Helena Bonham Carter is a famous English actress who has starred in many films, such as The King’s Speech, Harry Potter, and Alice in Wonderland. She is known for her eccentric style and dark roles, as well as her former relationship with director Tim Burton. But is she related to another famous British icon, John Bonham, the legendary drummer of Led Zeppelin?
The Bonham Carter Family Tree
According to Wikipedia, Helena Bonham Carter is descended from a prominent British political family, the Bonham Carters. Her father, Raymond Bonham Carter, was a merchant banker and a director of the Bank of England. Her paternal grandfather, Sir Maurice Bonham Carter, was a politician and a close adviser to Prime Minister H. H. Asquith, who was also Helena’s great-grandfather.
The first member of the family to use the double-barrelled name was John Bonham-Carter (1788–1838), who was a barrister and a Member of Parliament for Portsmouth. He assumed the additional surname Bonham by Royal Licence when he inherited the estates of his cousin Thomas Bonham. His wife Joanna Maria Smith was the daughter of William Smith, an abolitionist MP and a Unitarian. Her sister Frances was the mother of Florence Nightingale, the famous nurse and social reformer.
The John Bonham Connection
John Bonham was born in 1948 in Redditch, Worcestershire. He was one of the most influential and respected drummers in rock history, known for his powerful and innovative style. He joined Led Zeppelin in 1968 and played on all their albums until his death in 1980 from alcohol-related asphyxia.
John Bonham’s ancestry is not as well documented as Helena Bonham Carter’s, but according to some sources, he was of Irish descent on his father’s side and English on his mother’s side. His father, Jack Bonham, was a carpenter and a war veteran. His mother, Joan Bicknell, was a housewife and a music lover.
There is no evidence that John Bonham and Helena Bonham Carter are related by blood or marriage. Their surnames are similar but not identical, and they come from different regions and backgrounds. The rumor that they are cousins or distant relatives is most likely based on coincidence or wishful thinking.
Conclusion
Helena Bonham Carter and John Bonham are both talented and successful British artists who have made their mark in the world of cinema and music. However, they are not related to each other in any way, except by sharing a common nationality and a love for their craft.
