David Astor
(1912-2001), Newspaper editor and philanthropist(Francis) David Langhorne Astor
Sitter in 6 portraits
In 1936 David Astor joined the Yorkshire Post newspaper and worked there for a year before joining his father's newspaper, The Observer, where he served as editor for twenty-seven years. By the mid 1950s, Astor had made the paper a successful and influential paper that published points of view from both right and left of the political spectrum. In 1956, he came under fire when The Observer accused Prime Minister Anthony Eden of lying about important matters in the Suez Crisis. Although Astor ultimately was shown to have been right, the situation harmed the paper's image and its circulation began to decline. Astor resigned as editor in 1975.
by Rita Martin
cream-toned bromide print on photographer's card mount, circa 1913
NPG x76182
Related People
- Nancy Phyllis Louise Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby (née Astor), Countess of Ancaster (sister)
- Waldorf Astor, 2nd Viscount Astor (father)
- Nancy Witcher Astor (née Langhorne), Viscountess Astor (mother)
- William Waldorf Astor, 3rd Viscount Astor (brother)
- Sir John Jacob Astor (brother)
- Hon. Michael Langhorne Astor (brother)
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David Appleyard
27 July 2020, 17:32
David Astor, when he was gaining experience as an Editor at The Yorkshire Post in 1936, gave my father, Joseph Appleyard, his major break to becoming a well established Sporting and Landscape Artist.
Visit www.josephappleyard.co.uk