Born at Stirling, he was the son of the merchant John Anderson and his wife Christian Wright.

[2] Aged fifteen, he moved to Glasgow to accompany his older brother David.

[3] Anderson served as a Councillor from 1841 to 1854[4] and was appointed Lord Provost of Glasgow in 1848 and was created a Knight Bachelor on Queen Victoria's visit in the following year.

[2] He held this post until 1851 and entered the British House of Commons in the next year, sitting for Stirling Burghs until 1859.

[5] He married Janet, the only daughter and heiress of Robert Hood, a fellow Bailie of Glasgow Council.