John Anderson was born in Dyce, Scotland on 12 February 1872, He was articled to James Matthews (1820-1898) and Alexander Marshall MacKenzie (1848-1933) of Metthews & Mackenzie in Aberdeen in 1885, and remained with them as an assistant to 1891. He then worked as an assistant to Frederick George Knight (?-1930) from 1892 to 1894 before returning to Matthews & Mackenzie as their chief assistant.
Anderson qualified as an architect in 1894 and later that year was elected an Associate of the Royal Institute of British architects (ARIBA). He subsequently moved to London where in c.1894, he commenced practice as an architect. He was in partnership with Herbert Winkler Wills (1864-1937) from 1898 to 1913; with Edwin Landseer Lutyens (1869-1944) from 1913 to 1918; and with Sir Thomas Edwin Cooper (1873-1942) from 1918 to 1942. Anderson retired in 1958.
Anderson had offices at 41 Desswood Place, Aberdeen, Scotland; 4 Adam Street, London; 2 Dungarvan Avenue, Putney, London; and 36 Lingfield Road, London.
He died on 9 March 1962.
Architectural projects by Anderson in partnership with Herbert Winkler Wills (Wills & Anderson) included Registry Building, Cardiff University (1905(; Public Baths, Chelsea, London (1907); Sunderland Law Courts, Police and Fire Stations (1907); branch library, Greenwich, London (1908); house, Roxborough Avenue, Harrow (1908)
Directory of British Architects 1834-1914. Compiled by Antonia Brodie, et al. Volume 1: A-K. London; New York: British Architectural Library, Royal Institute of British Architects/Continuum, 2001
‘Obituary’. The Builder vol. 202, 16 March 1962 p. 560
‘Obituary’. RIBA Journal vol. 69, 1962 pp. 181-182