University Museums and Special Collections Service Nancy Astor Collection MS 1416 The collection consists of two main groups of Nancy Astor's papers. Political correspondence 1919-1945 contains letters in and out, as well as parliamentary papers, prospective legislation and other publications. Subjects covered include elections and local affairs in Plymouth; children's education and welfare and the creation of nursery schools; Christian Science; health; pensions; protection and support of the family; temperance; tours to Canada and the United States; unemployment; women's suffrage and work during the two world wars. General/Personal correspondence 1900-1964 contains letters from family, friends and eminent people in the UK, Europe, Canada and the United States. Sundry papers include unclassified files relating to Plymouth, non-parliamentary and parliamentary speeches, articles and messages, invitations and royal visits, political diaries and other diaries. There is also a large collection of bound newspaper cuttings: American 1919-1940; British 1908-1964. The Collection covers the year’s 1900-1964. The physical extent of the collection is 374 boxes, 91 volumes of press cuttings. Introduction Nancy Astor (nee 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. University Museums and Special Collections Service Nancy, Viscountess Astor MS 1416 1416/1 Correspondence and other papers 1 Political 1919-30 Political 1931-33 Political 1934-36 Political 1937 Political 1938-45 Political: prospective legislation 1932-37 Political: elections 1919-35 Nursery Schools 1931-64 2 General: British 1900-61 (Page 79) General: American 1902-64 General: Christian Scientists 1915-64 General: Canadian 1911-1962 General: World War I 1914-22 General: condolences 1952 3 Family: English relatives 1906-63 (Page 107) Family: American relatives 1927-58 and undated 4 Eminent people 1905-60 (Page 110) 5 Letters from Unidentified Correspondents undated (Page 116) 6 Sundry papers 1919-59 (2 boxes of photos) 7 Newscuttings 1908-64 1416/2 Additional papers University Museums and Special Collections Service 1416/1/1 Correspondence and other papers, Political 1919-1930 1 Adoption I to 1927 2 Adoption I 1929 3 Adoption I 1930 4 Adoption II: information and letters to societies to 1925 5 Adoption II: information and letters to societies to 1926 6 Adoption II: information 1929 7 Adoption II: information 1930 8 Agriculture to 1924 9 Agriculture 1925 10 Agriculture 1926 11 Agriculture 1927 12 Agriculture 1928 13 Agriculture 1929 14 Agriculture 1930 15 America I to 1923 16 America I 1924-1925 17 America I 1926 18 America I 1927 19 America I: portraits for William and Mary College 1927 20 America I: statue of the Pilgrim Mother and Child 1920-1927 21 America I: Anglo-American arbitration 1927 22 America II: information to 1926 23 America II: information 1927 University Museums and Special Collections Service 1416/1/1 24 America II: visit to America 1928 25 America II 1928 26 America II: invitations to speak or lecture 1929 27 America II: invitations to speak or lecture 1930 28 America II 1929 29 America II 1930 30 Animals I: general to 1926 31 Animals I 1927 32 Animals I 1928 33 Animals I 1929 34 Animals I 1930 35 Animals II: Rabies and muzzling order 1919-1920 36 Animals III: vivisection 1921-1927 37 Animals III 1928 38 Animals IV: performing animals to 1927 39 Animals V: worn out horses traffic to 1924 40 Animals V 1925-1926 41 Animals V 1927 42 Animals V 1930 43 Animals VI: birds to 1926 44 Animals VI 1926-1927 45 Animals VI 1930 46 Anti-Plumage Bill 1920-1921 47 Anti-Plumage Bill: information 1920 University Museums and Special Collections Service 1416/1/1 48 Army I: general correspondence 1929 49 Army I: general 1925 50 Army I 1930 51 Army II: ex-servicemen to 1924 52 Army II 1928 53 Army II 1930 54 Baby Week Council 1920 55 Blind: education, care and maintenance to 1925 56 Blind 1928 57 Blind 1929 58 Blind 1930 59 Broadcasting to 1926 60 Broadcasting 1928 61 Broadcasting 1929 62 Broadcasting 1930 63 Child Welfare I: general correspondence to 1925 64 Child Welfare I 1926 65 Child Welfare I 1927 66 Child Welfare I 1928 67 Child Welfare I 1929 68 Child Welfare I: McMillan Training School 1929 69 Child Welfare I 1930 70 Child Welfare I: Canal Boats Bill 1930 71 Child Welfare III: nursery schools 1927-1928 University Museums and Special Collections Service 1416/1/1 72 Child Welfare III: nursery schools 1925 73 Child Welfare III 1926 74 Child Welfare III 1927 75 Child Welfare III 1928 76 Child Welfare III 1929 77 Child Welfare III 1930 78 Child Welfare IV: provision of footwear 1930 79 Child Welfare IV: The Rachel McMillan Nursery School 1927 80 Child Welfare IV: The Rachel McMillan School and College 1930 81 Child Welfare IV: International Congress on Child Welfare at Geneva 1925 82 China 1927-1929 83 China 1930 84 Cinemas 1923-1925 85 Cinemas 1926 86 Cinemas 1927 87 Cinemas 1928 88 Cinemas 1929 89 Cinemas 1930 90 Cinemas: Films Bill 1923-1927 91 Civil Service I to 1924 92 Civil Service I 1925 93 Civil Service I 1926-1927 94 Civil Service I 1928 95 Civil Service I 1929 University Museums and Special Collections Service 1416/1/1 96 Civil Service I 1930 97 Civil Service II to 1923 98 Civil Service II 1924 99 Civil Service II 1925 100 Civil Service II: women 1926 101 Civil Service II 1927 102 Civil Service II 1928 103 Civil Service II 1929 104 Civil Service II 1930 105 Coal: general 1919-1921 106 Coal: information 1926 107 Coal: Coal strike 1920-1921 108 Communism 1924-1925 109 Communism 1926 110 Communism 1927 111 Conferences: Brussels 1920 112 Conferences: Geneva 1920 113 Conferences: Geneva 1920 114 Conferences: Disarmament Conference at Washington 1921: I correspondence 115 Conferences: Disarmament Conference at Washington 1921: II information 116 Conferences: Amsterdam 1927 117 Conferences: Economics Conference 1927 118 Conferences: Imperial Conference 1930 119 Conferences: Inter-Parliamentary Union 1930 University Museums and Special Collections Service 1416/1/1 120 Conservative Party: facts and information 1928 121 Conservative Party 1929 122 Conservative Party 1930 123 Consultative Committee I 1921-1922 124 Consultative Committee I 1923 125 Consultative Committee I 1924-1925 126 Consultative Committee I 1926-1927 127 Consultative Committee I 1928 128 Consultative Committee II: minutes 1924-1925 129 Consultative Committee II: minutes 1926 130 Consultative Committee II: minutes 1927 131 Co-operative Movement to 1916 132 Co-operative Movement 1916-1917 133 Co-operative Movement 1927-1928 134 Co-operative Movement 1929 135 Co-operative Movement 1930 136 Co-partnership 1925 137 Co-partnership 1926 138 Co-partnership 1927-1928 139 Dangerous Drugs Act 1921 140 Daylight Saving to 1925 141 Deaf and Dumb 1930 142 Disarmament I: general correspondence 1927-1928 143 Disarmament B: security 1928 University Museums and Special Collections Service 1416/1/1 144 Disarmament C: outlawry of War 1928 145 Disarmament E: commerce at sea 1927-1928 146 Disarmament and arbitration 1928 147 Disarmament and arbitration: correspondence with Miss Courtney 1928 148 Disarmament I: general 1929 149 Disarmament I: general 1930 150 Disarmament: Kellog Pact 1928 151 Disarmament: Anglo-French Pact 1928 152 Disarmament: correspondence in ‘The Times’ 1928 153 Distress in Central Europe and Asia Minor 1920 154 Domestic Servants 1927-1929 155 Domestic Servants 1930 156 Domestic Servants I: general 1924-1926 157 Domestic Servants II: Committee of Enquiry 1923 158 Drink I: general to 1923 159 Drink I 1924 160 Drink I 1925 161 Drink I 1926 162 Drink I 1927 163 Drink I 1928 164 Drink I 1929 165 Drink I 1930 166 Drink I: Barmaids 1928 167 Drink II 1925-1927 University Museums and Special Collections Service 1416/1/1 168 Drink III 1923-1927 169 Drink IV to 1927 170 Drink V to 1927 171 Drink VI: Round Table Conference 1921 172 Drink VII 1924-1927 173 Drink VIII: Temperance (Scotland) Act to 1927 174 Drink IX: Temperance Act for Wales 1921 175 Drink IX: Temperance Act for Wales 1924-1927 176 Drink X: Gretton’s Bill 1921 177 Drink XI: Control Bill 1921 178 Drink XII: Bills to 1923 179 Drink XIII: Resolutions to 1927 180 Drink XIV: Resolutions to 1927 181 Drink XV: prohibition 1924 182 Drink XV: prohibition 1925-1926 183 Drink XV: prohibition 1927 184 Drink XVI: information 1924-1925 185 Drink XVI: statistics 1926-1927 186 Drink XVII: state purchase to 1923 187 Drink XVII: state purchase to 1927 188 Drink XVLLL 1925 189 Drink XIX: native races to 1927 190 Drink XX: student’s pamphlet 1922-1927 191 Drink XXI: beer duties to 1927 University Museums and Special Collections Service 1416/1/1 192 Drink XXII: Popular Control Bill 1925 193 Drink XXIII: sale to persons under 18 Bill to 1923 194 Drink XXIII: sale to persons under 18 Bill 1923-1925 195 Drink XXIII: information 1923 196 Drink XXIII: general 1923 197 Early Closing 1920-1924 198 Education I: general correspondence to 1924 199 Education I: general 1925 200 Education I: general 1926 201 Education I 1927 202 Education I 1928 203 Education I 1929 204 Education I 1930 205