Sigurd Astrup

Astrup was born in Kristiania, the son of Harald Astrup (1831–1914), a wholesaler, and his wife, Johanne Emilie Smith (1836–1915).^[1] His brothers were the architects Henning (1864–96) and Thorvald Astrup (1876–1940) and the polar explorer Eivind Astrup (1871–95).^[2] He was a brother-in-law of fellow conservative politician Peder Andreas Morell.^[1] He was married to Ingeborg Willumsen (1877–1962); their son Harald Astrup married Mabel, a sister of Barthold A. Butenschøn, Sr. and, like his father, embarked on a mercantile career.^[3]

The young Astrup was educated at the private Gjertsen School in Kristiania, before embarking on his philological and mercantile studies in England and Belgium.^[1][4][5] In 1895, the company Astrup & Smith, founded by his father on 6 August 1857, appointed Astrup as its office chief.^[4][5] He became part owner in 1906. The company subsequently changed name from Astrup & Smith to Astrup & Søn. Astrup became the sole owner of the company in 1914.^[6][5]

Representing the Oslo Conservative Party, Astrup was elected to the Parliament of Norway in 1924; he sat through one term. Astrup also had positions in parliamentary committees, in Statens metalsentral (1918–1920) and in boards of Norwegian corporations.^[5] He chaired Standards Norway from 1924 to 1934 and Christiania Søforsikringsselskab from 1932 to 1944,^[1] as well as Norsk Spisevognselskap, Grubernes Sprængstoffabriker and Dalen Portland.^[4][5] He was a board member of Norges Handels- og Sjøfartstidende from 1917 to 1933, Den norske Creditbank from 1928 to 1944 (deputy chairman since 1932), Storebrand and Idun from 1931 to 1946,^[1] as well as Elektrokemisk.^[4] He was also a supervisory council member of Filharmonisk Selskap.^[7] He died in August 1949, aged 76.^[8]