Sir John Dugdale Astley, 3rd Bt
(1828-1894), SportsmanSitter in 6 portraits
From 1848 to 1859 he was in the Army, serving in the Crimean War and retiring as a Lieutenant-Colonel. In 1858, while on honeymoon, he won £1,500 in a bet on the Liverpool cup. He quit the army the following year, and thereafter devoted himself to his passion, sport, especially horse racing. During the lifetime of his father-in-law, who had a horror of the turf, Astley raced under the borrowed name of Mr S. Thellusson. He was a popular figure in the sporting community, known familiarly as 'The Mate', and for winning and losing large sums of money. A member of the Jockey Club, he took an interest in many aspects of horse racing. He succeeded to the baronetcy in 1873 and was an MP from 1874 to 1880.
Sir John Dugdale Astley, 3rd Bt
by John Flatman
watercolour, 1870s
NPG 2775
Sir John Dugdale Astley, 3rd Bt
by Phil May
silhouette, 1889
NPG 3173
Sir John Dugdale Astley, 3rd Bt
by Phil May
silhouette, 1889
NPG 3173a
Sir John Dugdale Astley, 3rd Bt ('Statesmen. No. 262.')
by Sir Leslie Ward
chromolithograph, published in Vanity Fair 17 November 1877
NPG D43823
"The Winning Post" (Thomas ('Tom') Cannon Sr, Thomas ('Tom') Cannon Sr and eight others
by Liborio Prosperi ('Lib')
chromolithograph, published in Vanity Fair 8 December 1888
NPG D44415
Sir John Dugdale Astley, 3rd Bt ('Men of the Day. No. 594.')
by Sir Leslie Ward
chromolithograph, published in Vanity Fair 26 July 1894
NPG D44709
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