Notes on Battersea Rise House
A house appears on Rocque's Map of Surrey of 1762; it was known as "Battersea Rise House" and stood on what is now Clapham Common West Side, opposite St. Barnabas' Church, near Maddison Road. 112 to 122 Clapham Common West Side are now built over the grounds. It can also be seen on a 1885 map, south of Clapham Common, between the "Battersea" & "Rise" in what was then called Battersea Rise ans is now Clapham Commom West Side. In the 1760s the house was remodelled by Isaac Ackerman, a City china merchant who seems to have been active in property development around the common, and then leased to John Lubbock, a banker.
It was bought in 1792 by Henry Thornton (MP, Banker, Governor Bank of England, (10 Mar 1760-16 Jan 1815), Son of Russia Co. merchant John L. Thornton and Lucy Watson of Hull, married Marianne Sykes of Hull.) who then enlarged it. The Oval Library built in 1797 was reputably designed by William Pitt.
Before Thornton's marriage William Wilberforce co-ocuped the house. Battersea Rise House was home to the Thornton family until the death of Henry Thornton's daughter-in-law in the early 1900s.
In the 1881 census the household comprised Henry S Thornton (son of the first Henry Thornton), his wife Emma, three daughters and a son-in-law plus 12 living in servants. These servants were housekeeper Frances Sims, lady’s maids Annie Upton and Martha Foot, cook Sarah Evans, housemaids Ellen Jameson, Elizabeth Sly and Annie Palling, laundry maids Caroline Thomas and Emma Maley, kitchen maid Priscilla Brown, footman William Martin and groom Thomas Lambirth. In separate cottages lived the coachman Joseph Huggins and his wife Lucy and the Gardener Charles Soar, his wife Jane, a son and three daughters.
In the 1878 Post Office Directory of Surrey, Court Directory section, the listing is "Thornton Henry Sykes, M.A., F.R.S. Clapham common S.W ". By 1906 the Post Office London Directory, Country Syburbs, South showed "Nr.56 Thornton Percy Milville, LL.B. M.I.". The house never actually belonged to Percy but was the estate broken up after his mother's death and hense its demise.
In the period of Herny Thorton's occupation Battersea Rise House was a meeting place for the Clapham Sect. A web search will bring up many articals on this group, try Margaret Bryant's article on the history page of the Holy Trinity Church Clapham Website. The Clapham Sect were largely responsible for bring about the abolition of salvery legislation in the UK.
A brief genealogy of the Thornton family.
Daily Telegraph, 7 June 1907
FAMOUS CLAPHAM HOUSE.
Battersea-rise House, the home of the famous “Clapham sect,” is in tho market, and an effort is being made to preserve it and its beautiful grounds from spoliation at the hands of the suburban builder. Some notable people have been associated with this house, which ever since 1792 has been the hands of the Thornton family, and is now to be sold at the insistence of the executors of Mr. Henry Sykes Thornton. It was his ancestor, Mr. Henry Thornton, who bought the property towards the close of the 15th century. He represented Southwark in Parliament for a good many years, notwithstanding that he always refused to pay the voters the customary guinea a head, and William Wilberforce, who was connected with him by marriage, lived with him at Battersea-rise house until Henry Thornton married in the year 1797. Thus it came about that the house was the recognized meeting place of the informal council which gathered round Wilberforce in connection with the anti-slavery movement. Thornton not only supported Wilberforce’s slave trade agitation in Parliament, but, being a man of means, took a leading part in the foundation of a colony it Sierra Leone, with the object of civilising the African race. This enterprise proved disapointing in its result, but Zachary Macaulay, one of the first governors of the colony, became in later years one of the most ardent members of the “Clapham sect.”
The influence if this sect in directing social reform at home and missionary effort abroad was widespread. Thornton himself was the first treasurer of the society for Missions to South Africa and the Fast, which afterwards came to be known as the Church Missionary Society. He was also treasurer of the British and Foreign Bible Society. the formation of which had been. Battersea-rise House, and finally established in 1804. With Thornton’s home William Pitt was very familiar. It was he indeed, who designed the library of the house, which has been described as “perhaps the solitary monument of the architectural skill of that imperial mind.” Granville Sharp, Chales Grant, and Hannah More— these are but a few of the distinguished of a former age who were frequently at Battersea-rise House, whence, according to ‘Macaulay, emanated all the Bible societies and almost all the missionary societies of the world.
The Times, Friday, Jun 21, 1907, p.10
SALE OF BATTERSEA-RISE-HOUSE, CLAPHAM.—At the Mart, Tokenhouse-yard, yesterday Messrs. Thurgood and Martin offered for sale by order of the late Mr. H. S. Thornton’s executors, the freehold property known as Battersea-rise-house and 22a. ir. 34p. of land as well as two residences, named Glenelg and the Maisonette. Battersea-rise-house, the residence of Mr. Percy Thornton, M.P., was the home of William Wilberforce, and it is said that William Pitt., who was a frequent ‘visitor, designed the library. Mr. Howard Martin, who conducted the auction, said that, far as he knew, this would be the last opportunity of buying any large area contignous to Clapham-common; in his opinion the finest open spece in South London. He believed that there was excellent gravel in all parts of the estate. It would be sold with possession on completion of the purchase, and could be developed to great advantage for a good class of house. The opening over was £30,000, followed by two of £5,000, and, by bids of £l,000, £48,000 was reached. Advances were than quickly made to £50,500, and the hammer fell at £51,000, amid applause, Mr. Edwin Evans, of Lavender-hill being the purchaser.The Times, Monday, Jun 24, 1907, p.6
BATTERSEA-RISE-HOUSE.—Mr. Edwin Evans, of Lavender-hill, Battersea, the purchaser of Battersea-rise-house, formerly the residence of Wilberforce, is reported to have offered to give a sympathetic consideration to any suggestion which may be put forward for securing the house and a portion of the picturesque grounds for the un of the public. Mr. Evans and those acting with him have purchased the estate for building purposes. It is hoped, however, that, the house, with its oak library designed by William Pitt, may yet be saved from destruction, and with this view an influential local committee is at work. The Parks Committee of the London County Council have promised to consider the question, which will aim come up for discussion at the next meeting of the Battersea Borough Council.The Times, Wednesday, Jul 10, 1907, p.3
BATTERSEA-RISE-HOUSE.—Battersea-rise-house, the home of Wilberforce, with two acres of land, adjacent to Clapham-common, has been offered by Mr. Edwin Evans to the Battersea Borough Council at cost price—namely, £7,945. The finance committee of the council are unable to recommend acceptance of the offer “in view of the present financial position of-the borough.” They advise an adjournment until it is known whether financial assistance can be obtained from the London Count Council or through a committee of local residents. A deficit of £9,895 is reported in the municipal cash account.The Times, Monday, Jul 22, 1907, p.19
BATTERSEA-RISE-HOUSE.—A town’s meeting was held at Battersea Town-hall on Friday night to consider the proposal for the acquisition of Battersea-rise-house by the borough council. Mr. Edwin Evans who recently purchased the estate for £51,000, has offered the house and two acres of wooded land to the municipal authorities for £7,945, that being his cost price. There was a large attendance at the meeting. Mr. Thomas, an ex-member of the borough council, moved that, in view of the unfavorable financial position of the borough and the heavy burden of the rates, the suggested purchase would be unjust to the ratepayers that the price was excessive as compared with the cost of the estate, that maintenance ‘would be a lasting burden and that the purchase was not warranted by any sentimental considerations. Dr. McManus strongly advocated the purchase on social, ethical and sentimental grounds. He was authorized to state that if a committee were formed, he would hand over a subscription of £1,000 within 24 hours, and probably a second thousand within a week. He moved that a purchase committee should be formed. The Progressive element of the borough council was strongly against the proposed purchase and Mr. Willis, a leading member, protested against to saddling of the ratepayers with the expense. The amendment was carried, and it was stated that the borough council were net committed to any proposal or to any expense.The Times, Thursday, Nov 21, 1907, p.9
DEMOLITION OF BATTERSEA-RISE-HOUSE.—The owners of Battersea-rise-house have decided upon ‘the demolition of the building. The movement to secure the building as a memorial of Wilberforce and other leaders of the anti-slavery agitation has failed to secure public support. A tender for pulling down the housw and other adjoining property has been accepted for some £800, and the work of demolition will begin shortly. Two handsome chimney-pieces, together with a carved mantel-piece, which were among the features of Battersea-rise-house, have been sold for £160.The Times, Saturday, Feb 08, 1908, p.5
BATTERSEA-RISE-HOUSE.—Yesterday afternoon a meeting of the Battersea-rise-house Preservation committee was held at Mayo-house, the residence of the chairman, Dr. McManus. It was stated that Battersea-rise-house is in course of demolition, subscriptions had been returned, but a number of subscribers had expressed a wish that there should be some local memorial to William Wilberforce, and they had left about £20 in hands of the committee. Encouraging letters bid been received from the Bishop of Southwark and others. A suggestion to erect a fountain if sufficient funds (about £300) could be raised was adopted by the committee and Dr. Richards, the secretary, was asked to issue an appeal. Mr. Burns M.P., had offered to assist in defraying the expenses already incurred, but yesterday Mr. Edwin Evens undertook all responsibility in that connexion and also promised a site far the memorial on the Battersea-rise-house estate. Wilberforce’s old residence with the library designed by William Pitt, was sold to the “house-breakers” for £7,945. The Adams mantelpiece fetched £275 and would have been sold for £75 if the amount had been offered at first instead of £50.
[Note: A chimneypiece from Battersea Rise House is now at Wittington House on the banks of the Thames, between Marlow and Henley, it seems to have been installed there by Garfield Weston in 1935; where it spent the intervening years I don’t know]
At the time of the sale there was no unanimous agreement about what should happen. John Archer, the British born black Liverpuddlian, who not in favour of purchasing it - he had little time for Wilberforce, believing that activists like Thomas Clarkson's real role had been belittled by Wilberforce's family. 'The Vanguard', the newspaper of the Battersea Social Democratic Federation and the Battersea Independent Labour Party states:
The Vanguard, August 1907, p. 2
'The proposed purchase of Battersea Rise House has not aroused any enthusiasm among the workers of Battersea. Perhaps the prominent part played by Mr. Evans accounts for this. Mr. Evans belongs to the Party which established Chinese slavery in South Africa - slavery is the correct term, Mr Churchill not withstanding. This party further desires to re-establish food taxes. Small wonder, then, the people suspect his zeal for Battersea Rise House, associated, as it is, with the anti-slavery and anti-food tax movements.
'At the Town's meeting held on this subject, Dr. McManus distinguished himself by declaring for some better ideal than mammon worship. Yet he still belongs to the damn-humanity-save-the-rates party.'
[extracts from The Vanguard by courtesy of Sean Creighton]
The excellent
Lambeth Landmark site has some related images:
Battersea
Rise House 1
Battersea
Rise House 2
Battersea
Rise House 3
Henry
Thornton
William
Wilberforce
I feel we should be proud of Battersea's contribution to the Anti Slavery movement. Following on from the efforts of the Claphan Sect and others the Anti-Slavery Society was formed on 17 April 1839. Unfortunately slavery still exists in this world and the Anti-Slavery Society is still active onder its new name, Anti-Slavery International, and is the world's oldest international human rights organisation. Please follow on from the early Battersea-ites (please give me a better word) and support Anti-Slavery International it has far to small a membership and your contribution could be very useful. If you finf it hard to belive that slavery still exists almost 200 years after the Clapham Sect just look at the Anti-Slavery International website.
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