Identity area
Reference code
AR159
Title
Date(s)
- September 1885 (Creation)
Level of description
Collection
Extent and medium
1 vol
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Jabez Spencer Balfour was born in Leith in 1834. Balfour was the most popular man in Croydon up to the years 1892, after which he was the most reviled. When Balfour moved to Croydon he lived at London Road then later at Wellesley House which stood approximately where Wellesley Road multi-storey car park is now. After Balfour took an interest in practically every movement in the town he was a natural choice for Charter Mayor in 1883. Balfour soon became top of the list for Burgesses of the Central Ward. Balfour became associated with a group of companies of which the Liberator Building Society was the principal one whoever this society failed in 1892 and Balfour fled to South America as a result of this. Due to the collapse of this society many thousands of small savers had lost their life savings. It wasnt until this happened and he fled to South America that the public found out he had swindled a huge number of people out of a huge sum of money through this building society. Balfour was eventually caught in South America, tried and sentenced to 14 years hard labour and was jailed on 28th November 1895. Balfour was accused of and found guilty of fraud. He was released in 1906 and died in 1916.
Repository
Archival history
Transferred from the Local Studies Library, ref. fS70 (92) BAL
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Accession Number: A426
Illuminated list of subscribers to portrait of J S Balfour, first Mayor of Croydon
Portrait was hung in the Council Chamber, and a replica presented to Balfour.
Item date: September 1885
Accession date: 27/11/1999
Content and structure area
Scope and content
An illuminated address which accompanied a portrait of J. Spencer Balfour which had been painted by public subscription. The portrait and address were presented to J. Spencer Balfour at a meeting of the Town Council at the Town Hall on 5th October 1885 by the Reverend J. M. Braithwaite, Vicar of Croydon.
The address reads, In unveiling the Portrait of yourself now placed in the Council Chamber of the Town Hall of Croydon, as a permanent memorial of your Mayoralty, we, whose names are hereto attached, sesire to record our high appreciation of the distinguished services which you rendered to the Borough during your prolonged term of office, and we further beg your acceptance of a replica of the portrait, together with a small token of our regard to Miss Balfour who afforded you so much graceful in the assistance in the exercise of your generous hospitality. It is followed by 186 names.
Two copies of the portrait were made; one was presented to Balfour while the other was hung in Council Chamber of the Town Hall.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Some of the records in our collections contain sensitive and personal data that we have a legal responsibility to control access to. In these circumstances, staff may search the collection on your behalf, having received consent or proof of death of the individual concerned.
Please contact us at archives@croydon.gov.uk for further information regarding the particular collection you wish to access.
You can make a request for information which may be in a closed record under the Freedom of Information Act, 2000 or the Environmental Information Regulations, 2004. For more information about making a request, see the Croydon Council website (www.croydon.gov.uk). Making a request does not guarantee access to the information you ask for, as there may be a valid exemption from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act.
Conditions governing reproduction
Language of material
- English
Script of material
Language and script notes
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Fragile
Finding aids
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Notes area
Alternative identifier(s)
Access points
Subject access points
Place access points
Name access points
- Borough of Croydon (Subject)
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
GB-352-ar159
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation revision deletion
24/06/2015