Astor, Lady (1879-1964), became the first woman to serve in the British Parliament. A Conservative, Astor was a witty champion of temperance and of the rights of women and children. Before World War II began in 1939, she became a prominent supporter of the policy of appeasement toward Nazi Germany (see World War II (The failure of appeasement) ).
Astor was born Nancy Langhorne on May 19, 1879, in Danville, Virginia. She went to England in 1903 and, in 1906, married Waldorf Astor, a great-great-grandson of the wealthy American businessman John Jacob Astor. Waldorf Astor served in the British House of Commons, where he represented the Sutton district of Plymouth. In 1919, he gave up his seat in the House, and Lady Astor was elected to replace him. Ten years later, after the election of 1929, Lady Astor tried unsuccessfully to form a women’s party in the House under her leadership. She retired from the House in 1945. She died on May 2, 1964.
