by Gary. M. Anstey, chief researcher of the Anstey story project.
See ‘Anstey: A Complete History From the Norman Invasion to World War One‘ for much more on the Barnet Anstees. In addition to biographies of various Anstey individuals who make up this sub-branch, the book contains a plethora of Anstey research and statistics, including an analysis of how the Barnet Anstees fit into the pedigree descendent from Hubert de Anesti, the 12th century originator of the ‘Anstey’ surname.
BA 24. Arthur Leonard Anstee: He was born in Barnet on 6 September 1895, baptised in 1896, to parents Arthur John Anstee (BA 12) and Ada Rebecca Matthews. He grew up living at 12 Wood Street and later 48 Wood Street in Barnet, where in the 1911 Census he was a grocers boy.
Towards the end of World War One, on 30 April 1918, he was conscripted for service with the Royal Air Force (Service Number: 162678). At this time he was an “optical glass worker” and “congregationalist” by religion. He was posted to the “R. D.” unit, then in June 1918 he was transferred to “S. E. Area” and thence to “Pen Stn” and “4 S. D. P.“, where he remained until the conflict formally ended.
In February 1919 he attended “1 M Ab Sch” in Crystal Palace. He was transferred to RAF ‘G’ Reserve (some sources say he became a ‘Class F Reservist’) on 29 February 1919, by which time he was living at 76 Station Road, New Southgate – he was not wounded during the conflict.
[Note: The 1919 Electoral Register has him registered at 32 The Drive, South Mimms, together with his brothers Edward and John (BA 23) – he was still deemed “an absent voter on active military service“]
Whilst in service, and with permission to marry from the “D of W [Department of War?]“, he married Nellie Frances Barnes on 16 September 1918 in Barnet, at which time they were living at 20 Garfield Road, New Southgate, London. They had two children together, being:
- Ada E. Anstee (b 1918); and
- Francis L. Anstee (b 1920, became an electrician).
After his discharge, he returned to live in Barnet – he was living at 9B ‘The Barracks’, Wood Street, Barnet in 1925 and he was still there in 1930 with his family. By the time of the 1939 Register, the family were living at 27 Brent Place, Barnet where he was a “hospital gate porter“.
He died on 17 March 1981, by which time he was living at Flat B, Melrose House, Brockhurst, Gosport near Portsmouth. His widow Nellie died in 1987 in Stubbington, Fareham.
Anybody who would like to add anything to this biography, please contact us at research@theansteystory.com.
The Complete Anstey Story - From 1143 to Modern Times 