 Atherstone was born Thomas Weldon Anderson in Liverpool in 1862.He was a classically trained actor who became prominent in music halls during the early 1880s and 1890s, although by the turn of the century his presence in vaudeville had been considerably reduced with the exception of occasional performances, such as poetry readings.Although married with four children, he began living with actress Elizabeth Earle at an apartment in London's Battersea district around 1899.