Anchor Society

The Anchor Society is a charitable organization based in Bristol, England. It was founded in 1769 by 22 benefactors at a dinner held in honour of the wealthy 17th-century Bristol merchant, slave trader and philanthropist Edward Colston at the Three Tuns Tavern in the mediæval quarter of Bristol. To perpetuate Colston's memory, the first president of the society Gilbert Davies took up a collection to benefit the poor and elderly. Since then there have been annual collections coordinated by presidents who are elected to one-year terms. Today the society holds an annual dinner on 'Colston day' (November 13 or 14 in the Georgian calendar) to announce the result of an annual fund-raising drive, which takes place during the first two weeks of November and is known as the President's personal collection. Money collected from this event is spent throughout the year on grants, befriending, housing and projects to benefit the poor and elderly. The Anchor Society is closely aligned with the Dolphin Society and the Grateful Society, both of which also help older people in the greater Bristol area. All three societies also gather in mid November to celebrate their charitable work at an annual service held in St Stephen's Church in the centre of the city.[1][2][3]

Logo of the Anchor Society of Bristol, England

Past Presidents & Annual Collections
  • 1769 Gilbert Davies - £12
  • 1770 Gilbert Davies - £35
  • 1771 John Fowle - £46
  • 1772 John Rowland - £80
  • 1773 Dr. Andrew Paterson - £86
  • 1774 Dr. John Wright - £121
  • 1787 James Harvey - £290
  • 1791 John Harris - £361
  • 1800 Samuel Span - £284
  • 1814 Brooke Smith - £360
  • 1820 Micheal Hinton Castle - £374
  • 1840 Frederick Ricketts - £536
  • 1841 Richard Ash - £441
  • 1843 F.H.F. Berkeley, M.P. - £619
  • 1859 Elisha Smith Robinson - £510
  • 1866 William Henry Wills, 1st Baron Winterstoke - £634
  • 1867 George Wills - £576
  • 1868 Lewis Fry - £1,022
  • 1878 Samuel Day Wills - £915
  • 1880 Sir Edward Payson Wills Bt. K.C.B. - £941
  • 1881 Francis J.Fry - £1,003
  • 1882 Sir Frederick Wills Bt - £1,011
  • 1883 Charles Townsend - £946
  • 1887 Edward Robinson - £1,035
  • 1891 Sir Frank William Wills Kt. - £1,054
  • 1892 Sir William Howell Davis - £1,070
  • 1895 Walter Melville Wills - £1,020
  • 1898 Sir Herbert Ashman Bt. - £1,315
  • 1921 Percy Steadman - £1,851
  • 1922 Alderman George Bryant Britton, M.P. - £1,426
  • 1930 W.H.Eyles - £1,212
  • 1931 H.C.Lenard - £1,389
  • 1936 Dr. J. Odery Symes - £1,726
  • 1935 Harold G.Robinson - £2,017
  • 1939 T.Thornton Wills - £1,463
  • 1940 Sir Seymour Williams - £1,158
  • 1941 Colonel E.W.Lennard - £1,643
  • 1945 F.M.Arkle - £2,263
  • 1946 J.H.Britton, C.B.E - £2,231
  • 1947 Brig. A.W.L.Newth, C.B.E, D.S.O, M.C. - £2,306
  • 1954 J.B.Steadman - £4,102
  • 1961 J.A.Seymour-Williams - £3,429
  • 1966 Andrew Breach C.B.E. - £4,781
  • 1968 H.P. Lucas - £6,108
  • 1967 Sir John Partridge, K.B.E. - £5,775
  • 1969 Henry Hugh Arthur Fitzroy Somerset, 10th Duke of Beaufort - £10,056
  • 1976 D.A.Newton - £10,695
  • 1977 Patrick Seager Hill, T.D. - £9,490
  • 1978 Micheal Collings - £12,362
  • 1979 Paul Watling - £9,552
  • 1980 J.G.S.Young - £15,645
  • 1981 R.A.Garret C.B.E. - £12,807
  • 1983 Norman Ricketts, O.B.E - £21,060
  • 1985 J.R.Pool M.B.E. - £28,174
  • 1986 His Honour Judge J.A.Cox - £23,339
  • 1990 F.A. Avery - £50,269
  • 1994 Robert Durie O.B.E. - £71,686
  • 1999 John Burke O.B.E - £95,656
  • 2003 Sir David James Vernon Wills, 5th Baronet - £74,225
  • 2015 Canon Dr. John Savage C.B.E. - £83,067

References
  1. "History of the Anchor Society". The Anchor Society Official Website. Retrieved 22 November 2017.
  2. J.W. Arrowsmith (1906). Arrowsmith's Dictionary of Bristol. Bristol. England: Published by J.W. Arrowsmith. p. 111.
  3. "Edward Colston". Victoria County History. Retrieved 22 November 2017.


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