Edward and Lucy Astley were the children of Sir Jacob Astley, 3rd Bt. (1692 – 1760), of Melton Constable and Lucy (1699 – 1739), youngest daughter of Sir Nicholas Le Strange, 4th Bt. of Hunstanton. Edward succeeded to the title in 1760, and in 1768 he stood successfully as M.P. for Norfolk, a position that he held until 1790. He married Rhoda Delaval (1725 – 1757) in 1751, who died in childbirth, having borne him three sons and a daughter. Through her, his descendants succeeded to Seaton Delaval. He married, secondly, Anne Milles in 1759 (d.1793), who bore him five sons and two daughters; and thirdly, Elizabeth Bullen in 1793 (d.1810), who bore him no children. He died aged 72. His sister married Edward Pratt of Ryston. The children’s sumptuous dress and the exotic fruits and pets are symbols of their wealth and status. They have, however, been portrayed with a charming playfulness, through expression and pose.

Provenance: By descent in the Le Strange family, Hunstanton Hall; sold Sotheby’s, London, 18th November 1987, lot 37 (£18,700); bt. by Lord Hastings; accepted in lieu of tax by H.M. Treasury and transferred to the National Trust in 2009

Marks & inscriptions: Bottom left: signed: Heins, Fec: 1732

Text from National Trust website

Object description
Type: Easel painting
Location: Seaton Delaval Hall, Northumberland
Material: Oil on canvas
Artist: John Theodore Heins, the elder (c.1697 – 1756)
Date: 1732

Image Details
Date: 29 September 2023
Camera body: iPhone Xs
Lens: Wide Camera 26mm ƒ/1.8
Focal Length: 26mm
Aperture: ƒ/1.8
Shutter Speed: 1/15s
ISO: 1250
Licensing: Image of a National Trust asset. This image cannot be licensed.