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.

Exploring the Archive: Staff Favourites

However you've made use of Battersea Arts Centre, be you a coffee sipper or Bee's Knees nipper, our artists or our audience, you’ll have noticed that there is something just a bit special about our building. It might be the shiny new sign that lures you inside, the sumptuous smells from the café, or the mosaic floor buzzing about your feet, but it’s hard to step into BAC without the overwhelming feeling that this is the kind of place where history is made… and indeed it is!

It can be quite unbelievable that so much could occur beneath one roof. In the same room that air raid warden Elsie Young’s fingers blistered from gripping a pencil, newly-weds now share their first dance and downward facing dogs escape the bustle of Battersea for a stolen moment of tranquillity. From The Blitz to brides, organs to Orpheus, and poetry to protest, we want to shake out the dust sheets from our past and make all this incredible history a little more tangible. Over the upcoming weeks, we’ll be asking our staff to select their favourite tales from the archive, shining a spotlight on the lesser known stories of our Town Hall home.

This week we begin with Jo Hunter, Capital and Strategy Consultant:
My favourite are the notes from Elsie Young when the bombs were falling on Lavender Hill. They are so evocative and give such a clear picture of what it must have been like. It makes you able to, in some small way, put yourself in her shows. Her detailed description of her bleeding fingers makes your spine shudder... lest we forget.

Listen to Elsie's oral history at our 120 Years of Battersea Town Hall exhibition in the Waiting Room, or read more about her time as an air raid precaution warden here.

Living Radically: 120 Years of Battersea Town Hall

This year, we are celebrating the 120th anniversary of our Victorian Town Hall...

From its early days as Battersea Town Hall to its current use as Battersea Arts Centre, our building has always hosted radical thinkers and their ideas.

Over the last 120 years, the building has witnessed feminist speeches, socialist uprisings, tea dances, air raids, and boxing matches.

John Archer, the first black mayor of a London borough, was based here. Battersea MP John Burns, the first working class member of the Cabinet and proud "son of a washerwoman", gave many speeches here, as did Suffragettes Emmeline and Christabel Pankhurst. For over 30 years, the building has been home to Battersea Arts Centre.

BAC pioneers new practice in contemporary theatre with the development of Scratch in 2000, the creation of Punchdrunk's Masque of the Red Death in 2007, and the support of UK theatre artists such as Kneehigh, Nic Green and Kate Tempest. But we are also interested in the many thousands of people who have passed through the building, such as the people who worked at the Town Hall, or audiences who have seen shows here.

In the Waiting Room off the Main Foyer you'll find a collection showing a snapshot of our history and the people who have passed through our 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.

The blog is now online

The BAC Digital Archive Blog is now online!