John Archer

John Richard Archer was born in Liverpool in 1863, the son of a Black father from Barbados and an Irish mother. He trained and worked as a photographer before moving to Battersea, South London, where he became deeply involved in local politics and community organising.

Archer was elected to Battersea Borough Council in 1906, steadily building a reputation as a dedicated local representative. In November 1913, his fellow councillors elected him Mayor of Battersea, making him the first Black mayor of a London borough — a landmark moment given at the height of the British Empire's racial hierarchies.

In his acceptance speech, Archer directly addressed the significance of his election, stating that it demonstrated British justice was above 'colour or racial prejudice.' Beyond his mayoral role, Archer was a committed Pan-Africanist, serving as founding president of the African Progress Union, an organisation dedicated to advancing the interests of Black people in Britain and across the African diaspora.

Archer remained active in Battersea politics for the rest of his life, serving as deputy leader of the council at the time of his death in 1932. His home became a refuge for Black visitors to London, including Jane Roberts, widow of Liberia's former president, who lived with the Archers until her death in 1914.