Tom Batt

Thomas Batt, 1886-1950

Francis Collinson collected a six verse version of ‘Come Come My Pretty Maid’ from the Batt Brothers of Bethersden in 1942. He had previously collected an identical version, but with only the first two verses, from Tom Batt, also at Bethersden. The Batt Brothers had a half-brother Thomas, from their father’s first marriage, but he died in 1912, so could not have been the singer that Collinson met. The singer was most likely the brothers’ nephew Tom, whose father Alfred Batt, born 1850, was the youngest of their half-brothers.

Tom was born in the third quarter of 1886. His mother was Harriet, née Rudderham. The 1891 census shows his father Alfred as a farmer, at Tearnden Farm, Green Lane, Bethersden. Tom was the third eldest child of five. His uncles, the twins Ebenezer and Harry Batt, who were 15 at the time – and who would become part of the glee-singing Batt Brothers ensemble – also lived at Tearnden, working as agricultural labourers on the farm.

Subsequent census records show that Tom stayed at Tearnden, working on the farm. He was listed as “Farmers son” in 1901 and 1921, and “Farm labourer” in 1911. The 1921 census shows him as married, although his wife was not at Tearnden when the census was taken.

Local newspaper advertisements show that by 1919 he was branching out into buying and selling motorcycles. For example in the Folkestone, Hythe, Sandgate & Cheriton Herald, 31^st May 1919, he was advertising as follows

1917 4½ h. p. Precision Cluck, good plating and enamelling, good tyres, seen any time, trial given before purchasing; £45 nett cash to first one comes along. – Tom Batt, Turnden Farm, Bethersden, Ashford, Kent.

A similar advertisement in the Kentish Express, 11^th May 1934, gave his address as Wagstaff Farm, Biddenden, which was farmed by Victor Millen.

Reports suggest that Tom Batt was the black sheep of this respectable chapel-going family. As a dealer, he does not appear to have been too scrupulous about the provenance of the goods he was selling. Under the headline “VICTIMISING MOTOR CYCLE OWNERS. KENT MEN SENTENCED AT OLD BAILEY” the Kentish Express, 17^th September 1921 ran a long report which began

Late on Friday afternoon the trial opened before the Common Sergeant of London at the Old Bailey, of Joseph Hill, 42, a shoemaker of The Cottage, Church Lane, Kennington, and Tom Batt, 35, a farmer of Turnden Farm, Bethersden, who were indicted, the former with stealing eight motor cycles […] Batt was indicted with receiving the same well knowing them to have been stolen. Hill pleaded guilty and Batt not guilty and was defended by Mr. Curtis Bennett.

The article concluded

Hill was sent to hard labour for 18 months and Batt to 12 months in the second division.

At some point, as shown in this photo, Tom Batt set up as a haulage contractor.

The 1939 Register shows Tom’s eldest brother, Alfred, running Tearnden Farm, along with his sister Kate (listed as “Poultry Farmer”) and son, also Alfred. A record for Tom Batt in the 1939 Register has not so far been located, but clearly he was in Bethersden in 1941 when he met Francis Collinson. He died in the first quarter of 1950.

Many thanks to Gill Bromley (née Batt) for providing the photographs of Tom Batt.

Songs

• Come Come My Pretty Maid (Roud 371)