Violet Astor, Baroness Astor of Hever

DStJ The Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem (), commonly known as the Order of St John, and also known as St John International, is an order of chivalry constituted in 1888 by royal charter from Queen Victoria and dedica ...

(''née'' Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound; 28 May 1889 – 3 January 1965), styled Lady Charles Fitzmaurice between 1909 and 1914 and Lady Charles Mercer Nairne between 1914 and 1918, was an English

aristocrat The aristocracy (''from Greek'' ''ἀριστοκρατία'' ''aristokratía'', "rule of the best"; ''Latin: aristocratia'') is historically associated with a "hereditary" or a "ruling" social class. In many states, the aristocracy included the ...

Origins

Violet Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound was born on 28 May 1889, the third of the five children of

Gilbert Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, 4th Earl of Minto Gilbert John Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, 4th Earl of Minto, (; 9 July 18451 March 1914), known as Viscount Melgund by courtesy from 1859 to 1891, was a British peer and politician who served as Governor General of Canada from 1898 to 1904, and Vi ...

Viceroy and Governor-General of India The governor-general of India (1833 to 1950, from 1858 to 1947 the viceroy and governor-general of India, commonly shortened to viceroy of India) was the representative of the monarch of the United Kingdom in their capacity as the emperor o ...

and

Governor General of Canada The governor general of Canada () is the federal representative of the . The monarch of Canada is also sovereign and head of state of 14 other Commonwealth realms and resides in the United Kingdom. The monarch, on the Advice (constitutional la ...

, by his wife Mary Caroline Grey, a daughter of

General A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air force, air and space forces, marines or naval infantry. In some usages, the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colone ...

Charles Grey, the second son of

Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey (13 March 1764 – 17 July 1845), known as Viscount Howick between 1806 and 1807, was a British Whig politician, who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1830 to 1834. As prime minister, Grey w ...

Personal life

Lady Violet was twice-married. Her first marriage was on 20 January 1909, to Lord Charles Fitzmaurice (later Mercer Nairne), the younger son of

Henry Petty-FitzMaurice, 5th Marquess of Lansdowne Henry Charles Keith Petty-Fitzmaurice, 5th Marquess of Lansdowne, (14 January 18453 June 1927), was a British statesman who served successively as Governor General of Canada, Viceroy of India, Secretary of State for War and Secretary of State ...

by his wife Lady Maud Evelyn Hamilton, a daughter of

James Hamilton, 1st Duke of Abercorn James Hamilton, 1st Duke of Abercorn (21 January 1811 – 31 October 1885), styled Viscount Hamilton from 1814 to 1818 and The Marquess of Abercorn from 1818 to 1868, was a Conservative statesman who twice served as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. ...

by his wife Lady Louisa Jane Russell, a daughter of

John Russell, 6th Duke of Bedford John Russell, 6th Duke of Bedford (6 July 1766 – 20 October 1839), known as Lord John Russell until 1802, was a British Whig politician who notably served as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland in the Ministry of All the Talents. He was the father ...

. By her first husband she had issue one son and one daughter: * Mary Margaret Elizabeth Mercer Nairne (1910–2003), who married Lt. Col.

Ririd Myddleton Lieutenant-Colonel Ririd Myddelton, (25 February 1902 – 7 February 1988), was a British Army officer, Welsh landowner and courtier. Early life Myddelton was born on 25 February 1902 and was named after an ancient Myddelton ancestor. H ...

and was granted the rank of a marquess's daughter in 1946. *

George Petty-Fitzmaurice, 8th Marquess of Lansdowne George John Charles Mercer Nairne Petty-Fitzmaurice, 8th Marquess of Lansdowne, DL (27 November 1912 – 25 August 1999), was a British peer and Conservative politician. Background Petty-Fitzmaurice was the only son of Lord Charles Mercer Nairn ...

(1912–1997), who married four times and was the father of

Charles Petty-Fitzmaurice, 9th Marquess of Lansdowne Charles Maurice Petty-Fitzmaurice, 9th Marquess of Lansdowne, (born 21 February 1941), styled Earl of Shelburne between 1944 and 1999, is a British peer, landowner and army officer. He was Vice-Lord Lieutenant of Wiltshire from 2012 to 2016, ...

. Lord Charles was

killed in action Killed in action (KIA) is a casualty classification generally used by militaries to describe the deaths of their personnel at the hands of enemy or hostile forces at the moment of action. The United States Department of Defense, for example, ...

on 30 October 1914 in

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

Second marriage

After the death of her first husband, she remarried on 28 August 1916 to

John Jacob Astor, 1st Baron Astor of Hever Lieutenant-Colonel John Jacob Astor V, 1st Baron Astor of Hever, DL (20 May 1886 – 19 July 1971) was an American-born English newspaper proprietor, politician, sportsman, and military officer. He was a member of the Astor family. Early life ...

(1886–1971), of

Hever Castle Hever Castle ( ) is located in the village of Hever, Kent, near Edenbridge, south-east of London, England. It began as a country house, built in the 13th century. From 1462 to 1539, it was the seat of the Boleyn (originally 'Bullen') family. ...

in Kent and of Carlton House Terrace in Westminster, the youngest son of

William Waldorf Astor, 1st Viscount Astor William Waldorf Astor, 1st Viscount Astor (31 March 1848 – 18 October 1919) was an American-English attorney, politician, hotelier, publisher and philanthropist. Astor was a scion of the very wealthy Astor family of New York City. He moved t ...

. He supported Neville Chamberlain and was elevated to the Peerage on 21 January 1956 as

Baron Astor Baron is a rank of nobility or title of honour, often hereditary, in various European countries, either current or historical. The female equivalent is baroness. Typically, the title denotes an aristocrat who ranks higher than a lord or knight, ...

"of Hever". By Astor she had three sons: *

Gavin Astor, 2nd Baron Astor of Hever Gavin Astor, 2nd Baron Astor of Hever DL (1 June 1918 – 28 June 1984), was an English soldier, publisher, peer, and member of the Astor family. Lord Astor served as chairman of the Times Publishing Company and president of the family owned T ...

(1918–1984), who married Lady Irene Haig, the youngest daughter of

Douglas Haig, 1st Earl Haig Field Marshal Douglas Haig, 1st Earl Haig (; 19 June 1861 – 29 January 1928) was a senior officer of the British Army. During the First World War he commanded the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) on the Western Front from late 1915 until t ...

, by whom he had five children including John Jacob Astor VIII ("Johnny" Astor). * Lt. Col. Hon. Hugh Waldorf Astor (1920–1999), who married Emily Lucy Kinloch, a niece of

Diana Vreeland Diana Vreeland (September 29, 1903 – August 22, 1989) was an American fashion columnist and editor. She worked for the fashion magazine ''Harper's Bazaar'' and as editor-in-chief at '' Vogue'', later becoming a special consultant to the Costume ...

, and had five children. * Hon. John Astor (1923–1987), who married Diana Kathleen Drummond, a grand-niece of

Herbert Samuel Holt Sir Herbert Samuel Holt (February 12, 1855 – September 28, 1941) was an Ireland, Irish-born Canadians, Canadian civil engineer who became a businessman, banker, and corporate director. He was President of the Royal Bank of Canada, Montreal ...

, and had three children. In 1962, she moved with her husband to France. Lady Astor died on 3 January 1965 at her villa in

Pégomas Pégomas ( or ) is a commune in the Alpes-Maritimes department in southeastern France.Grasse Grasse (; Provençal dialect, Provençal in classical norm or in Mistralian norm ; traditional ) is the only Subprefectures in France, subprefecture of the Alpes-Maritimes Departments of France, department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte-d'Azur Re ...

in the

South of France Southern France, also known as the south of France or colloquially in French as , is a geographical area consisting of the regions of France that border the Atlantic Ocean south of the Marais Poitevin,Louis Papy, ''Le midi atlantique'', Atlas e ...

References

External links

Violet Mary (née Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound), Lady Astor of Hever
{{DEFAULTSORT:Astor, Violet, Baroness Astor of Hever 1889 births 1965 deaths Nobility from London

Violet Violet may refer to: Common meanings * Violet (color), a spectral color with wavelengths shorter than blue * One of a list of plants known as violet, particularly: ** ''Viola'' (plant), a genus of flowering plants Places United States * Vi ...

English socialites Dames of Grace of the Order of St John Daughters of British earls English people of Scottish descent Petty-Fitzmaurice family Astor of Hever People from Hever, Kent