Gavin Astor, 2nd Baron Astor of Hever (1 June 1918 – 28 June 1984), was an English soldier, publisher, peer, and member of the

Astor family The Astor family achieved prominence in business, society, and politics in the United States and the United Kingdom during the 19th and 20th centuries. With ancestral roots in the Italian Alps region of Italy by way of Germany, the Astors settle ...

Biography

Astor was the eldest son of

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, military officer, and a member of the Astor family. Biography Astor wa ...

(1886–1971), and Lady Violet Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound (1889–1965). He had two younger brothers, Hugh (1920–1999) and John (1923–1987). His mother had two children, Mary (1910–2003) and

George George may refer to: People * George (given name) * George (surname) * George (singer), American-Canadian singer George Nozuka, known by the mononym George * George Washington, First President of the United States * George W. Bush, 43rd Presid ...

(1912–1997), from her previous marriage to Lord Charles Petty-Fitzmaurice (1874–1914). He was educated at

Eton College Eton College () is a public school in Eton, Berkshire, England. It was founded in 1440 by Henry VI under the name ''Kynge's College of Our Ladye of Eton besyde Windesore'',Nevill, p. 3 ff. intended as a sister institution to King's College, C ...

and

New College, Oxford New College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1379 by William of Wykeham in conjunction with Winchester College as its feeder school, New College is one of the oldest colleges at th ...

, before joining the Life Guards, where he reached the rank of captain. Business positions included the chairmanship of the

Times Publishing Company Times Publishing Company is a newspaper and magazine publisher. Its flagship publication is the ''Tampa Bay Times'' (formerly the ''St. Petersburg Times''), a daily newspaper serving the Tampa Bay area. It also publishes the business magazine ''Flo ...

and life presidency of

Times Newspapers Ltd News Corp UK & Ireland Limited (trading as News UK, formerly News International and NI Group) is a British newspaper publisher, and a wholly owned subsidiary of the American mass media conglomerate News Corp. It is the current publisher of ...

. He was appointed

High Sheriff of Sussex The office of Sheriff of Sussex was established before the Norman Conquest. The Office of sheriff remained first in precedence in the counties until the reign of Edward VII when an Order in Council in 1908 gave the Lord-Lieutenant the prime office ...

in 1955. He inherited the barony and

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 on the death of his father in 1971. In 1955, he founded the Astor of Hever Trust, a charity aimed to collect donations for arts, medicine, religion, education, conservation, youth, and sport.

Marriage and children

Astor married Lady Irene Haig (1919–2001), youngest daughter of

Field Marshal Field marshal (or field-marshal, abbreviated as FM) is the most senior military rank, ordinarily senior to the general officer ranks. Usually, it is the highest rank in an army and as such few persons are appointed to it. It is considered as ...

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 unti ...

(1861–1928), and Dorothy Maud Vivian (1879–1939), on 4 October 1945. They had five children:The Peerage, entry for 2nd Lord Astor
/ref> * John Jacob "Johnny" Astor VIII, 3rd Baron Astor of Hever, DL (16 June 1946) he married, Fiona Diana Harvey on 1 July 1970 and they were divorced in 1990. They have three daughters. He remarried Elizabeth Mackintosh in 1990. They have two children. *Bridget Nancy Astor (16 February 1948) she married Count Arthur Tarnowski in 1980 and they were divorced in 1986. They have two sons. She remarried Geofrey Smith in 1989. They have one daughter: **John ''Sebastian'' Gavin Tarnowski (1981) **Lucian Francis Philip Tarnowski (1984) **Morya Morvenna Irene Smith (1987) *Elizabeth Louise Astor (1 March 1951) she married David Herring in 1979 and they were divorced in 1981. She remarried David Ward in 1985. They have two children: **Oliver Gavin Joseph Ward (1985) **Victoria Mary Ward (1987) *Sarah Violet Astor (born 30 September 1953) she married George Lopes on 22 February 1975. They have three children: **Harry Marcus George Lopes (7 October 1977) he married Laura Rose Parker Bowles on 6 May 2006. They have one daughter and twin sons: ***Eliza Lopes (17 January 2008) ***Gus Lopes (29 December 2009) ***Louis Lopes (29 December 2009) **Lorna Violet Lopes 6 December 1979) she married Ian Lyle on 21 January 2016. **Sabrina Helen Lopes (4 November 1983) *Philip Douglas Paul Astor (4 April 1959) Astor died of cancer in 1984 at his home near

Tarland Tarland (Gaelic: ''Turlann'') is a village in Aberdeenshire, Scotland and is located northwest of Aboyne, and west of Aberdeen. Population 720 (2016). Tarland is home to the Culsh Earth House, an Iron Age below-ground dwelling that otherwise ...

, Scotland. He was succeeded in the barony by his eldest son Johnny.

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Astor of Hever, Gavin Astor, 2nd Baron Alumni of New College, Oxford 1918 births English people of American descent English people of German descent English people of Irish descent English people of Scottish descent British Life Guards officers 1984 deaths Barons Astor of Hever

Gavin Gavin is a male given name originating from Scotland. It is a variation on the medieval name Gawain, meaning "God send" or "white hawk" (or falcon). Sir Gawain was a knight of King Arthur's Round Table. '' Sir Gawain and the Green Knight'' is an e ...

Deputy Lieutenants of Sussex Lord-Lieutenants of Kent Deaths from cancer in Scotland High Sheriffs of Sussex Livingston family People educated at Eton College People from Hever, Kent