Nancy Astor, Viscountess Astor

Nancy Witcher Astor, Viscountess Astor (May 19, 1879 – May 2, 1964) was a socialite politician and a member of the prominent Astor family.

England

This trip to England launched her reputation as an interesting and witty American. Her tendency to be lively and flirtatious, yet religiously devout and prudish confused many of the English men, but pleased some of the older socialites. They liked the idea of mixing with an exciting American who at the same time mostly conformed to decency and restraint. She also began to show her skill at winning over critics. When asked "Have you come to get our husbands" her response of "If you knew the trouble I had getting rid of mine..." helped win her a fast friend.

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Regardless of such protestations she did in fact get an English husband, Waldorf Astor His temperament complemented, he shared some of her moral attitudes, and his heart condition may have encouraged him toward a restraint she found comforting. The marriage therefore had been assured. Through it she gained Cliveden, a lavish estate, and began her life as a prominent hostess for the social elite.

Related Topics:
Waldorf Astor - Cliveden

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Through these gatherings she even got involved in a kind of political circle, the so called "Milner Kindergarten". Although considered ?liberal? in their age most of them believed in the supremacy of the English speaking world and its culture. They leaned toward united equality among English speaking people, and a continuance or expansion of British imperialism. As a rule they accepted, ignored, or rationalized any abuses of the colonized peoples. For Nancy this may have been perfect as it gloried in her beliefs in American-British unity and largely held to the condescending racial views of her youth.

Related Topics:
Liberal - British imperialism

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Yet the group?s political significance had been limited; indeed her friendship with Philip Kerr would be its main legacy for her. This had been one of her most significant friendships and it came at a critical juncture for both of them. At that point he suffered from a spiritual crisis regarding his once devout Catholicism. This led them both toward converting each other to Christian Science and this relationship would lead to perhaps the most consistent elements of her life.

Related Topics:
Philip Kerr - Christian Science

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The source of her conversion had started with an unexpected source. Her sister Phyllis had given her Science and Health by Mary Baker Eddy because she thought she might find it interesting. At first Nancy had only marginal interest and Phyllis herself never became a Christian Scientist. However after a period of illness and surgery she decided that that those events had not been what God wanted. As she had been the type of person whose illness had largely been psychosomatic this belief worked for her. Philip Kerr also converted, after experimenting with Eastern Religion, and became a spiritual advisor for her. Her first spiritual mentor, Archdeacon Neve, disapproved of her conversion though so that relationship eroded further.

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Nevertheless her devotion to Christian Science would be more intense than Orthodox. Indeed she sent practitioners away for disagreeing with her. However the interpretation of the faith she came up with she stuck to intensely. Many of her letters from then on mentioned Christian Science and letters to her joked about her efforts to convert peers to it. The influence of Philip Kerr had been there too, especially in her growing hatred of Catholics.

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The bitter rejection of Catholicism by fellow convert to Christian Science Philip Kerr intensified her latent Anti-Catholicism. Also a former friend of hers, Hillaire Belloc, had been Catholic. The souring of that friendship, due to his disdain for the rich and her efforts to convert his daughters to Christian Science, further turned her against Catholics.

Related Topics:
Anti-Catholicism - Hillaire Belloc

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With the two most consistent things in her life set, Christian Science and Anti-Catholicism, World War I launched her even further toward her future life. During the war Cliveden had been turned into a hospital for Canadian soldiers. Although she did not believe in medicine she got along well with doctors especially a surgeon named Colonel Mewburn. She justified her role by helping those who needed non-medical help. The net affect had been to give her an image as the friend of soldiers that proved useful when she ran for office. At the same time the gas attacks and friends who died turned her against war itself.

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