The Honourable Francis David Langhorne Astor (March 5, 1912, London – December 7, 2001, London) was a newspaper publisher and member of the prominent Astor family. March 5 is the 64th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (65th in leap years). ... 1912 was a leap year starting on Monday. ... London is the capital city of the United Kingdom and of England. ... December 7 is the 341st day (342nd on leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2001: A Space Odyssey. ... London is the capital city of the United Kingdom and of England. ... The Astor family, founded by the German immigrant John Jacob Astor and his wife Sarah Todd, became the wealthiest family in the United States during the 19th century. ...

He was the third child of American-born parents, Waldorf Astor, 2nd Viscount Astor (1879-1952) and Nancy Witcher Langhorne (1879-1964). The product of an immensely wealthy business dynasty, and raised in the grandeur of a great country estate where the political and intellectual elite of the time gathered, he nevertheless had an instinctive compassion for the poor and those who were the victims of destructive socio-economic policies. Waldorf Astor, 2nd Viscount Astor Waldorf Astor, 2nd Viscount Astor (May 19, 1879–September 30, 1952) was a businessman and politician and a member of the prominent Astor family. ... Nancy Witcher Astor, Viscountess Astor (May 19, 1879 – May 2, 1964) was a socialite politician and a member of the prominent Astor family. ...

An extremely shy person, David Astor was greatly influenced by his father but as a young man he rebelled against his strong-willed mother. Educated at Eton College he went on to Oxford University where he suffered a nervous breakdown and left university in 1933 without obtaining a degree. Nonetheless, he was psycho-analyzed by Anna Freud and during World War II he served with distinction and was wounded in France. The Kings College of Our Lady of Eton beside Windsor, commonly known as Eton College or just Eton, is a public school (that is, an independent, fee-charging secondary school) for boys. ... The University of Oxford, located in the city of Oxford in England, is the oldest university in the English-speaking world. ... Anna Freud (December 3, 1895, Vienna, Austria - October 9, 1982, London, England), the daughter of Sigmund Freud (1856-1939) and his wife Martha Bernays (1861-1951), was an Austrian-born British psychoanalyst, and pioneer of child psychoanalysis. ... World War II was a truly global conflict with many facets: immense human suffering, fierce indoctrinations, and the use of new, extremely devastating weapons such as the atom bomb. ...

While at Balliol College, Oxford in 1931 he met a young anti-fascist German named, Adam von Trott zu Solz who was to become the most influential figure in his life. However, Von Trott's involvement in the 1944 plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler led to his execution. In 1936, he joined the Yorkshire Post newspaper where he worked for a year then joined his father's newspaper, The Observer where he would serve as editor for 27 years. With his father's advancing age, and high death taxes in England, in 1945 David Astor and his brother transferred ownership of the paper to a board of trustees. The Trust contained restrictions so that the paper could not be subject to a hostile takeover but also stipulated that its profits go towards improving the paper, promoting high journalistic standards, and required a portion of the profits to be donated to charitable causes. That same year, he married for the first time to Melanie Hauser but the marriage ended in a 1951 divorce. He married again the following year to Bridget Aphra Wreford. College name Balliol College Named after John de Balliol Established 1263 Sister College St Johns Master Andrew Graham JCR President Triona Giblin Undergraduates 403 Graduates 228 Homepage Boatclub Balliol College, founded in 1263, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. ... Fascism (in Italian, fascismo), capitalized, was the authoritarian political movement which ruled Italy from 1922 to 1943 under the leadership of Benito Mussolini. ... Adam von Trott zu Solz (born August 9, 1909 in Potsdam, Germany - died August 26, 1944 in Berlin, Germany) was a lawyer and diplomat who opposed the Nazi regime. ... Adolf Hitler ▶(?) (April 20, 1889 – April 30, 1945) was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 and Führer und Reichskanzler (Leader and Chancellor) of Germany from 1934 to his death. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... Journalistic standards or journalism ethics, include principles of ethics and of good practice to address the specific challenges faced by professional journalists. ...

By the mid 1950s, David Astor had made The Observer a very successful and influential paper that published points of view on both the right and left sides of the political spectrum. Astor’s policies were passionate about the plight of black Africans and the violation of human rights. He wrote against the death penalty and opposed any form of censorship. But, he took a more conservative view on the economic problems caused by high taxes, and believed that British trades unions had become too powerful and were hindering economic progress. He warned of the dangers of big government and of big business, influenced by his friend and employee of The Observer, George Orwell. // Etymology World map showing Africa (geographically) The name Africa came into Western use through the Romans, who used the name Africa terra — land of the Afri (plural, or Afer singular) — for the northern part of the continent, as the province of Africa with its capital Carthage, corresponding to modern-day... Eric Arthur Blair (25 June 1903 – 21 January 1950), better known by the pen name George Orwell, was a British author and journalist. ...

In 1956, David Astor and his paper came under fire when it accused Prime Minister Anthony Eden of lying to the people about important matters in Suez Crisis. Although he ultimately was shown to have been right, the situation harmed the paper’s image and its circulation began to decline. Astor's causes included playing a major role in establishing Amnesty International in 1961 after his paper published 'The Forgotten Prisoners' by Peter Benenson. He also voiced strong opposition to the apartheid policy of the white South African government and supported the African National Congress (ANC). Nelson Mandela would refer to David Astor as one of the best and most loyal of friends who had supported the ANC when other newspapers ignored them. The Right Honourable Robert Anthony Eden, 1st Earl of Avon, KG, MC, PC (June 12, 1897– January 14, 1977), British politician, was Foreign Secretary during World War II and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during the 1950s. ... Combatants Israel, France, United Kingdom Egypt Commanders General Sir Charles Keightley (C-in-C), Vice-Admiral Pierre Barjot (Deputy) Gamal Abdel Nasser Strength 45,000 British, 34,000 French, 175,000 Israeli 300,000 Egyptians Casualties 200 Israelis, 107 British, 43 French dead or wounded Military: 1,650 dead, 4... Amnesty International (commonly known as Amnesty or AI) is an international non-governmental organization with the stated purpose of promoting all the human rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international standards. ... Peter Benenson Peter James Henry Solomon Benenson (July 31, 1921 – February 25, 2005) was a English lawyer and the founder of human rights group Amnesty International (AI). ... A segregated beach in South Africa, 1982. ... The African National Congress (ANC) is a centre-left political party, and has been South Africas governing party (in a coalition) since the establishment of majority rule in May 1994. ... Nelson Mandela Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela, (born July 18, 1918), was the first democratically elected President of South Africa, having previously been a prominent anti-apartheid activist there. ...

Despite his great wealth, David Astor lived modestly, putting his money to good use through a network of benefactions and charities. Although he proved a brilliant editor, he lacked the drive for profits like other hungry newcomers to the newspaper business who took advantage of his indifference to rapidly increase both their advertising and circulation at the expense of The Observer. When The Daily Telegraph launched a Sunday edition in 1961 it changed what had been a staid industry and the ensuing battles for advertising changed the character of how and what newspapers were all about. The aggressive marketing by The Sunday Times under Canadian newspaper tycoon Roy Thomson hurt circulation while the paper's unions were making repeated demands that drove costs to a point where the operation became unstainable as a viable business entity. This article concerns the British newspaper. ... The Sunday Times is the name of several Sunday newspapers. ... Roy Herbert Thomson, 1st Baron Thomson of Fleet (June 5, 1894 – August 4, 1976) was a newspaper proprietor and media entrepreneur. ...

In 1975, David Astor resigned as The Observer's editor but continued as a trustee. In 1977 the paper was sold by his family to Robert O. Anderson, the American owner of the Atlantic Richfield oil company. In his retirement, Astor continued to support a number of charities and to finance pressure groups for causes that he strongly believed in. For his contributions to British society, in 1994 he was made a member of the Order of the Companions of Honour. An ARCO gas station in Los Angeles ARCO (Atlantic Richfield Company) is an American oil company that prospered during the energy crisis. ... The Order of the Companions of Honour is a British and Commonwealth Order (decoration). ...

Children of David Astor and Melanie Hauser:

1. Frances Christine Langhorne (b. 1947)

Children of David Astor and Bridget Aphra Wreford:

1. Alice Margaret Frances (b. 1953)
2. Richard David Langhorne (b. 1955)
3. Lucy Aphra Nancy (b. 1958)
4. Nancy Bridget Elizabeth (b. 1960)
5. Thomas Robert Langhorne (b. 1962)