William Dudley Ward

For other people named William Ward, see William Ward (disambiguation).

For other people named Bill Ward, see Bill Ward (disambiguation).

As depicted by "Spy" (Leslie Ward) in Vanity Fair, 29 March 1900

Olympic medal record
Men's Sailing
	1908 London	8 metre class

William Dudley Ward PC (14 October 1877 - 11 November 1946), was a British sportsman and Liberal politician.

Early life

Ward was the son of William Humble Ward and the great-grandson of William Humble Ward, 10th Baron Ward (see the Earl of Dudley for further information on the Ward family). His mother was the Hon. Eugenie Violet Adele, daughter of William Brett, 1st Viscount Esher. He was educated at Eton and Trinity College, Cambridge.

Sporting activities

Dudley Ward rowed for Cambridge in the Boat Race in 1897 when Oxford won. As President of CUBC he rowed in the winning Cambridge crews in the 1899 and 1900 Boat Races. At Henley Royal Regatta he was runner up in Silver Goblets in 1900 partnering R Etherington-Smith. His crew won the Stewards' Challenge Cup in 1901. In 1902 he won the Grand Challenge Cup, the Steward's Challenge Cup again, and the Silver Goblets partnering C W H Taylor. In 1903 his crew won Stewards and Grand again. Ward was also an accomplished sailor. He competed in the 1908 Summer Olympics and was a crew member of the British boat Sorais, which won the bronze medal in the 8 metre class.

Parliamentary career

Ward was returned to Parliament for Southampton in 1906, a seat he held until 1922, and served under H. H. Asquith as Treasurer of the Household from 1909 to 1912. During World War I he was a Lieutenant Commander in the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve though this may have been a cover for his counter-espionage work for Admiral Sir William Reginald Hall, Director of Naval Intelligence. He served under David Lloyd George as Vice-Chamberlain of the Household from 1917 to 1922. In 1922 he was admitted to the Privy Council. After retiring from politics he divided his time between England and Canada. He died in Calgary at the age of 69 after an operation

Personal life

Ward reportedly "had a liking for the fleshpots and was known, on occasions, to turn up for training still dressed in white tie and tails." He married Winifred May "Freda" Birkin (better known under her married name of Freda Dudley Ward), daughter of Colonel Charles Wilfred Birkin, in 1913. She was a socialite and mistress of Edward, Prince of Wales. The marriage produced two daughters, of whom the eldest, Penelope Dudley Ward, was a leading actress in the 1930s and 1940s. The couple were divorced in 1931. Ward's wife, who had remarried in 1937, died in March 1983, aged 88.

See also

• List of Cambridge University Boat Race crews

References

• Kidd, Charles, Williamson, David (editors). Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage (1990 edition). New York: St Martin's Press, 1990.
• Leigh Rayment's Peerage Page
• www.thepeerage.com
• The Rowers of Vanity Fair - W Dudley Ward

External links

• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by William Dudley Ward