yeovil people
Henry Butler Batten
Solicitor, Town Clerk of Yeovil for over thirty years
Henry
Butler Batten
was born at
Aldon
House
towards the end
of 1845. He was
the son of
John Batten the
younger and
Grace Eleanor
née White of Up
Cerne, Dorset.
The children of
John and Grace
were John Mount
(1844-1916),
Eleanor Harriet
(b1845), Henry
Butler, Cicely
Alice (b1848)
and Herbert Cary
George
(1849-1926). The
1851 census
recorded the
family at Aldon
House with two
housemaids and a
footman.
The 1861 census return was similar with Henry listed as a 15-year old scholar. He then studied at New College, Oxford, matriculating on 14 October 1864 at the age of 19, achieving his B.A. in 1869.
By the time of the 1871 census the family were living at Up Cerne House, Up Cerne, Dorset, and 24-year old Henry gave his occupation as a Solicitor's Articled Clerk. By 1875, John and Henry were listed as partners in the family law firm but by 1883 Henry was listed as sole partner. At this time the family law firm was at Church House; built by the Batten family and the house has played a prominent part in the town's legal affairs, indeed the Town Courts were held in the north annex until the middle of the twentieth century. The firm became Batten & Co after Henry's death, as it remains today.
By 1881 Henry, a lifelong bachelor, was living with his father at Aldon House with three live-in servants; a butler, footman and a kitchen maid. Henry gave his occupation as a solicitor. It was during the 1880s that his father retired from being Yeovil's Town Clerk and Henry became the new Town Clerk - a position he held for over thirty years, finally retiring in 1912 when the position was taken over by his nephew Herbert Copeland Cary Batten.
In the 1911 census, 65-year old Henry was living alone in Aldon House, albeit with a couple of visitors, together with a cook, housemaid, footman and gardener.
Henry Butler Batten died in the spring of 1912, aged 66. His gross estate amounted to £89,885 (around £50 million at today's value). His siblings presented an organ dedicated to his memory in Upcerne church, Dorset (see Gallery).
gallery
Henry Butler
Batten
(1845-1912)
From my
collection
Henry Butler Batten's signature on an indenture dated 5 September 1878.
A colourised photograph of the presentation of the Sidney Gardens fountain on 24 May 1899. You'd have thought at least one of 'em could have raised a slight smile. Henry Butler Batten is No 25 on the drawing below.
So, who was who?
Unfortunately
only some of the
gathering are
known, these are
as follows -
1 Cllr GH Gould,
2 Cllr
Edward Samuel
Ewens, 4
Cllr WW Johnson,
5 G Gawler, 6
Cllr
James Bazeley
Petter, 7 WG
Armytage
(Borough
Surveyor),
Henry Jesty
(Mace Bearer), 9
Cllr Charles
Hook, 10 JK
Whitby, 11 Cllr
HF Raymond, 14
William Maynard,
15 Alderman
Sidney Watts,
16 Miss Watts,
17 Miss Vincent,
18 Mrs Vincent,
20 Alderman W
Cox, 22 Mayor
John Vincent,
23 Alderman
Joseph Chaffey
Moore, 24
Cllr
Charles Wreford
Pittard, 25
Henry Butler
Batten (Town
Clerk), 26 JH
Farley (who
donated the
fountain), 27
Ebenezer Pittard,
29 WB Collins.
Aldon House, set within its extensive parkland. Photographed in 2009.
A report from the 23 May 1913 edition of the Western Chronicle.
The organ at Upcerne church, dedicated to the memory of Henry Butler Batten.
