Violet Astor

Violet Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound

Violet Astor, Baroness Astor of Hever
Born 28 May 1889
Died 3 January 1965 (aged 75)
Pegomas, near Grasse
Spouse(s) Lord Charles Petty-Fitzmaurice
(m. 1909—1914; his death)
John Jacob Astor, 1st Baron Astor of Hever
(1918—1965; her death)
Children
Parent(s) Gilbert Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, 4th Earl of Minto
Mary Caroline Grey
Relatives

Violet Mary Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound DStJ (28 May 1889 — 3 January 1965) was an English socialite. She was the wife of John Jacob Astor, 1st Baron Astor of Hever.

Violet Mary Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound was born on 28 May 1889 to Gilbert Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, 4th Earl of Minto and Mary Caroline Grey. On 20 January 1909, she married Lord Charles Petty-Fitzmaurice, the younger son of the Henry Petty-FitzMaurice, 5th Marquess of Lansdowne and Maud Evelyn Hamilton. They had two children: Mary Margaret Elizabeth Petty-Fitzmaurice (1910–2003) and George Petty-Fitzmaurice, 8th Marquess of Lansdowne (1912–1997).

Charles was killed on 30 October 1914 while fighting in World War I. After his death, she married Baron John Jacob Astor V, the youngest son of Viscount William Waldorf Astor, 1st Viscount Astor and Mary Dahlgren Paul of the Astor family, on 28 August 1916. They had three sons: Gavin Astor, 2nd Baron Astor of Hever (1918—1984), Hugh Waldorf Astor (1920—1999), and John Astor (1923—1987).

She died on 3 January 1965 in her villa at Pegomas, near Grasse. John Jacob V died on 19 July 1971.

Further reading