An all-round sportsman, as a youngster Delaval Astley was a fine sprinter and cricketer during his time at Rugby School. He later took up curling and in 1923 represented Scotland in a 75-match tour of the United States and Canada, including a Test series against the Canadians for the Strathcona Cup. A member of the Great Britain curling squad at the 1924 Olympics, he did not play in either of the team’s two matches against Sweden and France. Astley served in the Army with the Welsh Regiment and the North Somerset Yeomanry, reaching the rank of Major. He was an Alderman for Norfolk, and also a Deputy Lieutenant of the county. He was also a Justice of the Peace and was made a Companion, Order of the Bath (C.B.) in 1941.