John Richard Archer (8 June 1863 – 14 July 1932) was a British politician and political activist. In 1913 he was elected Mayor of Battersea, becoming the first black mayor of a borough in London. He was a notable Pan-Africanist and the founding president of the African Progress Union.
Life and career
Archer was born in Liverpool, Lancashire to Richard Archer, from Barbados, and Mary Theresa Burns, from Ireland. For years he travelled the world as a seaman, living for periods in the US and Canada. He married Bertha, a black Canadian, and in the 1890s, returned with her to England, settling in Battersea while in his thirties. He started to study medicine but supported himself by a small photographic studio.
Archer became involved in local politics; he was a supporter of the radical Liberal John Burns
Archer moved to the left during his years in Battersea and in 1919 was re-elected to the council as a Labour representative. In 1918 he had been elected as the first president of the African Progress Union, working for "advanced African ideas in liberal education". In 1919 he was a British delegate to the Pan-African Congress in Paris and two years later, chaired the Pan-African Congress in London.
In 1922, Archer gave up his council seat to act as Labour Party election agent for Shapurji Saklatvala, a Communist Party activist standing for parliament in North Battersea. He convinced the Labour Party to endorse Saklatvala, who was duly elected – one of the first Indian MPs in Britain. He and Saklatvala continued to work together, winning again in 1924 until the Communist and Labour parties split fully. In the 1929 general election, Archer was agent for the official Labour candidate, who beat Saklatvala.
Archer served as a governor of Battersea Polytechnic, president of the Nine Elms Swimming Club, chair of the Whitley Council Staff Committee, and a member of the Wandsworth Board of Guardians.
He was again elected in 1931, for the Nine Elms ward. At the time of his death in 1932, he was deputy leader of Battersea Council. He died on 14 July 1932, a few weeks after his 69th birthday. His funeral was held at the Church of Our Lady of Carmel in Battersea Park Road on 19 July. He was buried in the council cemetery at Morden.
Archer had been thought to be the first black man to be elected as a mayor in Britain. But, the American Negro Year Book 1914, in reporting Archer's election, also reported that
<blockquote>In 1904, Mr. , a colored man from the West Indies, was elected mayor of the borough of Thetford, Norfolk.</blockquote>
Legacy
thumb|Entrance of Archer House in Battersea Village
thumb|Blue plaque erected in 2013 by English Heritage at 55 Brynmaer Road, Battersea|150px
Archer House, part of the Battersea Village estate, was named after Archer upon construction in the 1930s. In 1986 John Archer School was formed from the merger of Wandsworth School and Spencer Park School but it closed in 1991. There is a John Archer Way in Wandsworth and in Liverpool, a John Archer Hall.
In 2004, John Archer was chosen for the "100 Great Black Britons" list, coming 72nd in a public vote.
In 2010, Archer was commemorated with a blue plaque from the Nubian Jak Community Trust.
In April 2013 Archer was one of six people selected by Royal Mail for the "Great Britons" commemorative postage stamp issue.
In November 2013 Archer was honoured by English Heritage with a blue plaque at his former home, 55 Brynmaer Road, Battersea.
In March 2018 the Ark Academy Network renamed High View Primary school in Battersea as Ark John Archer Academy.
References
External links
- John Archer (1863–1932); Black Europeans: British Library online gallery feature by Mike Phillips
- John Archer Britain's First Black Major on Untoldlondon
- About John Archer on Itzcaribbean