Draft:John Anthony

John Anthony
Born	c. 1766
Died	August 1805
Resting place	St Paul's Church, Shadwell
Employer	East India Company
Spouse	Esther Gole

John Anthony (c. 1766 – August 1805) was an interpreter and tradesman who became the first Chinese person to gain British citizenship in 1805 through an Act of Parliament.

Biography

Anthony left China aged 11 and travelled between London and China for several years before permanently moving in 1799. As an employee of the East India Company, he was stationed in at Angels Gardens in East London to provide translation and accommodation to lascars. He Anglicised his name, was baptised into the Church of England, and married Esther Gole, sister of Abraham Gole.

Anthony had a country house in Hallowall Down, Essex (possibly Holloway Down) and a townhouse in Shadwell. He passed away a few months later in August 1805. His funeral at St Paul's Church, Shadwell drew over two thousand mourners.

References

Category:19th-century British translators Category:19th-century Chinese translators Category:Chinese emigrants to England Category:Chinese–English translators Category:Converts to Anglicanism Category:Naturalised citizens of the United Kingdom Category:People from Leyton Category:People from Limehouse Category:People from Shadwell