Nat Gould

Arthur Robert Anderson 1859-1950

Arthur Robert Anderson was born in 1859 at Barningham Winter in Norfolk, the son of the Reverend James Richard Anderson 1824-1872 Rector of Barningham Winter and his wife nee Elizabeth Julia Pellew 1827-1890.

He was educated at Trinity College, Cambridge. He graduated Bachelor of Arts in 1882 and Master of Arts in 1888. He entered Cuddesdon Theological College in Oxford in 1883.

St Mary's Church

He was ordained deacon in 1884 at Christ Church Cathedral in Oxford, and priest in 1886 at St Paul's Cathedral, London. He served his title as Curate of Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire from 1884 until 1885, and in the Marlborough College Mission at Tottenham in London (1) from 1885 until 1908, when he became Vicar of St Mary's Church in Tottenham (2).

Foundation Stone

St. Mary’s church and parish had been founded in 1884 by Bishop William Walsham How who established a fund for East London Churches and provided some support for St. Mary’s.

It was originally set up as the Marlborough College Mission and this was its main source of income. Marlborough College in Wiltshire paid the salary of the parish priest from collections in the college chapel and donations from former students (3).

The Secretary to the Marlborough College Mission Fund in 1905 was Marius Herbert Gould (4).

The Reverend Arthur Robert Anderson retired in 1940 after over 50 years service at the mission (5). He lived during his latter years at Marcham Mill, Abingdon in Berkshire.

He died on 21 December 1950 aged 91 years. His Will was proved on 6 March 1951 (6).

(1) The Marlborough College Mission in Tottenham included a Church Lads' Brigade, a Womens' Guild and a Men's Club, and financed a mission nurse. There was also a Provident Work selling coal to its members, a Blanket Club, a Clothing Club and a Temperance Society. Squires in the Slums: Settlements and Missions in Late Victorian Britain Nigel Scotland (2007) page 128.
(2) He was the second vicar of the parish, and had been curate of its first parish priest the Reverend E.F. Noel Smith. The Clergy List, with which is incorporated the Clerical Guide and Ecclesiastical Directory (1897) page 31; Crockford's Clerical Directory, 1932 page 21; Alumni Cantabrigienses Part II 1752-1900 Volume I page 52.
(3) The connection with Marlborough College continued until the 1930s, and has recently been renewed. Today St Mary's is well attended and is a lively multi-cultural church Marlborough College website http://www.marlboroughcollege.org/pastoral/chapel/links-with-st-marys/ ; The Marlburian April 1887 page 66.
(4) Marlborough College Register from 1843 to 1904 inclusive, with an Alphabetical Index (1905) page 673. Marius Herbert Gould was then Housemaster of Cotton House.
(5) He preached his final sermon on words taken from The First letter to the Corinthians "And so, brethren, finally, farewell." St Mary's Tottenham website http://www.smarystottenham.org/history.html
(6) "ANDERSON the reverend Arthur Robert of Marcham Mill Abingdon clerk died 21 December 1950 Probate London 16 March to Norman Pellew Birley M.C. retired headmaster and Henry John Fisher solicitor. Effects £24818 17s 6d." England and Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations) 1858-1966 (1951) page 112.