All and everyone: The Town Hall in the Great War

The scent of thyme carried on the wind/ Stings my face into remembering/ Cruel nature has won again. Cruel nature has won again.

On Battleship Hill's caved in trenches/ A hateful feeling still lingers/ Even now, eighty years later.

Cruel nature. Cruel, cruel nature.

P.J Harvey: On Battleship Hill (From Let England Shake)

The lyrics of On Battleship Hill and the voice of PJ Harvey make everyone realise how recent and contemporary the Great War is. The scent of thyme on Battleship Hill and the smell of lavender on Lavender Hill…
So far away, so close…

Our Town Hall had a vital and versatile role during the First World War, a tribunal for conscientious objectors, a recruitment centre, a meeting place for the Women’s Social and Political Union, an air raid shelter. 

After the outbreak of the war the Town Hall began flying the Union Flag to show their support for the troops fighting in the western front, while John Burns, the first working class man to gain a seat in the Cabinet, resigned from his duties in the borough in protest against the war.

On 12th December 1915 DH Lawrence - in order to get a passport - had to stand in line to "attest": that is, to enrol him as ready for military service when called up, something in which he absolutely did not believe. None the less, he came down to Battersea Town Hall, but he hated it so much, after waiting nearly two hours, that he stormed out. And yet, waiting there in the queue, he felt the men were very decent, and that the slumbering lion was going to wake up in them: not against the Germans either, but against the great lie of this life ...

During the First World War a series of fundraising events took place at the Town Hall to support soldiers and their wives, as well as to raise money for hospitals and schools. At the same time Charlotte Despard and the Suffragettes were organising anti-war meetings, demonstrations and talks titled ‘What the war means to the workers’ across the street at Shakespeare’s theatre.

The 10th (Battersea) Battalion, The Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey) was raised at Battersea on the 3rd of June 1915 by the Mayor and Borough of Battersea, they joined 124th Brigade, 41st Division and trained at Aldershot. They proceeded to France in the first week of May 1916 and disbanded in 1917, with the remaining troops transferring to other units.

When Charlotte Despard first addressed a peace rally at the Town Hall, angry hecklers tried to shout her down. But this left-leaning community already felt at war with the upper class and appreciated underdogs, and the general anti-war sentiment was not long in growing. Soon there was even a street renamed after Piet Joubert, a Boer commander whose soldiers fought several battles with the troops of Despard’s brother.

In the Waiting Room of the Main Foyer you can find our exhibition about how the local area of Battersea endured the Great War. It is a snapshot of our history and the people who have passed through these doors.

Open Monday to Saturday 10am until 11pm, alongside our Scratch Bar, serving fresh local food and drinks, come and explore the exhibition before or after a show, or relax in our welcoming spaces.

This display has been made possible through the support of the Heritage Lottery Fund, Arts Council England and Wandsworth Council, and thanks are also due to Wandsworth Heritage Services and Wandsworth Museum.

John Archer's Centenary: WWI and The Town Hall

100 years ago, on November 10th 1913, John Archer was elected as the 10th Mayor of Battersea. This achievement was also a momentous triumph for equality, with Archer becoming London’s first black mayor. Born in 1863, Archer is famed for his political passion, particularly his campaigns for workers' rights, improved local living conditions and the removal of young people from the workhouse. One particularly heated argument saw Archer seized by his head and feet and ejected from the Council Chamber.

Much of the press surrounding John Archer’s mayoral campaign was speculation regarding his ancestry. The Daily Telegraph reported that “his features and colouring are eloquent of his origin, but his conversation shows no trace of accent, and he is a man of good education”, whilst The News Chronicle wrote that Archer had “the bronzed skin and black hair of a Hindu or Parsee – he laughingly declines to say to what race he belongs, but one might place his forebears among the lighter people of India – and his well-dressed, well-groomed appearance is that of a busy and prosperous business man”. Indeed, Archer is easy to spot in the photograph below, stood to the far right, the only man not to sport a dark suit.

During his election speech, Archer announced to the crowds "You have made history tonight. For the first time in the history of the English nation, a man of colour has been elected as mayor of an English borough. That news will go forth to all the coloured nations of the world and they will look at Battersea, and say 'It is the greatest thing you have done. You have shown that you have no racial prejudice, but recognise a man for what you think he has done.” This powerful speech was still not enough to quiet many sceptics. Archer finally declared to have been born “in a little obscure village in England probably never heard of until now - the city of Liverpool”.

Less than a year after his election, World War I shook the town of Battersea. The Town Hall played a vital role within the borough, becoming a recruiting office, with a stall outside offering free Woodbine cigarettes to all the men who signed up. The Lower Hall became a scheduled air raid shelter, whilst the Council Chamber became a courtroom, trialling conscientious objectors. 25 town hall workers died, commemorated by a plaque in our upper corridors. 

This letter documents John Archer's efforts to instruct local residents about the events leading up to the war. At BAC we remember Archer for his humour, fire and determination to bring about change, and remember those who lost their lives both in Battersea and beyond, during World War I.