingham.

On 14th June 1942 Robert Arthur Ward [aged 71] died.