John Holgate Batten (1859 - 1933)

Born 1859 in Camberwell, Surrey, England

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 25 Jul 1933 at about age 74 in Horsell, Woking, Surrey, England

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Biography

John Holgate Batten was born in Camberwell in Surrey in 1859, the son of John Batten and his wife, Annie Hargraves.^{[1] [2]} They had moved to Kensington by 1871. ^[3] At the 1881 Census he was living with his parents at 6 Campden House Terrace, Kensington, employed as a bank clerk. ^[4] It is not certain that John ever served in the Army however there is an entry in Hart's Army List 18 April 1887. "John H Batten The King's Royal Rifle Corps, Adam and Eve yard, Kensington. John H Batten (major 26 January 1884)" ^[5] He was however living again with his parents in 1891. ^[6]

About 1892 he married Jane Leckie Forbes, daughter of Alexander Forbes and his wife, Jane Duval,^[7] with whom he had 3 children. By 1901 he was working for himself as a Land Auctioneer, living with his wife, two sons and his father at 4 Percy Villas. ^[8] By 1911 John and Janet had moved to Folkestone, perhaps for the health of their daughter, Margery of whom he had written in 1907 "My boys are in very good health I am glad to say but my little girl no great things yet we hope she will grow stronger." ^[9][10]

Widowed in 1916 john died in Horsell at Woking in Surrey on the 25th of July 1933 aged 74. His estate was worth £23,233 11s 11d, probated to his son Stephen, his daughter, Marjorie and Bank director, William Moore Fullerton on the 21st of August 1933.

John was interested in genealogy and a regular correspondent of his cousin, Arthur Cross.

Sources

1. ↑ Hargraves family Bible "John Holgate Batten son of John Batten and Anne Hargreaves, husband of Jane Leckie Forbes ". Written in his own hand.
2. ↑ 1861 Census of England
   2 Claude Villas, Camberwell, Surrey, England

   First Name	Last Name	Relationship	Marital Status	Gender	Age	Occupation	Birth Place
   John	Batten	Head	Married	Male	32	Clerk HM Customs	Rochester, Kent
   Ann	Batten	Wife	Married	Female	32	-	Settle, Yorkshire
   John H	Batten	Son	-	Male	1	-	Camberwell, Surrey
   Rosamund	Stone	Servant	Unmarried	Female	16	Houseservant	Norwich, Norfolk

3. ↑ 1871 Census of England
   7 Pembroke Rd, Kensington, London, England

   First Name	Last Name	Relationship	Marital Status	Gender	Age	Occupation	Birth Place
   John	Batten	Head	Married	Male	42	Principal Clerk to the Customs Dept of HMG	Rochester, Kent
   Annie	Batten	wife	Married	Female	47	-	Settle, Yorkshire
   John H	Batten	Son	-	Male	11	scholar	Camberwell, Surrey
   Mary A	Miller	Servant	Unmarried	Female	18	Housemaid	Bethnell Green, Middx

4. ↑ 1881 Census of England
   6 Campden House Terrace, Kennsington, London, England

   First Name	Last Name	Relationship	Marital Status	Gender	Age	Occupation	Birth Place
   John	Batten	Head	Married	Male	52	retired civil service	Rochester, Kent
   Annie	Batten	wife	Married	Female	52	-	Settle, Yorkshire
   John	Batten	Son	-	Male	21	Bank clerk	Camberwell, Surrey
   Thirza	Rixon	Servant	Unmarried	Female	18	Domestic servant	Lacey green, Berks

5. ↑ Hart's Army list 1887. Consulted at Portsmouth City Library
6. ↑ 1891 Census of England
   6 Campden Hill Terrace, Kennsington, London, England

   First Name	Last Name	Relationship	Marital Status	Gender	Age	Occupation	Birth Place
   John	Batten	Head	Married	Male	62	-	Rochester, Kent
   Annie	Batten	wife	Married	Female	62	-	Settle, Yorkshire
   John H	Batten	Son	-	Male	31	Bank clerk	Camberwell, Surrey
   Lavinia	Rixin	Servant	Unmarried	Female	27	Domestic	Princes Risboro', Bucks

7. ↑ Hargraves family Bible "John Holgate Batten son of John Batten and Anne Hargreaves, husband of Jane Leckie Forbes ". Written in his own hand.
8. ↑ 1901 Census of England
   4 Percy Villas, Kensington, London, England

   First Name	Last Name	Relationship	Marital Status	Gender	Age	Occupation	Birth Place
   John A	Batten	Head	Married	Male	41	Land Agent	Camberwell, London
   Jane L	Batten	Wife	Married	Female	36	-	Scotland
   John H	Batten	Son	-	Male	7	-	Kensington, London
   Stephen A H	Batten	Son	-	Male	2	-	Kensington, London
   John	Batten	Father	Widower	Male	72	Own means	Rochester, Kent
   Edith M	Restorick	Servant	Single	Female	28	Cook, domestic	Colyton, Devon
   Lilian R	Rawlings	Servant	Single	Female	21	Housemaid	Hestmonsten, London
   Sarah E	Messer	Servant	Single	Female	18	Nursemaid	Yarmouth ?, Suffolk

9. ↑ Letter to his cousin, Arthur Cross
10. ↑ 1911 Census of England
    19 Clifton Crescent, Folkestone, Kent, England

    First Name	Last Name	Relationship	Marital Status	Gender	Age	Occupation	Birth Place
    John Holgate	Batten	Head	Married	Male	51	Accountant chartered secretary	St Giles, Camberwell
    Jane Leckie	Batten	Wife	Married	Female	46	Married 18 1/2 years 3 children 3 surviving	Aberdeen
    Marjorie Isabel	Batten	Daughter	-	Female	7 1/2	School	St Mary Abbots, Kensington
    Berthe	Dubelloy	Servant	-	Male	17	Ladies Maid domestic	France
    Barbara	Clyne	Visitor	Married	Female	36	Private means	Aberdeen
    Margaret	Booze	Visitor	Single	Female	50	Children's nurse	Hadleigh, Suffolk
    Paul Charles	Laird	Visitor	-	Male	1	-	Paddington, London

• National Probate Calendar

• Hargraves family Bible "John Holgate Batten son of John Batten and Anne Hargreaves, husband of Jane Leckie Forbes ". Written in his own hand.

• Mosley, Charles, editor. Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage, 107th edition, 3 volumes. Wilmington, Delaware, U.S.A.: Burke's Peerage (Genealogical Books) Ltd, 2003.
• Armorial families

• Oxford Dictionary of National Biography: Webb, Geoffrey Fairbank (1898–1970) John Crittall, revised

• Letter of John H Batten to Rev Arthur Cross

"Moorlands, Horsell, Woking, Surrey 19th March 1907 My dear Arthur, You have my congratulations upon your living. I see its near Yarmouth. I hope you will soon get a better one. Anyway as long as you are there I hope you will have health and happiness.

My boys are in very good health I am glad to say but my little girl no great things yet we hope she will grow stronger. I hope you will have a good sale for your house.

With regard to the Batten genealogy I enclose you all I know. I have been concerned strictly with my own descent and have not traced collateral branches. You will see we come from Sarah Nicholson, 2nd wife not Anne, the 1st wife of whom there are no male Batten issue. Julia Batten, now of Dulwich comes from John Batten and his wife Latitia Waddup through their son Edward Batten. No male issue of him. I have a baptismal certificate of John Batten, born 1694 the son of John and Brig, Batten. Of Freemen of Rochester 28 July 1783 John Batten by birth from John Batten.

I must go to Rochester some time to turn up the town clerk's records to see how this John Batten obtained his freedom. When I get any results will write to you.

My poor old Dad seems better but his mind is cloudy at times. He being deaf one cannot talk to him and he has points of doubt about the hereafter, Immaculate Conception &c, which are difficult to deal with. Seeing how he is afflicted I fear life is not altogether enjoyable to him. Deafness and weariness of weight of years.

With all good wishes for blessings in your new sphere, Your Affectionate cousin, J H Batten"

Written on high quality paper this letter is in excellent condition. John was mistaken about Latitia, which probably came from a misreading of the Batten headstone. Laetitia Waddup was the daughter of John Batten and Laetitia Sisley.

He referred to John Batten, Freeman of Rochester 1783, apparently it was granted simply because his father was a Freeman.