Francis Evelyn Anderson (1752–1821) was a British Army officer and politician who sat in the

House of Commons The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the Bicameralism, bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of ...

from 1774 to 1784.

Early life and army

Anderson was the second son of Francis Anderson of Manby and his wife Eleanor Carter, daughter of Thomas Carter of Bathavern, Denbighshire, and was born on 8 April 1752. He was educated at

Eton College Eton College ( ) is a Public school (United Kingdom), public school providing boarding school, boarding education for boys aged 13–18, in the small town of Eton, Berkshire, Eton, in Berkshire, in the United Kingdom. It has educated Prime Mini ...

from 1763 to 1769. His father had died in 1758 and in 1768 his mother remarried to Robert Vyner who was an MP. Anderson joined the army and was a cornet in the 15th Light Dragoons in 1770. He remained in the army in parallel with his Parliamentary career and was Lieutenant in 1779. In 1780 he was a lieutenant and captain in the 1st Foot Guards and in 1783 became major in the 85th Foot.

Political career

Anderson’s brother

Charles Charles is a masculine given name predominantly found in English language, English and French language, French speaking countries. It is from the French form ''Charles'' of the Proto-Germanic, Proto-Germanic name (in runic alphabet) or ''* ...

had changed his name to Anderson-Pelham when he succeeded to the estates of an uncle in 1763. He also had an interest in the parliamentary seats at Grimsby and at Beverley. On the strength of his brother’s interest, Anderson was returned unopposed as Member of Parliament for Great Grimsby in the 1774 general election. He was at the time 22 years old and at the start of his military career. He followed his brother in voting with the Opposition. In the 1780 general election he was returned for

Beverley Beverley is a market town and civil parish in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It is located north-west of Hull city centre. At the 2021 census the built-up area of the town had a population of 30,930, and the smaller civil parish had ...

. Anderson was defeated at the 1784 general election which was predicted by

King George III George III (George William Frederick; 4 June 173829 January 1820) was King of Great Britain and King of Ireland, Ireland from 25 October 1760 until his death in 1820. The Acts of Union 1800 unified Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain and ...

when he wrote to Pitt on 30 March. ‘I understand ... Beverley is so offended with Major Anderson, that any fresh man would probably succeed there’. Anderson does not appear to have spoken in Parliament and he did not stand again.

Later life and legacy

Anderson became lieutenant-colonel in 1794. He married Caroline Johnstone, daughter of General James Johnstone in 1795 but had no children. He died on 12 September 1821.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Anderson, Francis Evelyn 1752 births 1821 deaths People educated at Eton College 15th The King's Hussars officers Members of the Parliament of Great Britain for Great Grimsby British MPs 1774–1780 British MPs 1780–1784 Grenadier Guards officers 18th-century British Army personnel