Maureen Cecilia (Swanson) Ward (1932-2011)

Maureen Cecilia "Countess of Dudley" Ward formerly Swanson

Born 25 Nov 1932 in Glasgow, Scotland

Daughter of [father unknown] and [mother unknown]

[sibling(s) unknown]

Wife of William Humble David Ward — married 24 Aug 1961 [location unknown]

Mother of William Ward, [private daughter (1960s - unknown)], [private daughter (1960s - unknown)], [private daughter (1960s - unknown)], [private daughter (1960s - unknown)], [private daughter (1970s - unknown)] and [private son (1970s - unknown)]

Died 16 Nov 2011 at age 78 in London, England

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Profile last modified 9 Feb 2022 | Created 8 Mar 2017

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Biography

Maureen (Swanson) Ward is Notable.

Maureen Cecilia Swanson was born on the 25th November 1932, in Glasgow, Scotland, the daughter of James Swanson, the event being registered at St Rollox..^[1]

Maureen was an Actress during the 1950s and up until 1961.

Having originally trained as a classical ballerina, she turned to acting in musical theatre, then also in films.
During her acting career (which she relinquished after she married the then Viscount Ednam in 1961), Maureen appeared in the 1952 version of Moulin Rouge, the 1952 film Valley of Song, 1953s Knights of the Round Table, the 1956 version of A Town Like Alice (support role), the 1956 film Up in the World (as Norman Wisdom's leading lady), 1957s Robbery Under Arms (female lead), as well as several others during the 1950s

She married William Humble David Ward on the 24th August 1961 in the Amersham (Buckinghamshire) registry office. They went on to have seven children, then eldest of whom, a son, William, was stillborn.

After becoming the Countess of Dudley on the death of her father-in-law, she served for a time as a lady in waiting to Princess Michael of Kent. She also managed the family homes in both Devon, and in Cottesmore Gardens (Kensington, London).

Countess of Dudley, Maureen Cecilia Ward, nee Swanson, passed away on the 16th November 2011, in London, England, and was interred in the private burial ground of the Earls of Dudley, at the rear of the parish church at Himley, where her husband would also be laid to rest in 2013.

Sources

↑ Birth Registration — Scotland's People – Statutory registers online index search Births: Surname: SWANSON; Forename: MAUREEN; Mother's Maiden Name: ; Gender: F; Year: 1932; Ref: 644/8 3393; RD Name: St Rollox (payment is required to view the actual registry entry)