{{Short description|Anglican Bishop (1840–1909)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} thumb|right|Anson in the late 19th century. thumb|Grave of Bishop Adelbert Anson '''Rev. Hon. Adelbert John Robert Anson''' DD (20 December 1840{{snd}}27 May 1909) was a clergyman from the Anson family. He served as an Anglican bishop in late 19th century western Canada.<ref>''Who was Who 1987-1990'': London, A & C Black, 1991 {{ISBN|0-7136-3457-X}}</ref>
==Early life== Anson was born in St James's Square, Westminster,<ref>{{cite news |title=Births. |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000300/18401231/036/0003 |access-date=11 September 2024 |work=Staffordshire Gazette |date=31 December 1840 |page=3|url-access=subscription}}</ref> the fourth and youngest son of Thomas Anson, 1st Earl of Lichfield, by Louisa Catherine Philips, daughter of Nathaniel Philips, of Slebech Hall, Pembrokeshire. Thomas Anson, 2nd Earl of Lichfield and the Honourable Augustus Anson were his elder brothers.<ref>''Burke's Peerage 2003'', page 2325</ref> He was educated at Eton and Christ Church, Oxford, and was ordained in 1865.<ref>"The Clergy List, Clerical Guide and Ecclesiastical Directory" London, Hamilton & Co 1889</ref>
==Career== Anson's first posts were curacies at Wolverhampton and Bilston. From 1875 to 1883 he was Rector of St Mary Magdalene Woolwich before being appointed to the episcopate;<ref>[http://diocse.sasktelwebsite.net/bishop01.html Bishops of the Diocese of Qu’Appelle] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080510144730/https://diocse.sasktelwebsite.net/bishop01.html |date=May 10, 2008 }}</ref> he was consecrated a bishop by Edward White Benson, Archbishop of Canterbury, at St Mary-at-Lambeth on 24 June 1884 (Midsummer, or St John the Baptist's Day).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://archive.org/details/jameshanningtonf00daws/page/310|title = James Hannington, first bishop of eastern equatorial Africa; a history of his life and work, 1847-1885|year = 1887|publisher = New York, A. D. F. Randolph}}</ref>
In his time as Bishop of Qu'Appelle,<ref>''Consecration Of Bishops'' The Times Wednesday, Jun 25, 1884; pg. 10; Issue 31169; col F</ref> then in the District of Assiniboia in the North-West Territories and to become part of the Province of Saskatchewan when that was created in 1905, he engendered vast indignation and hostility among local natives and with the headquarters of the then-Church of England in Canada. He openly and publicly declared that it was a vast advantage that his region of the Canadian prairies was blessed with English migrants in addition to trivial native colonials.<ref>See Qu'Appelle, Saskatchewan.</ref>
Returning to England in 1892 he was Master of St John's Hospital, Lichfield<ref>The Times, Wednesday, Nov 23, 1892; pg. 7; Issue 33803; col A ''Ecclesiastical Intelligence''</ref> until 1898. He died on 27 May<ref>[http://www.gazettes-online.co.uk/issues/28298/pages/7700/page.pdf London Gazette]{{Dead link|date=August 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> 1909.<ref>''Obituary Bishop Anson'' The Times Friday, May 28, 1909; pg. 11; Issue 38971; col E</ref> A controversial figure in his diocese, at least among native Canadian farmers and townspeople, he encouraged the small English community to stand fast and remain aloof from Ontario-born, Country-born, Scottish, Irish, French and aboriginal people.
Anson is buried in the churchyard of St Michael and All Angels in Colwich, Staffordshire.
==References== {{Reflist|2}} {{s-start}} {{s-rel|ac}} {{s-new}} {{s-ttl|title=Bishop of Qu'Appelle| years=1884–1892}} {{s-aft|after=John Burn}} {{s-end}} {{Bishops of Qu'Appelle}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Anson, Adelbert John Robert}} Category:1840 births Category:1909 deaths Category:Anglican clergy from London Category:People educated at Eton College Category:Alumni of Christ Church, Oxford Category:Anglican bishops of Qu'Appelle Category:19th-century Anglican Church of Canada bishops Category:Younger sons of earls Adelbert