Edward Astley, 22nd Baron Hastings
Encyclopedia
Edward Delaval Henry Astley, 22nd Baron Hastings, 12th Baronet Astley (14 April 1912 - 25 April 2007) had many interests, including politics, ballet, charity work, Italy, and renovating Seaton Delaval Hall
.
Lord Hastings was born at Melton Constable Hall in Norfolk
, the son of Albert Astley, 21st Baron Hastings and Marguerite Nevill, daughter of the 3rd Marquess of Abergavenny
. The ancient Hastings barony
had been established in the 1295, but lay dormant from 1389, when there were multiple claimants, and then abeyant from 1542. It was revived for Jacob Astley
in 1841, who became the 16th Baron.
He was educated at Eton
, but his father decided that he was not clever enough to attend Cambridge University. He was sent to learn French and Spanish overseas. He was a friend of Sarah Churchill, daughter of Winston Churchill
.
He worked for the Gold Coast Selection Trust in the City of London
, and joined the supplementary reserve of the Coldstream Guards
in the 1930s. He spent 14 months in the United States
, taking a road trip
of 22000 miles (35,405.5 km) in a Ford V-8. He returned to England when the Second World War broke out, arriving home shortly before the evacuation from Dunkirk. He transferred to Intelligence Corps, and was posted to North Africa and then Italy, where his language skills became valuable. He ran radio and theatre services in liberated Italy.
Back in England, he became a director of London and Eastern Trade Bank, before leaving London to run a 5000 acres (20.2 km²) farm near Salisbury
in Southern Rhodesia
, growing Virginia tobacco, maize
, peanut
s and pasture seed. He became active in the local United Party
. He met his wife, the former model Katie Hinton (known as Nicki), daughter of Captain H. V. Hinton, in Africa. They married in 1954 and honeymooned on Elba
, where he later built a holiday villa for his family, including three children and his two stepchildren. He supported Garfield Todd
's United Rhodesia party.
He spent more time in England after he succeeded to the titles on his father's death in 1956, although Melton Constable Hall had been sold to the Duke of Westminster
in 1948. He became a government whip in the Conservative administrations
of Harold Macmillan
and Sir Alec Douglas-Home from 1961 to 1962, and a Parliamentary Secretary
to Sir Keith Joseph, Bt., the Minister of Housing and Local Government, from 1962 to 1964.
He took charge of the Bills that became the Clean Air 1968 and Water Resources Act 1968. He joined the Opposition front bench after Labour won the 1964 UK general election, attacking the new Land Commission, which he likened to land nationalisation. He criticised Labour's policies towards Rhodesia, particularly economic sanctions. He continued to run his farm through the years of UDI
and civil war, finally selling it to the Government of Zimbabwe in 1982.
He moved to Fulmodestone Hall in Norfolk in 1967. He sat in the House of Lords until the House of Lords Act 1999
removed most of the hereditary peer
s.
He developed a love of ballet
after seeing the Ballet Russes at Covent Garden
in the 1930s. He was a governor of the Royal Ballet from 1979 to 1992. He became a trustee of the Sadler's Wells Ballet Fund set up by Ninette de Valois
, chairman of the Royal Ballet Benevolent Fund from 1966 to 1983, and chairman of the Dance Teachers' Benevolent Fund from 1982 to 1999.
His second son Justin was born with Down's syndrome. He became patron of the Camphill Villages Trust, donating Thornage Hall near Fakenham
in Norfolk and surrounding land. He was a vice-president of the British Epilepsy Association from 1962 to 1964, president from 1965 to 1993, and then honorary past president until his death in 2007. The Association named its highest award the Lord Hastings Award in his honour. He was also president of the Epilepsy Research Foundation
and the Joint Epilepsy Council.
He was a governor and vice-chairman of the British Institute of Florence
for almost 40 years, from 1959 to 1997. He was president of the British-Italian Society from 1967 to 1995. He launched the Italian People's Flood Appeal to help Italians caught up in floods in the 1960s, to supplement other charities, such as the Venice in Peril, which were established to conserve artworks. For this work, he was appointed a Grand Officer of the Italian Order of Merit in 1968.
He spent 51 years restoring Seaton Delaval Hall
in Northumberland
, an outstanding example of English Baroque architecture
, designed by Sir John Vanbrugh in 1718 for Admiral George Delaval
. It had been badly damaged by fire in 1822, and used as a prisoner of war
camp in the Second World War. The central block and west wing were repaired and refurbished, and a parterre
laid out. The house opened to the public. It became his permanent home in 1990.
He was succeeded by his son, Delaval Astley, 23rd Baron Hastings.
Seaton Delaval Hall
Seaton Delaval Hall is a Grade I listed country house in Northumberland, England. It is near the coast just north of Newcastle upon Tyne. Located between Seaton Sluice and Seaton Delaval, it was designed by Sir John Vanbrugh in 1718 for Admiral George Delaval and is now owned by the National...
.
Lord Hastings was born at Melton Constable Hall in Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
, the son of Albert Astley, 21st Baron Hastings and Marguerite Nevill, daughter of the 3rd Marquess of Abergavenny
Marquess of Abergavenny
Marquess of Abergavenny , in the County of Monmouth, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom that was created on 14 January 1876, along with the title Earl of Lewes , in the County of Sussex, for the 5th Earl of Abergavenny, a member of the Nevill family.The 1st Marquess's ancestor, the de...
. The ancient Hastings barony
Baron Hastings
Baron Hastings is a title that has been created three times. The first creation was in the Peerage of England in 1295, and is still extant. The second creation was in the Peerage of England in 1299, and became extinct on the death of the first holder in c. 1314...
had been established in the 1295, but lay dormant from 1389, when there were multiple claimants, and then abeyant from 1542. It was revived for Jacob Astley
Jacob Astley, 16th Baron Hastings
Jacob Astley, 16th Baron Hastings , known as Sir Jacob Astley, Bt, between 1817 and 1841, was a British peer and Whig politician.-Background and education:...
in 1841, who became the 16th Baron.
He was educated at Eton
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
, but his father decided that he was not clever enough to attend Cambridge University. He was sent to learn French and Spanish overseas. He was a friend of Sarah Churchill, daughter of Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
.
He worked for the Gold Coast Selection Trust in the City of London
City of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
, and joined the supplementary reserve of the Coldstream Guards
Coldstream Guards
Her Majesty's Coldstream Regiment of Foot Guards, also known officially as the Coldstream Guards , is a regiment of the British Army, part of the Guards Division or Household Division....
in the 1930s. He spent 14 months in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, taking a road trip
Road trip
A road trip is any journey taken on roads, regardless of stops en route. Typically, road trips are long distances traveled by automobile.-Pre-automobile road trips:...
of 22000 miles (35,405.5 km) in a Ford V-8. He returned to England when the Second World War broke out, arriving home shortly before the evacuation from Dunkirk. He transferred to Intelligence Corps, and was posted to North Africa and then Italy, where his language skills became valuable. He ran radio and theatre services in liberated Italy.
Back in England, he became a director of London and Eastern Trade Bank, before leaving London to run a 5000 acres (20.2 km²) farm near Salisbury
Harare
Harare before 1982 known as Salisbury) is the largest city and capital of Zimbabwe. It has an estimated population of 1,600,000, with 2,800,000 in its metropolitan area . Administratively, Harare is an independent city equivalent to a province. It is Zimbabwe's largest city and its...
in Southern Rhodesia
Southern Rhodesia
Southern Rhodesia was the name of the British colony situated north of the Limpopo River and the Union of South Africa. From its independence in 1965 until its extinction in 1980, it was known as Rhodesia...
, growing Virginia tobacco, maize
Maize
Maize known in many English-speaking countries as corn or mielie/mealie, is a grain domesticated by indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica in prehistoric times. The leafy stalk produces ears which contain seeds called kernels. Though technically a grain, maize kernels are used in cooking as a vegetable...
, peanut
Peanut
The peanut, or groundnut , is a species in the legume or "bean" family , so it is not a nut. The peanut was probably first cultivated in the valleys of Peru. It is an annual herbaceous plant growing tall...
s and pasture seed. He became active in the local United Party
United Rhodesia Party
The name United Rhodesia Party and the acronym, URP, refer to two political parties in Southern Rhodesia.The first was the party, led by Sir Godfrey Martin Huggins, and which in 1933 came to power in the colony...
. He met his wife, the former model Katie Hinton (known as Nicki), daughter of Captain H. V. Hinton, in Africa. They married in 1954 and honeymooned on Elba
Elba
Elba is a Mediterranean island in Tuscany, Italy, from the coastal town of Piombino. The largest island of the Tuscan Archipelago, Elba is also part of the National Park of the Tuscan Archipelago and the third largest island in Italy after Sicily and Sardinia...
, where he later built a holiday villa for his family, including three children and his two stepchildren. He supported Garfield Todd
Garfield Todd
Sir Reginald Stephen Garfield Todd was a reformist Prime Minister of Southern Rhodesia from 1953 to 1958 and later became an opponent of white minority rule in Rhodesia. He was born in Invercargill, New Zealand.-Background:...
's United Rhodesia party.
He spent more time in England after he succeeded to the titles on his father's death in 1956, although Melton Constable Hall had been sold to the Duke of Westminster
Duke of Westminster
The title Duke of Westminster was created by Queen Victoria in 1874 and bestowed upon Hugh Grosvenor, 3rd Marquess of Westminster. The current holder of the title is Gerald Grosvenor, 6th Duke of Westminster....
in 1948. He became a government whip in the Conservative administrations
Conservative Government 1957-1964
In January 1957 Sir Anthony Eden resigned from his positions of Leader of the Conservative Party and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. This was mainly a consequence of the Suez Crisis fiasco of the previous autumn but also due to his increasingly failing health...
of Harold Macmillan
Harold Macmillan
Maurice Harold Macmillan, 1st Earl of Stockton, OM, PC was Conservative Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 10 January 1957 to 18 October 1963....
and Sir Alec Douglas-Home from 1961 to 1962, and a Parliamentary Secretary
Parliamentary Secretary
A Parliamentary Secretary is a member of a Parliament in the Westminster system who assists a more senior minister with his or her duties.In the parliamentary systems of several Commonwealth countries, such as the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia, it is customary for the prime minister to...
to Sir Keith Joseph, Bt., the Minister of Housing and Local Government, from 1962 to 1964.
He took charge of the Bills that became the Clean Air 1968 and Water Resources Act 1968. He joined the Opposition front bench after Labour won the 1964 UK general election, attacking the new Land Commission, which he likened to land nationalisation. He criticised Labour's policies towards Rhodesia, particularly economic sanctions. He continued to run his farm through the years of UDI
UDI
UDI may refer to:* Unilateral declaration of independence, an assertion of the independence of an aspiring state or states** In particular, the Rhodesian Unilateral Declaration of Independence* Unidad de Inversion, Mexican currency funds unit...
and civil war, finally selling it to the Government of Zimbabwe in 1982.
He moved to Fulmodestone Hall in Norfolk in 1967. He sat in the House of Lords until the House of Lords Act 1999
House of Lords Act 1999
The House of Lords Act 1999 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that was given Royal Assent on 11 November 1999. The Act reformed the House of Lords, one of the chambers of Parliament. For centuries, the House of Lords had included several hundred members who inherited their seats;...
removed most of the hereditary peer
Hereditary peer
Hereditary peers form part of the Peerage in the United Kingdom. There are over seven hundred peers who hold titles that may be inherited. Formerly, most of them were entitled to sit in the House of Lords, but since the House of Lords Act 1999 only ninety-two are permitted to do so...
s.
He developed a love of ballet
Ballet
Ballet is a type of performance dance, that originated in the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15th century, and which was further developed in France and Russia as a concert dance form. The early portions preceded the invention of the proscenium stage and were presented in large chambers with...
after seeing the Ballet Russes at Covent Garden
Covent Garden
Covent Garden is a district in London on the eastern fringes of the West End, between St. Martin's Lane and Drury Lane. It is associated with the former fruit and vegetable market in the central square, now a popular shopping and tourist site, and the Royal Opera House, which is also known as...
in the 1930s. He was a governor of the Royal Ballet from 1979 to 1992. He became a trustee of the Sadler's Wells Ballet Fund set up by Ninette de Valois
Ninette de Valois
Dame Ninette de Valois, OM, CH, DBE, FRAD, FISTD was an Irish-born British dancer, teacher, choreographer and director of classical ballet...
, chairman of the Royal Ballet Benevolent Fund from 1966 to 1983, and chairman of the Dance Teachers' Benevolent Fund from 1982 to 1999.
His second son Justin was born with Down's syndrome. He became patron of the Camphill Villages Trust, donating Thornage Hall near Fakenham
Fakenham
Fakenham is a town and civil parish in Norfolk, England. It is situated on the River Wensum, some north east of King's Lynn, south west of Cromer, and north west of Norwich....
in Norfolk and surrounding land. He was a vice-president of the British Epilepsy Association from 1962 to 1964, president from 1965 to 1993, and then honorary past president until his death in 2007. The Association named its highest award the Lord Hastings Award in his honour. He was also president of the Epilepsy Research Foundation
Epilepsy Research Foundation
Epilepsy Research UK is a British medical research charity dedicated to curing epilepsy.In March 2007, the Epilepsy Research Foundation merged with the Fund for Epilepsy to become Epilepsy Research UK . ERUK is the only national organisation exclusively dedicated to funding research into all areas...
and the Joint Epilepsy Council.
He was a governor and vice-chairman of the British Institute of Florence
British Institute of Florence
The British Institute of Florence is a cultural institute founded in 1917 in Florence, Italy, with the aim of promoting Anglo-Italian cultural relations, teaching English and Italian languages, and running a Library of English books to illustrate British and Italian literature, art, history and music...
for almost 40 years, from 1959 to 1997. He was president of the British-Italian Society from 1967 to 1995. He launched the Italian People's Flood Appeal to help Italians caught up in floods in the 1960s, to supplement other charities, such as the Venice in Peril, which were established to conserve artworks. For this work, he was appointed a Grand Officer of the Italian Order of Merit in 1968.
Seaton Delaval Hall
Seaton Delaval Hall is a Grade I listed country house in Northumberland, England. It is near the coast just north of Newcastle upon Tyne. Located between Seaton Sluice and Seaton Delaval, it was designed by Sir John Vanbrugh in 1718 for Admiral George Delaval and is now owned by the National...
in Northumberland
Northumberland
Northumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region...
, an outstanding example of English Baroque architecture
Baroque architecture
Baroque architecture is a term used to describe the building style of the Baroque era, begun in late sixteenth century Italy, that took the Roman vocabulary of Renaissance architecture and used it in a new rhetorical and theatrical fashion, often to express the triumph of the Catholic Church and...
, designed by Sir John Vanbrugh in 1718 for Admiral George Delaval
George Delaval
-Family:He was of a junior branch of the Delaval family, the son of George Delaval of North Dissington, Northumberland. His father left him a legacy of only £100 but he went on to make a large fortune from his naval and diplomatic career.-Naval career:...
. It had been badly damaged by fire in 1822, and used as a prisoner of war
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
camp in the Second World War. The central block and west wing were repaired and refurbished, and a parterre
Parterre
A parterre is a formal garden construction on a level surface consisting of planting beds, edged in stone or tightly clipped hedging, and gravel paths arranged to form a pleasing, usually symmetrical pattern. Parterres need not have any flowers at all...
laid out. The house opened to the public. It became his permanent home in 1990.
He was succeeded by his son, Delaval Astley, 23rd Baron Hastings.