The Anchor Society CIO is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation based in Bristol, England which supports older people in need in the Bristol and Bath region (BS, BA and GL Postcodes). Its work primarily centres around grants to individuals, housing and other projects which benefit older people.
The original unincorporated Anchor Society was formed by the Whigs in 1769, when it held a dinner at the Three Tuns, a tavern on the site of the present Corn Exchange in the centre of the medieval quarter of Bristol, when 22 members were present. Some 46 years after his death, the initial founders wished to emulate Edward Colston's philanthropy, so at this inaugural dinner the President, Gilbert Davies took up a collection for their charitable work. Initially, the Anchor Society supported 'lying-in' women and poor orphaned females to save them from prostitution. Today, the charity focuses its attention on helping older people in need.
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 of thanksgiving.
Since its inception, there has been an unbroken record of Presidents' annual appointments and personal collections in support of the charity's work.
Past Presidents and 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 1789 Robert Claxton - £350 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 2016 Bob Reeves LL.D - £100,897 2017 Dr John Manley - £103,186 2018 Professor Steve West CBE DL - £108,774 2019 Dr Ros Kennedy - £104,763 2020 Francis Montagu - £109,312
References
External links
The Anchor Society The Grateful Society The Dolphin Society