Battersea was a civil parish and metropolitan borough in the County of London, England.

As an ancient parish, Battersea was part of the hundred of Brixton and county of Surrey.

In 1855, under the Metropolis Management Act 1855, the civil responsibilities of the parish were passed to the Metropolitan Board of Works.

On 25 March 1888, a separate vestry was formed as a local authority for The parish of Saint Mary Battersea excluding Penge.

[3] The population of the parish in 1896 was 165,115 and it had adopted the Public Libraries Act 1850 immediately upon obtaining local independence in 1888, with its own vestry.

From 1851, as the population of Battersea increased, a number of new parishes were formed:[5] A number of new parishes were also formed within the detached part of Battersea parish, the hamlet of Penge:[5] In 1901, the borough adopted an unofficial coat of arms, consisting of a shield vertically divided blue and white, the division line being indented (in heraldry-speak Party per pale indented azure and argent).

They retained power until 1909, when the Municipal Reform Party (allied to the Conservatives) gained a majority.

The Progressives regained the council in 1912, holding power until 1919 when the Labour Party gained control.