Worsley Battersby, Lord of the Manor of Knowle House, Photographed by Camille Silvy in 1861
Title
Worsley Battersby, Lord of the Manor of Knowle House, Photographed by Camille Silvy in 1861
Subject
Description
An albumen print photograph of Mr. Worsley Battersby, taken in London by Camille Silvy on the 3rd of June 1861 (1). The photograph is in the collection of London's National Portrait Gallery. At the time of this session, Mr. Battersby would have been 35 years old, a successful coal merchant, living and working at Linacre, Lancashire (2). Camille Silvy (1834-1910), was one of London's leading portrait photographers, a man from an aristocratic French background. Except for Queen Victoria herself, Silvy had photographed the entire Royal Family, publishing his portraits as "The Beauties of England" (3). It seems with this portrait, taken by this photographer, Worsley Battersby was announcing his place in London and Victorian society.
Worsley Battersby also worked as a magistrate (4) and by the 1891 Census, no longer listed himself as a Coal Merchant (5) or a Coal Dealer (6) but as a Shipowner. Around 1885 he became a landowner of impressive proportions when he purchased the Knowle Estate, more than 2,100 acres, over a third of the land in the parish of Timberscombe, Somerset, comprising of several farms, the Oaktrow woodlands, accommodation meadows and grazing lands, the Cowbridge Mills and shops and residential properties at Timberscombe, Carhampton and Exford (7). The Knowle Estate also included two manor houses and their lands, the post-medieval Bickham Manor and the newly built Knowle House, on an estate dating from before the Norman Invasion (8). He and his London-born wife and their five London-born children moved into the latter, alternating between it and London (9).
Mr. Battersby was born in 1826 at Hindley, Lancashire, to Charles and Anne Heyes (nee Bromley) Battersby (10). The 1841 census shows his family had moved to Liverpool where his father worked as a merchant. His mother had died at Liverpool in 1839 (11). The census also indicates that 15 year old Worlsey was a triplet, having a brother, Thomas Battersby and a sister, Sarah Battersby, also 15, with all three listed as the children of Charles Battersby. They also have a 14 year old brother, also named Charles, that Worsley is working with ten years later, in partnership as coal merchants, relocated to Booth Cum Linacre, Lancashire. Living with them is another brother, Edward Battersby, working as their apprentice. A sister, Margaret is also in the household, as are a full time cook and a "House Waiter" (12). Seemingly young Mr. Battersby was doing well.
By 1876, Worsley Battersby, 50 years old, is in London. On the 30th of May 1876, he married Jessie May, at St. John's in Croydon, Surrey. Jessie was born in London in 1847, the daughter of William May, listed as a gentleman (13). In the next 11 years, Mr. and Mrs. Battersby had seven children, all who spent much of their childhood at Knowle House in Timberscombe.
The children were:
Charles Worsley Battersby, born 14 May, 1877 in London. He married Susie Agnes Shelly Davis in 1910 (14), at London and passed away in 1952 (15).
Dorothy Susan Battersby, born in March 1879 at London. She married John Stuart Robinson, an Insurance Broker (16), who died young at Surrey in 1932. She lived until 1962 (17).
Christopher Hayes Battersby, born in June 1881 at London. He married Barbara (nee Wicksteed) Brough at Kensington in April 1917. He had been named as Co-respondent 1 in her divorce from Daniel Brough, which had been granted on 5 February 1917 (18).
Olive Jessie Battersby, born June 1882 at London. She died young in 1899 and was buried at St. Petrock's Churchyard in Timberscombe (19).
Eric May Battersby, born 18 February 1884 at London. He was educated at Sherborne College (20) and worked as a manufacturer of Patent Issues (21).
Winifred Margaret Battersby, born December 1885 at Timberscombe. She married Edward Burstal in 1908 at London (22) and lived until October 1965 (23).
Philip Worsley Battersby, born 8 August 1888 at Timberscombe. After leaving school in 1906, he spent a year living with a German family in Hanover and then attended the Royal Agricultural College at Cirencester. finishing 3rd in his class. Philip later worked as a land agent (24).
Worsley Battersby died in 1896 at the age of 70. This would have been when Philip was six years old. Mr. Battersby was buried at St. Petrock's (25). Jessie Battersby and the children who were still at home relocated to Cheltenham, where she had spent part of her childhood (26). Knowle House was initially leased to a wealthy couple, Ambrose and Violet (nee Murdoch) Lethbridge. Their son, Thomas Charles Lethbridge was born at Knowle House on 23 March 1901, later being better known as T. C. Lethbridge, a renown (and controversial) author, explorer, archaeologist and parapsychologist (27). By 1904, the Lethbridge family had moved to Lewell Lodge in Dorchester (28) and by 1905, Knowle House was rented to the Lord Justice Sir George Farwell and his family (29).
When World War I was declared in August 1914, all four of Mrs. Battersby's sons volunteered. On 24 October, 1914, only three days out of England, Captain Eric Battersby was sent to the trenches at Neuve Chapelle, France. HIs commanding officer was killed on the 27th of October and the newly arrived Eric was the most senior remaining officer, taking command of what was left of his battalion. He died on the 28th of October. His body was never recovered (30).
On 30 September 1915, Sir George Farwell died and was buried at St. Petrock's Church (31). As a widow, with a daughter, Olive, who died when she was aged 17 and now the death of Eric and the worry of three sons still serving, it is hardly surprising, Jessie Battersby decided to sell the Knowle Estate. A public auction was held on 20 July 1916. The Sales Particulars were headlined "BY ORDER OF THE TRUSTEES OF THE ESTATE OF THE LATE WORSLEY BATTERSBY, ESQRE".
On 7 July 1917, Lt. Philip Battersby, aged 28, was shot down in his plane near Lille, France. His body was never recovered. Some of Philip's personal effects were later returned through diplomatic channels, but no information was ever released about the location of his death, despite efforts of Jessie Battersby for the next three years (32).
Eric Battersby and Philip Battersby are remembered on a wooden memorial tablet at St. Petrock's Church, along with the 10 other men who died in World War I from Timberscombe. Photographs of Eric and Philip Battersby are at SP-070. Charles and Christopher Battersby's names were commemorated on the tablet's listing of the 55 men who survived--although many would have been wounded physically and mentally.
It appears that Christopher Heyes Battersby and his wife, Barbara, emigrated to Canada, arriving in Quebec in 1924 (33). Their son, John Christopher Battersby, aged 19 years, died in 1944, serving as an airman, in World War II. He was buried at the Lee-on-Solent Memorial at Gosport, Hampshire, England in a Commonwealth War Grave (34). His father died on 7 July 1945 in Ontario (35).
Worsley Battersby also worked as a magistrate (4) and by the 1891 Census, no longer listed himself as a Coal Merchant (5) or a Coal Dealer (6) but as a Shipowner. Around 1885 he became a landowner of impressive proportions when he purchased the Knowle Estate, more than 2,100 acres, over a third of the land in the parish of Timberscombe, Somerset, comprising of several farms, the Oaktrow woodlands, accommodation meadows and grazing lands, the Cowbridge Mills and shops and residential properties at Timberscombe, Carhampton and Exford (7). The Knowle Estate also included two manor houses and their lands, the post-medieval Bickham Manor and the newly built Knowle House, on an estate dating from before the Norman Invasion (8). He and his London-born wife and their five London-born children moved into the latter, alternating between it and London (9).
Mr. Battersby was born in 1826 at Hindley, Lancashire, to Charles and Anne Heyes (nee Bromley) Battersby (10). The 1841 census shows his family had moved to Liverpool where his father worked as a merchant. His mother had died at Liverpool in 1839 (11). The census also indicates that 15 year old Worlsey was a triplet, having a brother, Thomas Battersby and a sister, Sarah Battersby, also 15, with all three listed as the children of Charles Battersby. They also have a 14 year old brother, also named Charles, that Worsley is working with ten years later, in partnership as coal merchants, relocated to Booth Cum Linacre, Lancashire. Living with them is another brother, Edward Battersby, working as their apprentice. A sister, Margaret is also in the household, as are a full time cook and a "House Waiter" (12). Seemingly young Mr. Battersby was doing well.
By 1876, Worsley Battersby, 50 years old, is in London. On the 30th of May 1876, he married Jessie May, at St. John's in Croydon, Surrey. Jessie was born in London in 1847, the daughter of William May, listed as a gentleman (13). In the next 11 years, Mr. and Mrs. Battersby had seven children, all who spent much of their childhood at Knowle House in Timberscombe.
The children were:
Charles Worsley Battersby, born 14 May, 1877 in London. He married Susie Agnes Shelly Davis in 1910 (14), at London and passed away in 1952 (15).
Dorothy Susan Battersby, born in March 1879 at London. She married John Stuart Robinson, an Insurance Broker (16), who died young at Surrey in 1932. She lived until 1962 (17).
Christopher Hayes Battersby, born in June 1881 at London. He married Barbara (nee Wicksteed) Brough at Kensington in April 1917. He had been named as Co-respondent 1 in her divorce from Daniel Brough, which had been granted on 5 February 1917 (18).
Olive Jessie Battersby, born June 1882 at London. She died young in 1899 and was buried at St. Petrock's Churchyard in Timberscombe (19).
Eric May Battersby, born 18 February 1884 at London. He was educated at Sherborne College (20) and worked as a manufacturer of Patent Issues (21).
Winifred Margaret Battersby, born December 1885 at Timberscombe. She married Edward Burstal in 1908 at London (22) and lived until October 1965 (23).
Philip Worsley Battersby, born 8 August 1888 at Timberscombe. After leaving school in 1906, he spent a year living with a German family in Hanover and then attended the Royal Agricultural College at Cirencester. finishing 3rd in his class. Philip later worked as a land agent (24).
Worsley Battersby died in 1896 at the age of 70. This would have been when Philip was six years old. Mr. Battersby was buried at St. Petrock's (25). Jessie Battersby and the children who were still at home relocated to Cheltenham, where she had spent part of her childhood (26). Knowle House was initially leased to a wealthy couple, Ambrose and Violet (nee Murdoch) Lethbridge. Their son, Thomas Charles Lethbridge was born at Knowle House on 23 March 1901, later being better known as T. C. Lethbridge, a renown (and controversial) author, explorer, archaeologist and parapsychologist (27). By 1904, the Lethbridge family had moved to Lewell Lodge in Dorchester (28) and by 1905, Knowle House was rented to the Lord Justice Sir George Farwell and his family (29).
When World War I was declared in August 1914, all four of Mrs. Battersby's sons volunteered. On 24 October, 1914, only three days out of England, Captain Eric Battersby was sent to the trenches at Neuve Chapelle, France. HIs commanding officer was killed on the 27th of October and the newly arrived Eric was the most senior remaining officer, taking command of what was left of his battalion. He died on the 28th of October. His body was never recovered (30).
On 30 September 1915, Sir George Farwell died and was buried at St. Petrock's Church (31). As a widow, with a daughter, Olive, who died when she was aged 17 and now the death of Eric and the worry of three sons still serving, it is hardly surprising, Jessie Battersby decided to sell the Knowle Estate. A public auction was held on 20 July 1916. The Sales Particulars were headlined "BY ORDER OF THE TRUSTEES OF THE ESTATE OF THE LATE WORSLEY BATTERSBY, ESQRE".
On 7 July 1917, Lt. Philip Battersby, aged 28, was shot down in his plane near Lille, France. His body was never recovered. Some of Philip's personal effects were later returned through diplomatic channels, but no information was ever released about the location of his death, despite efforts of Jessie Battersby for the next three years (32).
Eric Battersby and Philip Battersby are remembered on a wooden memorial tablet at St. Petrock's Church, along with the 10 other men who died in World War I from Timberscombe. Photographs of Eric and Philip Battersby are at SP-070. Charles and Christopher Battersby's names were commemorated on the tablet's listing of the 55 men who survived--although many would have been wounded physically and mentally.
It appears that Christopher Heyes Battersby and his wife, Barbara, emigrated to Canada, arriving in Quebec in 1924 (33). Their son, John Christopher Battersby, aged 19 years, died in 1944, serving as an airman, in World War II. He was buried at the Lee-on-Solent Memorial at Gosport, Hampshire, England in a Commonwealth War Grave (34). His father died on 7 July 1945 in Ontario (35).
Creator
Camille Silvy
Publisher
The National Portrait Gallery
Date
1861
Contributor
Language
English
Identifier
Mr. Worsley Battersby, Lord of the Manor at Knowle House / Timberscombe / northeast of the village
Acquisition Date
2020
Acquisition Method
Licensed by the National Portrait Gallery, NPG Ax 54115
Category
PEOPLE: Named / Timberscombe
Condition
Good
Condition Notes
entered by Tom Sperling
Condition Date
2020
Dimension Type
W X L
Dimension Units
cm
Dimension Value
19 X 12
Institution Name
St. Petrock's History Group
Notes
(1) The National Portrait Gallery, npg.org.uk/ collections/ search/ person/ mp95015/ worsley-battersby, copyrighted by National Portrait Gallery, NPG Ax54115 (2) 1861 England Census (3) The National Portrait Gallery, npg.org.uk/ collections/ search/ person/ mp08115/ camille-silvy?role=art (4) National Portrait Gallery, npg.org.uk/ collections/ search/ person/ mp95015/ worsley-battersby (5) 1851 England Census (6) 1861 England Census (7) as detailed on the first page of the "PARTICULARS, PLANS AND CONDITIONS OF SALE of THE KNOWLE ESTATE'. by Messrs. W. R. J. Greenslade & Co., 1916 (8) VictoriaCountyHistory.ac.uk (9) "TIMBERSCOMBE'S FALLEN OF WORLD WAR I", compiled by Harvey Grenville, produced for St. Petrock's Church and the parish of Timberscombe to commemorate the centenary anniversary of the outbreak of World War I, 2014 (10) 1891 England Census and Manchester, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1541-1812 (11) Findmypast.co.uk, 1807-1839 (12) 1951 England Census (13) Surrey, England, Church of England, Marriages and Burials, 1754-1937 (14) London, England, Church of England Marriages and Burials, 1954-1937 (15) England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007 (16) 1939 England and Wales Register (17) England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007 (18) England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1916-2005 (19) UK and Ireland, Find A Grave Index, 1300s-Current (20) janeandrichardgenealogy.co.uk (21) 1911 England Census (22) England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1916-2005 (23) England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1919-2007 (24) "TIMBERSCOMBE'S FALLEN OF WORLD WAR I" (25) UK and Ireland, Find A Grave Index, 1300s-Current (26) 1901 and 1911 England Census (27) 1901 England Census and en.wikipedia.com >wiki>T._C._Lethbridge (28) Dorset, England, Church of England Births and Baptisms, 1813-1906, where the Lethbridge family is living at Lewell Lodge, Dorset on 9 July 1904, the date of the baptism of their daughter, Jacintha Lethbridge (29) Sir George Farwell was at Knowle House in 1905 when he was nominated by Henry Herbert Bell, the Vicar of St. Petrock's Church in Timberscombe to be a Churchwarden, SHC Churchwardens Accounts, 1808-1943 re TRO D/P/Tim/4/1/2 (30) "TIMBERSCOMBE'S FALLEN OF WORLD WAR I" (31) UK and Ireland, Find A Grave Index, 1300's-Current (32) "TIMBERSCOMBE'S FALLEN OF WORLD WAR I" (33) Canada, Ocean Arrivals (Form 30A) 1919-1924 (34) UK, Commonwealth War Graves, 1914-1921 (where Christopher Heyes Battersby is named as the father of the deceased) (35) England, Andrews Newspaper Index Cards 1790-1976
Storage Location
St. Petrock's History Group Archive
Storage Date
2020
Storage Notes
St. Petrock's History Group PHOTOGRAPHS
Item Reference
SP-119
Technique
Copy
Citation
Camille Silvy, “Worsley Battersby, Lord of the Manor of Knowle House, Photographed by Camille Silvy in 1861,” St. Petrock's History Group, accessed May 17, 2024, https://stpetrockshistorygroup.omeka.net/items/show/3417.
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