Sir John Anderson, 1st Baronet, of Mill Hill facts for kids
Sir John William Anderson (born around 1736, died May 21, 1813) was an important British politician. He lived a long time ago, during a period when Britain was a powerful country.
Quick facts for kids Anderson baronets |
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Escutcheon of the Anderson baronets of Mill Hill
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| Creation date | 1798 |
| Status | extinct |
| Extinction date | 1813 |
Early Life and Political Career
John William Anderson was born in a city called Danzig (which is now Gdańsk, Poland). His parents, William Anderson and Lucy Sheldon, had moved there.
John Anderson became a very active person in London's government. He was an alderman for the Aldersgate area from 1789 to 1813. An alderman was a senior member of the city council. He also served as the Sheriff of London from 1791 to 1792. The Sheriff had important duties related to law and order in the city.
Later, he became a Member of Parliament (MP) for London, representing the city in the British Parliament from 1793 to 1806. From 1797 to 1798, Anderson held the very important position of Lord Mayor of London. This was a high honor in the city's government.
On May 14, 1798, he was given the special title of baronet. This meant he became Sir John William Anderson, 1st Baronet, of Mill Hill, Hendon, in Middlesex.
Family Life and Legacy
In 1762, John Anderson married Dorothy Simkins. They did not have any children. Sir John William Anderson passed away in May 1813. Because he had no children, his baronetcy title ended when he died.
Involvement in the Slave Trade
Sir John Anderson, along with his brother Alexander, owned a business that was involved in the slave trade. They had a "factory" (which was like a trading post) on Bance Island in West Africa. This island was a place where enslaved people were held before being forced onto ships and taken across the Atlantic Ocean.
Their business was located in Philpot Lane, Eastcheap, in London. John Anderson was politically active in trying to prevent any rules or laws that would limit the slave trade. For example, he worked with his brother to organize a petition to the House of Lords in 1799. A petition is a formal request, often signed by many people, asking for something from a government or authority.
John Anderson also invested in the West India Dock Company. This company built and managed docks in London that were used by ships bringing goods, often produced by enslaved labor, from the West Indies. He was a director of this company from 1803 until his death.
