Background
McArthur was born at Malin, County Donegal, the son of Review John McArthur, a Methodist minister in Londonderry.
Member of Parliament in the United Kingdom
McArthur was born at Malin, County Donegal, the son of Review John McArthur, a Methodist minister in Londonderry.
In 1821 he was apprenticed to a woollen draper in Enniskillen.
He moved to Lurgan in 1825 where he was a merchant and in 1831 established a drapery business in Derry initially in a partnership, but later on his own. McArthur became an alderman of Derry. In 1857 McArthur moved the business to the City of London where he also became chairman of the Star Assurance Company, and was a director of the City Bank, the Bank of Australasia and the Australian Telegraph Company
He was a Justice of the Peace for Surrey and a Deputy Lieutenant for the City of London.
At the 1865 general election McArthur stood unsuccessfully for Parliament in Pontefract. From 1867 to 1868 he was Sheriff of London and Middlesex.
He was elected an alderman of London for Coleman Street in 1872 and became Lord Mayor of London in 1880. He was one of the founders of the London Chamber of Commerce in 1881 and was made Knight Commander of the Order of Street Michael and Saint George in 1882.
At the 1885 general election, McArthur stood as an Independent Liberal candidate in the new Newington West, but finished a poor third with 821 votes (16%).
He had several interests in social and reforming organisations, including the Orphan Working School of Haverstock Hill and Hornsey Rise, and the Aborigines" Protection Society. In 1883 he opened Centenary Hall, Cottington Street, Kennington, and is remembered on a commemorative stone. McArthur died at the age of 78 and was buried in Norwood cemetery.
McArthur married Marianne McElwaine in 1843.
20th United Kingdom Parliament. 21st United Kingdom Parliament. 22nd United Kingdom Parliament]
At the 1868 general election McArthur was elected as a Member of Parliament (Member of Parliament) for Lambeth, and held the seat until borough was divided under the Redistribution of Seats Acting 1885.