"John Richard Archer"(June 8,1863-July 14,1932)

Was a British race and political activist.In November 1906,he was among the first people of Africa descent to be elected to public office in Britain as a councilor in Battersea,and in 1913,the first black mayor in London.John was born in Liverpool to Richard Archer,from Barbados,and Mary Theresa Burns,from Ireland.He travelled the world as a seaman,living in the USA and Canada,then settled in Battersea with his wife Bertha a black Canadian.He ran a small photographic studio.
John became involved in local politics and friendly with London radicals.In 1906 he was elected as a Progressive (Liberal ) to Battersea Borough Council for Latchmere ward;at the same time,Henry Sylvester-Williams won in Marylebone.He successfully campaigned for minimum wage of 32 shillings a week for council workers but lost workers but lost his seat in 1909 and was) re-elected in 1912.
In 1913,he was nominated for the position of Mayor (at that time a position implying that he was the political leader of the Council,rather than the ceremonial role in common in England from the 1920s).There were negative,even racist,aspects to the campaign,with allegations that he did not have British nationality.He won by 40 votes to 39 among fellow councilors,and gave a notable victory speech:
"My election tonight means a new era.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.
"Tat will go forth to the coloured nations of the world and they will look to Battersea and say Battersea has done many things in the past,but the greatest thing it has done
has been to show that it has no racial prejudice and that it recognizes a man for the work he  has done."
John moved left during his years in Battersea and was re-elected to the Council as a Labour representatives in 1919.He stood without success for parliament the same year.

In 1918 he became President of the African Progress Union,working for black empowerment and equality.In 1919 he was a British delegate to the Pan African Congress in Paris.Two years later he chaired the Pan-African Congress in London.In 1922,he gave up his council seat to act as Labour Party election agent for Sharpurji Saklatvala,a Communist activist standing for parliament in North Battersea.John convinced the Labour Party to endorse Sharpurji and he was dully elected one of the first black Member of Parliament (MPs)in Britain.He and Sharpurji continued to work together,winning again 1924 until the Communist and Labour parties spilit fully.In the 1929 general election,John was agent for the official Labour candidate who beat Sharpurji.
 John served as a governor of Battersea Polytechnic,President of the Nine Elms Swimming Club,Chair of the Whitley Council Staff Commitee and a member of the Wandsworth Board of Guardians.John was again elected in 1931,now  for Nine Elms ward.At the of his death,John was deputy leader of Battersea council.He was just a few weeks after his 69th birthday.John funeral was held at the Church of Our Lady of Carmel in Battersea Park Road on July 19,and he is buried in the Council's cemetery at Morden.