Astor, Nancy Witcher Langhorne Astor, Viscountess, 1879-1964

Variant names
Dates:
Birth 1873
Death 1964
Birth 1879-05-19
Death 1964-05-02
Birth 1879
Death 1964
Gender:
Female
Bretons
English

Biographical notes:

wife of Waldorf Astor, 2nd Viscount Astor

Epithet: politician

British Library Archives and Manuscripts Catalogue : Person : Description : ark:/81055/vdc_100000000410.0x000325

Born Nancy Witcher Langhorne, of Richmond, Va., and "Mirador," Albemarle co., Va. Married Robert Gould Shaw, 1897; divorced, 1903; one son, Robert Gould. Married Waldorf Astor (1879-1952) of Cliveden, Buckinghamshire, Eng., 1906; five children: William Waldorf (b. 1907), Nancy Phyllis Louise (b. 1909), Frances David Langhorne (b. 1912), Michael (b. 1916), and John Jacob (b. 1918). Elected first woman to Parliament, 1919, serving twenty-five years.

From the description of Papers, ca. 1910s-1931. (Virginia Historical Society Library). WorldCat record id: 33953256

American-born British politician and social reformer.

From the description of Letter : Cliveden, to [Jane] Manner, 1923 Apr. 17. (Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center (HRC); University of Texas at Austin). WorldCat record id: 86168057

Nancy Astor (ne Langhorne) was born in Danville, Virginia on 19 May 1879. She died on 2 May 1964. Her first marriage to American Robert Shaw in 1896 was not successful and they divorced in 1903. In 1906 she married Waldorf Astor and they settled at Cliveden, Bucks. When her husband succeeded his father as Viscount Astor in 1919 Nancy took his place as the Conservative MP for Plymouth (Sutton Division), becoming the first woman to sit in the House of Commons. She campaigned in particular for women's causes and for temperance and was known for her sharp wit.

From the guide to the Papers of Nancy Astor, 1900-1964, (Reading University: Special Collections Services)

Virginia Taylor McCormick (1873-1957), of Norfolk, Virginia was a poet, literary critic, essayist, lecturer, and the editor of The Lyric, 1921-1929.

From the guide to the Virginia Taylor McCormick Papers, 1887-1953., (Special Collections, Earl Gregg Swem Library, College of William and Mary)

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Subjects:

  • Poets, American
  • Christian Science
  • Women
  • Women politicians
  • World War, 1939-1945

Occupations:

not available for this record

Places:

  • Great Britain Politics and government 20th century (as recorded)
  • Plymouth (England) (as recorded)
  • Europe--Great Britain--Plymouth (as recorded)
  • Great Britain--Buckinghamshire--Taplow--Cliveden (as recorded)
  • Great Britain (as recorded)

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