Background
Atherley was born in Southampton, the son of Arthur Atherley and Susanna Carter, and was the fifth successive member of the Atherley family to be baptised as "Arthur".
Atherley was born in Southampton, the son of Arthur Atherley and Susanna Carter, and was the fifth successive member of the Atherley family to be baptised as "Arthur".
He was educated at Eton College where, in 1791, he had his portrait painted by Sir Thomas Lawrence – this portrait now hangs in the Los Angeles County Museum of Artist
At Eton, he was captain of the Ad Montem club, an institution with roots to medieval times that survived until 1847. One of the club"s traditions was to take part in a procession to Salt Hill during which boys in fancy costume, the salt bearers, participated in the maintenance of their "captain" at university by levying contributions from passers-by. After finishing his education at Eton, he then went up to Trinity College, Cambridge, where he was admitted a pensioner on 6 May 1790, matriculating at Michaelmas, 1791, following which he was admitted to Lincoln"s Inn.
He retired from politics in 1835.
He later moved to Sussex, where he served as a justice of the peace, and he died at Tower House, Brighton, in 1844, but his body was returned to Southampton and buried in All Saints" Church.
3rd United Kingdom Parliament. 5th United Kingdom Parliament. 10th United Kingdom Parliament.
11th United Kingdom Parliament]
Atherley was four times elected to represent Southampton as Member of Parliament In 1806, 1812, 1831 and 1832, and was one of the original members of the Fox Club.
He was also a member of the family banking business in Southampton.