Nancy Astor was one of the five beautiful Langhorne sisters, born in Virginia, USA, whose second marriage to the millionaire Waldorf Astor brought her to London. In 1910, her husband was elected Conservative MP for Plymouth South. Following his elevation to the peerage in 1919, Nancy determined to stand in the by-election that followed. She won. Personally welcomed into the House of Commons by the prime minister himself, Nancy was soon championing women's causes such as equal rights in the civil service, votes at twenty-one and keeping the women police.
Her maiden speech was against the perils of drink and her first private members bill, passed in 1923, outlawed the sale of alcohol to those under 18. She was famous for her brilliant repartee in the house and her ability to take on the most misogynist of male MPs.
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