John Proctor Anderdon

John Proctor Anderdon (1760–1846) was an English merchant, banker, slave-owner, and art collector. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1811.

Life He was the son of Ferdinando Anderdon and his wife Mary Hobart, and grandson of Dr. John Anderdon of Bridgwater, Somerset and his wife Mary Proctor. He became a merchant in London, and a partner with William Manning in Manning & Anderdon, in 1794. Anderdon retired in 1816. and Beech House in Hampshire from 1816. In the 1812 general election, he stood for the two-member Totnes constituency with George Francis Seymour in a sharp contest; but they were kept out by Thomas Peregrine Courtenay and Ayshford Wise. In Hampshire he was a philanthropist, helping to build school rooms.

During the 1830s Anderdon was an occupant of Farley Hall, Swallowfield. In the wake of the Slavery Abolition Act 1833, he was paid compensation for the enslaved people on his Seaforths estate in Antigua. A detailed description of his pictures in Beech House was published in 1818, in The Beauties of England and Wales.

In 1827, Anderdon bought Charity by Andrea del Sarto, from Prince Rospigliosi of Rome.

Anderdon's art collection was dispersed, put on sale under the terms of his will. A second, smaller sale took place in 1851, mostly of works by Italian masters. A William Collins painting of children on a beach at Cromer, bought in 1836, passed to his son James Hughes Anderdon.

Anderson's library was also sold, in 1847. It included a manuscript of letters by Anna Maria van Schurman to André Rivet and Constantijn Huygens, from the library of Jona Willem te Water, that was bought by Richard Heber.

Family Anderson married firstly, in 1785, Anne Oliver, daughter of Thomas Oliver. James Hughes Anderdon (1790–1879) John Lavicount Anderdon (1792–1874), third son. Freeman Anderdon Lucy, married Butler Claxton Anderdon married secondly, in 1812, Mary Hannah Casamajor, daughter of the merchant Justinian Casamajor (1746–1820). Their children included:

Emma Mary, married 1852 Thomas Campbell Robertson as his second wife. Hobart Grant Anderdon, married firstly Eliza Roose, daughter of Sir David Roose, and secondly Mary Anne Parry. William Manning Anderdon.