William Astell

Who was William Astell?

William Astell, was an eminent director of the East India Company.

Astell was the second son of Godfrey Thornton of Moggerhanger House, Bedfordshire, a director of the Bank of England. He assumed the name of Astell instead of Thornton in 1807 on succeeding to the Everton estate in Bedfordshire of his great-uncle, Richard Astell.

He was elected a member of the court of directors of the East India Company in 1800, and in the same year took his seat in the House of Commons as conservative member for Bridgwater, which borough he represented during six successive parliaments. He subsequently sat for the county of Bedfordshire until the day of his death.

Being a director of the East India Company for the unprecedented period of forty-seven years, he filled the offices of chairman and deputy-chairman several times, and was actively engaged in the discussion and settlement of most of the many important questions bearing upon Indian administration which arose during that lengthened period. He was chairman of the court at the commencement of the negotiations between that body and the government which preceded the enactment of the East India Company's Charter Act of 1833.