On 28th November 1919, Nancy Astor became the first woman to take her seat in the House of Commons after she was elected MP for Plymouth Sutton.
An American citizen who moved to England aged 26, she married Waldorf Astor. After he succeeded to become Viscount Astor and joined the House of Lords, Nancy stood for election and won Waldorf’s former seat of Plymouth Sutton as a member of the Conservative Party.
During the 1920s, Astor made several speeches in Parliament. A teetotaller, she gained support for her Intoxicating Liquor (Sale to Persons under 18) Bill, which raised the legal age for consuming alcohol in a public house from 14 to 18. She worked to recruit women in the civil service, police forces and House of Lords.
