Trivia

She was awarded the DBE (Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire) in the 1956 Queen's Birthday Honours List for her services to drama.

When she was named Dame of the British Empire in 1956, she (along with Sybil Thorndike who received the honor in 1931) became the youngest actress to be so honored. However, she seldom or ever uses the title for billing purposes.

Ashcroft made her professional acting debut in "Dear Brutus" in 1926 with Ralph Richardson also in the cast. They played together several times after that including "The Heiress." The same year Ashcroft won the Supporting Actress Award for "A Passage for India" from the New York Film Critics, he was honored posthumously as Best Supporting Actor in "Greystoke," his last film.

Buried in Westminster Abbey in London.

She was made a Fellow of the British Film Institute in recognition of her outstanding contribution to film culture.

She was awarded the CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) in the 1951 King's Birthday Honours List for her services to drama.

She was the daughter of Violetta Maud, née Bernheim (1874-1926), an amateur actress, and William Worsley Ashcroft (1878-1918), a land agent. Her father was of English and part Irish descent and her mother was of German Jewish and Danish Jewish ancestry.

A memorial service was held for her at Westminster Abbey, London on 30 November 1991.

Had a daughter, Mrs. Eliza Hutchinson (born 1941), and a son, Nick Hutchinson (born 1946), with Lord Jeremy Hutchinson.

Won the London Evening Standard Best Stage Actress Award twice- for 'The Chalk Garden' and 'The War of the Roses.'.

Grandmother of Manon Loizeau and Emily Loizeau (daughter Eliza's daughters).

Step-mother of Adam Hart-Davis.

Aunt of Margaret Ashcroft.

Was the 90th actress to receive an Academy Award; she won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for A Passage to India (1984) at The 57th Annual Academy Awards (1985). She did however not attend the ceremony, choosing instead to stay in London to attend the funeral of her friend Michael Redgrave, although she was ultimately unable to attend that either, due to being taken ill with flu.

She was educated at Woodford School where she acted in Shakespeare often playing male roles.

Her mother was an actress.

Her father was an estate agent who was killed during WW1.