ASTLEY, HENRY NICHOLAS, third son of Sir Edward Astley, Bart., MP, and his second wife Anne, sister of Richard Milles (qv); b. 5 Jan 1767; adm. 18 Nov 1782; left 1784; Christ’s Coll. Cambridge, adm. pens. 26 Jun 1785, scholar 1785, matr. Easter 1786; BA 1789; MA 1792; adm. Lincoln’s Inn 15 Feb 1785; travelling in Netherlands and Italy 1789-90; ordained deacon 21 Sep 1791, priest 25 Sep 1791 (both Norwich); Rector of Little Snoring, Norfolk, from 1791; Rector of East Barsham, Norfolk, from 1791; Rector of Bintree with Themelthorpe, Norfolk 1799-1804; Rector of Foulsham, Norfolk 1803-33; m. 20 Feb 1798 Sarah, dau. of Samuel Pitman, Exeter; d. 14 Aug 1854.
ASTLEY, SIR JACOB HENRY, BART., eldest son of Sir Edward Astley, Bart., MP, Melton Constable, Norfolk, and his first wife Rhoda, eldest dau. of Sir Francis Blake Delaval (qv); b. 12 Sep 1756; adm. 25 Feb 1765; left Dec 1774; Trin. Coll. Camb., adm. fellow commoner 26 Feb 1776, did not matr.; MP Norfolk 15 Nov 1797 -1806, and from 4 Mar 1807; succ. his father as 5th baronet 27 Mar 1802; inherited the Seaton Delaval estates on the death of his uncle Edward Hussey Delaval (qv); m. 14 Jan 1789 Hester, dau. of Samuel Brown, King’s Lynn, Norfolk; d. 28 Apr 1817.
ASTLEY, JACOB, 22ND BARON HASTINGS, eldest son of Sir Jacob Henry Astley, Bart. (qv); b. 13 Nov 1797; adm. Midsummer 1812; in school list Apr 1815; Magd. Coll. Oxford, matr. 18 Feb 1817; DCL 1820; succ. father as 6th baronet 28 Apr 1817; MP (Whig) Norfolk West 1832-7; summoned to parliament by writ as Baron Hastings 18 May 1841, the abeyance of the barony being terminated in his favour; FSA 24 Feb 1848; his fine collection of coins and medals was sold at Sotheby’s in 1880 as “the property of a nobleman”; Master, West Norfolk Foxhounds 1823-30, Joint Master 1830-43; m. 22 Mar 1819 Georgiana Caroline, second dau. of Sir Henry Watkin Dashwood, Bart., MP; d. 27 Dec 1859.
ASTLEY, JOHN; b.; adm. (aged 11) Jul 1737; left 1738.
ASTLEY, SAMUEL, son of John Astley, Worcester; b.; adm.; KS 1672; elected to Christ Church, Oxford 1676, matr. 14 Jul 1676, aged 18, Westminster Student 3 Jul 1677-89 (void); BA 25 Feb 1680/1; MA 1683; ordained; Vicar of Whiteladies Aston, Worcs., from 28 Sep 1687; Rector of Peopleton, Worcs., 13 Aug 1705-17; Rector of Bredicot, Worcs. 3 Nov 1711; m. Merriel ---; buried White Ladies Aston, Worcs. 7 Apr 1719.
ASTON, ---; b.; in school list 1656, first quarter; left 1656. [Whitmore identifies him as William Aston, elder brother of Francis Aston (qv) : on what grounds ?]
ASTON, SIR ARTHUR INGRAM, younger son of Col. Henry Hervey Aston, Aston, Cheshire, 12th Foot, by Hon. Harriet Ingram-Shepheard, fourth dau. of Charles Ingram, 9th Viscount Irvine (S) (qv); b. 23 Dec 1798; adm. 2 Mar 1810; left 1811; Brasenose Coll. Oxford, gent. commoner, matr. 2 May 1814; MA 1817; entered Diplomatic Service; attaché, Vienna Apr 1819; Secretary of Legation, Rio de Janeiro Apr 1826; Secretary of Embassy, Paris Jan 1833; Minister Plenipotentiary there 17 Jul 1838 - Jul 1839; Minister Plenipotentiary, Madrid 13 Feb 1840 - Nov 1843; GCB 10 Nov 1843; of Aston Hall, Cheshire; d. unm. 5 May 1859.
ASTON, FRANCIS, younger son of Francis Aston, St. Mary Le Strand, London, and Margaret, dau. of Joan Chatwell, St. Mary le Strand, London, widow; bapt. 1 Feb 1644/5; in school lists 1656; KS (aged 16) 1660; elected to Trinity Coll. Cambridge 1661, adm. pens. 22 May 1661, scholar 1662, matr. 1664/5; MA 1668; Fellow of Trinity Coll. 1667-c. 1675; FRS 1678; Secretary, Royal Society 1681-5; d. 1715 (will proved 22 Jul 1715, as of Whitehall, Middlesex).
ASTON, SIR GEORGE GREY, son of Lieut. -Col. Henry Aston, EICS Bombay, by Katherine, dau. of Rev. Abraham Faure, Cape Town, South Africa; b. 2 Dec 1861; adm. QS 9 Oct 1876; left Aug 1879; RNC Greenwich 1879-81; 1st Lieut., Royal Marine Artillery 1 Sep 1879; Capt. 25 Jan 1888; Professor of Fortification, RNC Greenwich 1896-9; Maj. 2 Mar 1898; Brevet Lieut. -Col. 29 Nov 1900; Brevet Col. 24 May 1905; Lieut. -Col., Royal Marine Artillery 6 Feb 1908; Brig. -Gen. 4 Apr 1908 - 20 Jan 1913, 25 Aug 1914-7; Col., 2nd Commandant, Royal Marine Artillery 7 May 1913, Col. Commandant 24 Sep 1914; retd. with hon. rank Maj. -Gen. 24 Sep 1917; served Egyptian expedition 1884 and South African War 1900-1, despatches LG 10 Sep 1901; commanded expeditions to Ostend and Dunkirk 1914; served in War Cabinet Secretariat 1918-9; CB 26 Jun 1902; KCB 3 Jun 1913; ADC to King 26 Jun 1911-7; Busby Trustee from May 1919; author, Letters on Amphibious Wars, 1911, and other works; m. 1 Jun 1909 Dorothy Ellen, youngest dau. of Vice-Adm. William Wilson, Clyffe Manor, Swindon, Wilts.; d. 2 Dec 1938. DNB.