Earl of Dudley
| Earldom of Dudley | |
|---|---|
 
Ward arms: chequy, or and azure, a bend, ermine
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| Creation date | 17 February 1860 (second creation) |
| Monarch | Queen Victoria |
| Peerage | Peerage of the United Kingdom |
| First holder | William Ward, 1st Earl of Dudley |
| Present holder | David Ward, 5th Earl of Dudley |
| Heir presumptive | Hon. Leander Grenville Dudley Ward |
| Remainder to | First earl's heirs male of the body, lawfully begotten |
| Subsidiary titles | Viscount Ednam Baron Ward |
| Former seat(s) |
Dudley House Witley Court Himley Hall Dudley Castle |
| Armorial motto | Comme je fûs ("As I was") |
Earl of Dudley, of Dudley Castle in the County of Stafford, (now the West Midlands), is a title that has been created twice in the Peerage of the United Kingdom, both times for members of the Ward family.
The Dudley name was first ennobled on 25 March 1341/42 for John Sutton, first Lord Dudley of Dudley Castle. The male line failed at the 10th Baron, Sir Ferdinando Dudley, and Dudley Castle passed to his daughter, Frances Dudley, Baroness Dudley (1611–1697). She married Sir Humble Ward, the son of a wealthy goldsmith and jeweller to King Charles I (see Baron Dudley for more history of the Sutton family). Frances was given away in marriage by her grandfather Lord Dudley in order for him to be able to redeem the heavily mortgaged estates around Dudley, whose mineral resources were the foundation of the family's great wealth.
In 1644, Frances's husband Sir Humble Ward was raised to the Peerage of England in his own right as Baron Ward, of Birmingham in the County of Warwick. In contrast to the barony of Dudley, which had been created by writ, this peerage was created by letters patent and with remainder to heirs male. Lady Dudley and Lord Ward were both succeeded by their son Edward, the seventh and second Baron, respectively. He was styled Lord Dudley and Ward. He was succeeded by his grandson, the eighth and third Baron. He was the son of the Hon. William Ward. On Lord Dudley and Ward's early death the titles passed to his posthumous son, the ninth and fourth Baron. He died unmarried at an early age and was succeeded by his uncle, the 10th and fifth Baron.
On his death in 1740, the two baronies separated. The barony of Dudley, which could pass through female lines, was inherited by the late Baron's nephew Ferdinando Dudley Lea (see the Baron Dudley for later history of this title). He was succeeded in the barony of Ward, which could only pass through male lines, by his second cousin John Ward, who became the sixth Baron Ward. He was the grandson of the Hon. William Ward (d. 1714), second son of the first Baron. Lord Ward had earlier represented Newcastle under Lyme in the House of Commons. In 1763 he was created Viscount Dudley and Ward, of Dudley in the County of Worcester, in the Peerage of Great Britain. He was succeeded by his son from his first marriage, the second Viscount. He sat as Member of Parliament for Marlborough and for Worcestershire. He was childless and on his death the titles passed to his half-brother, the third Viscount. He was also Member of Parliament for Worcestershire. He was succeeded by his son, the fourth Viscount. He was a politician and served as Foreign Secretary from 1827 to 1828. In 1827 he was honoured when he was created Viscount Ednam, of Ednam in the County of Roxburgh, and Earl of Dudley, of Dudley Castle in the County of Stafford. Both titles were in the Peerage of the United Kingdom.
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