Barbara Ward Wells: How did Julie Andrews’ mother die?

Barbara Ward Wells is the mother of  English motion picture, stage, musical star, and author, Julie Andrews. Barbara Ward Wells is well known for her crystalline four-octave voice and her charm and skill as an actress. She managed her way to Broadway before she was 20 years old and that led to her starring in a live TV performance of “Cinderella” (CBS 1957) that earned her an Emmy nomination.

Her true breakout moment came after starring in Disney’s “Mary Poppins” (1964), winning the Oscar for Best Actress for her work in the title role. Recently she lent her voice to the Shrek franchise and the Despicable Me franchise. She created and starred in the children’s program “Julie’s Greenroom” (Netflix 2017) and even appeared in “Aquaman” (2018). Julie Andrews’ mother was a key person in her career. Who is Julie Andrews’ mother?

Barbara Ward Wells: Bio Summary

Who is Julie Andrews’ mother?

Barbara Ward Wells was born on 25 July 1910 in Hersham, Surrey, England, United Kingdom. She was the daughter of  William Arthur Morris and Julia Mary (Ward) Morris. She was not the only child of her parents– Barbara Ward had a sister-  Joan Morris.  Julie Andrews’ mother passed away at the age of 74. She was very influential in her daughter’s career. Keep reading to learn more about her.

Barbara Ward Wells was a Vaudeville Performer; Her first marriage was to Julie Andrews’ father- Edward Charles (Ted) Wells who was a teacher of metalwork and woodwork, in 1932. Per her Wikipedia, Julie Andrews was conceived as a result of an affair her mother had with a family friend. According to her Wikipedia, the singer and actress discovered her true parentage from her mother in 1950, although it was not publicly disclosed until her 2008 autobiography.

Barbara Ward Wells and Edward Charles (Ted) Wells walked down the aisle on 26 December 1932 in Hersham, Surrey, England, United Kingdom. Though their marriage started on a good note, things took a different turn for the couple and they decided to go their separate ways.

ALSO, READ; Joanna Edwards: Inside the Life of Julie Andrews’ Adopted Daughter

With the outbreak of World War II, Julie Andrews’ parents- Barbara Ward Wells and Edward Charles (Ted) Wells went their separate ways and were soon called their marriage a quit for good. Though the romance between the couple is over, their daughter is still a bond that linked them together.

Each moved on quickly and remarried: Barbara got married to Ted Andrews, in 1943, and Ted Wells also in 1944 to Winifred Maud (Hyde) Birkhead. During the war, Barbara’s ex-husband, Wells assisted with evacuating children to Surrey during the Blitz, while she joined her new husband, Ted Andrews in entertaining the troops through the Entertainments National Service Association.

The Americanization of Emily actress lived between both parents. At one point she lived briefly with her father and her brother, John in Surrey before she was sent to live with her mother and stepfather, who her father thought would be better able to provide for his talented daughter’s artistic training.

The young Julie Andrews had been used to calling her stepfather “Uncle Ted”, but her mother Barbara Ward Wells suggested it would be more appropriate to refer to her stepfather as “Pop”, while her father remained “Dad” or “Daddy” to her, a change which she disliked.

At the age of 10, Julie Andrews began singing with her pianist mother and singer stepfather (whose last name she legally adopted) in their music-hall act.

ALSO, READ; Amy Edwards: Who is Julie Andrews’ adopted daughter?

According to reports, at the time, Barbara Ward Wells and her husband, Ted Andrews were “very poor” and “lived in a bad slum area of London,” and the war “was a very black period in my life.” Julie described her stepfather as violent and an alcoholic. He tried to get into bed with his stepdaughter while drunk twice, which resulted in her installing a lock on her door.

Later the stage career of Barbara Ward Wells and her husband improved and they were able to afford better surroundings, first to Beckenham and then, as the war ended, back to their hometown of Hersham. Ted Andrews sponsored lessons for her, first at the independent arts educational school Cone-Ripman School (ArtsEd) in London, and thereafter with concert soprano and voice instructor Madame Lilian Stiles-Allen.

ALSO, READ; Edward Charles Wells: What happened to Julie Andrews’ father?

What happened to Julie Andrews’ mother?

Julie Andrews’ mother Barbara Ward Wells passed away on 19 December 1984 in Chertsey, Surrey, England, United Kingdom. She is 74 years old at the time of her death. The cause of her death has not been revealed. As of 2023, Edward Charles Wells’ daughter Julie Andrews is 88 years old but doesn’t look like she is slowing down in the world of entertainment.