William Ward, 3rd Earl of Dudley
William Ward, 3rd Earl of Dudley, was born on January 20, 1820, in London, England. He was the son of John William Ward, 2nd Earl of Dudley, and Georgina Elizabeth, daughter of Richard Venables, 1st Baron Kindersley. He received his education at Harrow School and Christ Church, Oxford. After completing his education, William Ward served as a lieutenant in the Royal Horse Guards. He later entered politics and was elected as a Member of Parliament for Worcestershire in 1847. He held this position until 1850 when he succeeded his father as the 3rd Earl of Dudley. As the 3rd Earl of Dudley, he was appointed as the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, a position he held from 1884 to 1888. He also held the position of Lord Steward of the Household from 1895 to 1905, under the governments of Lord Salisbury and Arthur Balfour. William Ward was also a philanthropist and was involved in various charitable causes, including the British Red Cross Society and the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. He also sponsored several archaeological expeditions to Egypt and Palestine. He died on March 7, 1885, at his estate, Witley Court in Worcestershire, England. He was succeeded by his son, William Humble Ward, 4th Earl of Dudley.
