Editing Vanessa Redgrave (section)

== Early life ==
{{Main|Redgrave family}}
Vanessa Redgrave was born on 30 January 1937 in [[Blackheath, London]],{{sfn|Redgrave|1991|p=5}} the daughter of actors Sir [[Michael Redgrave]] and [[Rachel Kempson]].<ref>{{cite web|author1=General Register Office|title=England and Wales Birth Registration Index, 1837–2008|url=https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVQX-QKTB|website=FamilySearch|publisher=The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints|access-date=24 September 2015|quote=Vanessa Redgrave, 1937, Greenwich, London, England; Mother's maiden name Kempson}}</ref> [[Laurence Olivier]] announced her birth to the audience at a performance of ''[[Hamlet]]'' at the [[Old Vic]], when he said that [[Laertes (Hamlet)|Laertes]] (played by Sir Michael) had a daughter. Accounts say Olivier announced, "A great actress has been born this night."

In her autobiography, Redgrave recalls the [[The Blitz|East End]] and [[Coventry Blitz]]es among her earliest memories.{{sfn|Redgrave|1991|pages=6–7}} Following the East End Blitz, Redgrave relocated with her family to [[Bromyard]], [[Herefordshire]] before returning to London in 1943.{{sfn|Redgrave|1991|pages=7, 12}}<ref>{{cite web |title=Vanessa Redgrave returns to WW2 evacuee town |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/av/uk-england-hereford-worcester-50354208 |website=bbc.com/news |access-date=27 November 2024 |date=8 November 2019}}</ref> She was educated at two [[independent school]]s for girls: the [[Alice Ottley School]] in [[Worcester, England|Worcester]], and [[Queen's Gate School]] in London, before "coming out" as a [[debutante]]. Her siblings [[Lynn Redgrave]] and [[Corin Redgrave]] were also actors.