Lady Nancy Astor Letters to Mrs. Margaret Bailey

Access and use

Location of collection:
College of William and Mary
Special Collections Research Center
Earl Gregg Swem Library
College of William and Mary
400 Landrum Drive
PO 8795
Williamsburg, VA 23187-8795
Contact for questions and access:
Phone: (757) 221-3090
Fax: (757) 221-5440
Restrictions:

Collection is open to all researchers. Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations, such as the Virginia Public Records Act (Code of Virginia. § 42.1-76-91); and the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (Code of Virginia § 2.2-3705.5). Confidential material may include, but is not limited to, educational, medical, and personnel records. If sensitive material is found in this collection, please contact a staff member immediately. The disclosure of personally identifiable information pertaining to a living individual may have legal consequences for which the College of William and Mary assumes no responsibility.

Terms of access:

Before reproducing or quoting from any materials, in whole or in part, permission must be obtained from the Special Collections Research Center, and the holder of the copyright, if not Swem Library.

Preferred citation:

Lady Nancy Astor to Mrs. Margaret Bailey Letters, Special Collections Research Center, Swem Library, College of William and Mary.

Summary

Extent:
0.01 Linear Foot
Creator:
Astor, Nancy Witcher Langhorne Astor, Viscountess, 1879-1964
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

Lady Nancy Astor to Mrs. Margaret Bailey Letters, Special Collections Research Center, Swem Library, College of William and Mary.

Background

Scope and content:

Three letters written from Lady Nancy Astor to Mrs. John (Margaret) Bailey dated January 2, 1952, May 28, 1953, and November 17, 1953. Also included is a blank card with a pencil sketch by John Singer Sargent of Lady Astor's profile. Writing in the bottom corner of the sketch reads, "To a Virginian from a Virginian- Nancy Astor as she never looked." In the correspondence Lady Astor mentions getting ready for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, an upcoming trip to Rhodesia in order to open a Women's Congress in connection with the Rhodes Centenary, and her upcoming travel plans to New York. The letters are very personal in nature from Lady Astor to Margaret Bailey.

Biographical / historical:

Information about this individual or organization may be available in the Special Collections Research Center Wiki: <a href="http://scdbwiki.swem.wm.edu/wiki/index.php/Nancy_Witcher_Langhorne_Astor_Astor,_Viscountess" title="Nancy Witcher Langhorne Astor Astor, Viscountess" target="_blank" class="external-link"></a>

Administrative History: Lady Astor was the first woman to serve as a member of Parliment. (Another woman was elected in 1918 but did not take her seat). She was elected from Plymouth in 1919 when her husband, Waldorf Astor was forced to forfeit his seat in order to ascend to the House of Lords upon his father's death.

Information about this individual or organization may be available in the Special Collections Research Center Wiki:

Lady Astor was the first woman to serve as a member of Parliment. (Another woman was elected in 1918 but did not take her seat). She was elected from Plymouth in 1919 when her husband, Waldorf Astor was forced to forfeit his seat in order to ascend to the House of Lords upon his father's death.

Acquisition information:
Donation