2019 marked the centenary of Nancy Astor’s entry into Parliament, leaving a fascinating legacy for women today. The National Archives plays host to a variety of documents that illuminate this…Read More >
News and Events
Latest news from the Astor100 project
Celebrating 100 Years of Women in Parliament – 28 November 2019 – What a day!
On 28 November 1919, Nancy Astor was elected to Parliament, becoming the first female MP to take her seat. A century on, a train named in her honour took VIP…Read More >
The journey begins – Astor 100 celebrations 28 November – Tannoy announcements on the Nancy Astor Express
As the Nancy Astor Express makes its inaugural journey to Plymouth for the historic unveiling of a bronze statue to Nancy Astor, four research students from the Department of History…Read More >
PRESS RELEASE: Train retraces Lady Astor’s journey from Parliament to constituency during 100th anniversary celebrations
A TRAIN named after the first female MP to take her seat in UK parliament will retrace her historic journey between London and her constituency. A Great Western Railway train, The Nancy Astor,…Read More >
100 years of women in parliament: Why you should vote in this election.
On 28 November, two weeks ahead of the General Election, a group of History MA students will witness the unveiling of the first public statue to a British female MP…Read More >
Bessie Le Cras – counting agent for Nancy Astor – By Oonagh Gay
28 November 2019 marks the hundredth anniversary of the election of Nancy Astor as the first woman MP to take her seat in the House of Commons, following a closely…Read More >
Astor’s agent: the professional career of Christopher Briggs – by Dr Kathryn Rix
Nancy Astor’s election agent, Christopher George Briggs was one of a new breed of agents who established the National Society of Conservative Agents. Here, Dr Kathryn Rix, Assistant Editor of…Read More >
THE NANCY ASTOR STATUE APPEAL – How history is being made again – By Alexis Bowater
“TO be honest with you, we never thought you’d do it,” said many, after we’d smashed our Crowdfunder. Indeed so many that I wondered why not one had said a…Read More >
Almost there… the bronze statue takes shape – 11 October 2019
It’s now less than six weeks until the moment we’ll install a bronze statue of Nancy Astor on Plymouth Hoe to commemorate the first female MP to take her seat…Read More >
Nancy Astor: A Mother in the House
Blog post from The History of Parliament by Dr Jacqui Turner from the University of Reading and PhD student, Kate Meanwell, discussing Nancy Astor’s role as a mother to her five children as…Read More >
