Dr. John Seymour Batten

[Barrie Green]

I wish to find the death and any data about Dr. John (Seymour) Batten who in 1874 was HBM's District Civil Surgeon at South Aliwal, Cape Colony.
The 1883 UK Medical Register lists his address as The Vineyard, Mossel Bay, South Africa.
He was in Devon, Exeter on the UK 1881 Census with his wife and mother in law.
He is believed to have returned to S.A and died before 1893 when his wife, Alice Sophie Amy nee Boutmy married again in England as a widow.

[EmPea]

I know this isn't your man but strange that it is the same names.  Any relation to your man do you think?

DEPOT     NAB                                                                   
SOURCE    MSCE                                                                 
REFERENCE 2871/1961                                                             
DESCRIPTION          BATTEN, JOHN SEYMOUR. BORN IN KIMBERLEY. DIVORCEE. DECEASED ESTATE.
STARTING  19610000                                                             
ENDING    19620000         

Kimberley and Mossel Bay are relatively near each other.

Regards
Moira

[EmPea]

Not sure if you saw these in the Archives, but will post them in case you haven't.

DEPOT     KAB                                                                   
SOURCE    CSC                                                                   
VOLUME_NO 2/6/1/71                                                             
REFERENCE 130                                                                   
DESCRIPTION          MOTION. IN THE MATTER OF ELSPETH MARCILLA ELDRIDGE (BORN PATON) VERSUS JOHN SEYMOUR BATTEN.                                         
STARTING  18780000  ENDING    18780000   

DEPOT     KAB                                                                   
SOURCE    CO                                                                   
VOLUME_NO 4172                                                                 
REFERENCE B17                                                                   
DESCRIPTION          MEMORIAL. DR. J BATTEN. REQUESTING LICENCE TO PRACTISE AS PHYSICIAN.
STARTING  18720000  ENDING    18720000 

DEPOT     KAB                                                                   
SOURCE    CO                                                                   
VOLUME_NO 4172                                                                 
REFERENCE B29                                                                   
DESCRIPTION          MEMORIAL. DR. J BATTEN. REQUESTING APPOINTMENT AS DISTRICT SURGEON FOR MOSSEL BAY.                                                     
STARTING  18720000   ENDING    18720000         

DEPOT     KAB                                                                   
SOURCE    CO                                                                   
VOLUME_NO 4189                                                                 
REFERENCE B55                                                                   
DESCRIPTION          MEMORIAL. J BATTEN. REQUESTING DISTRICT SURGEONCY OF MOSSELBAY.       
STARTING  18760000     ENDING    18760000       

DEPOT     KAB                                                                   
SOURCE    CO                                                                   
VOLUME_NO 4193                                                                 
REFERENCE B7                                                                   
DESCRIPTION          MEMORIAL. DR. J BATTEN. REQUESTING DISTRICT SURGEONCY OF MOSSEL BAY. 
STARTING  18770000     ENDING    18770000   

There are a few of the following types of references - each with a different "versus"

DEPOT     KAB                                                                   
SOURCE    CSC                                                                   
VOLUME_NO 2/2/1/188                                                             
REFERENCE 61                                                                   
DESCRIPTION          RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS OF PROVISIONAL CASE. JANUARY - DECEMBER. JOHN SEYMOUR BATTEN VERSUS JAMES GILLESPIE MUIR.                         
STARTING  18780000   ENDING    18780000 

And finally,
DEPOT     KAB                                                     
SOURCE    DOC                                                                   
VOLUME_NO 4/1/343                                                               
REFERENCE 1308                                                                 
DESCRIPTION          MORTGAGE BOND. JOHN BATTEN.                                           
STARTING  18930000   ENDING    18930000   

There is a JH Batten around at the same time - Jan Harries - so some of the above references may apply to him only using his first initial.  One would have to see the files to be sure.  There is an Inventory for JH in 1886 which would indicate that he may have died around that time.  It is also interesting that a JH Batten applied for the post of District Surgeon at Riversdale in 1879 so seems he may also be a doctor.  In 1875, a Dr W Batten applied for the position of District Surgeon of Mossel Bay. 

Interesting all these Dr Batten's around in the same area at the same time.

Regards
Moira

[Barrie Green]

Thank you Moira for your suggestions. I have been giving this thought again - there is an Incoming Pass. List to UK with a John Seymour Batten, Engineer, 30y, arr. Plymouth, Eng 25 May 1932. This gives his birthdate as c. 1902. His permanent address was South Africa, as was his future address. There was an Ellen Batten, married, 45 of S.A also with him as they shared the Bank address in London.

My Dr. John Batten was b. 1848 in Scotland and all official documents did not have Seymour in his name however there were Seymours in the family 2 generations back further.

The Estate etc. details you posted could be the 1902 JSB.

No details so far have emerged about my Dr. JB's death.
The 3 g.children still alive in Canada only state he died in SA and the wife and the son went back to the UK.

Rootschat Nottingham Lookup Requests have unearthed a Pandora's Box of intrigue for me so I now do wonder if this JSB is a descendant of this rascal or a mere co-incidence.
I'm still thinking this one out! Grateful thanks.

Faith Green

[Janeliz]

Hello Barrie
About John Seymour Batten-no sorry I don't have any details re his death etc, but as a matter of interest the lady cited in the court case Elspeth Marcella Eldridge ( nee Paton) was my late husband's g g Grandmother. They lived in Mossel Bay. She was the daughter of an Andrew Paton born in Scotland in 1805. Unfortunately I have no idea what the court case was about. Incidentally we are desperate to find out some more info about her father.Andrew Paton who died in Outdtshoorn in 1876.
Regards
Jan

[Barrie Green]

Hi Janeliz

Sorry I cannot help at this stage. I haven't followed through the references given to me at this stage nor have I got any further with the death of JS Batten. I really want to get that and have poured over the Death Reg. films for the area while I was in Salt Lake City, Utah where the LDS Church have films relating to SA BMD with no luck.
I have been following other SA family members instead but will contact you when I take this a bit further.

However, why don't you post a query on Rootschat under the heading of your family member? You'll be surprised what comes through - people are so helpful.

Good Luck - Faith

[Janeliz]

HI Faith
Thanx for your input and I wish you lots of luck in your search. I have come into contact with a realtive of my late husband who knows a bit mor than I so we are going to get together to compare notes etc. 
Bye for now
Jan

[swan122]

Dear Faith,

My great-great-grandfather was Dr John Batten of Mossel Bay (ex UK, and may possibly be the John Batten born in 1848 in Kilcardie, Scotland). Our family history holds that he arrived in SA supposedly as a single man, and then married Charlotte Fochs (aka Focks) of George, Cape Province. They had one child, Charles Fitzgerald Seymour Batten, born 30th April, 1873 in Mossel Bay, and subsequently baptised at St Pauls Church in Port Elizabeth.  Dr John is reported to have drowned when CFS Batten was about 8 years old (i.e. circa 1881) while crossing a swollen river on his way to attend a patient. I have heard family rumours suggesting the accident was staged as no body was reportedly ever found, and many believed he had simply returned to England.  The 'widow' Charlotte Batten subsequently remarried twice (Campbell, and then Hall)

Charles Fitzgerald Seymour Batten married Maria Francina Geldenhuys of Beaufort-West in 1899  and they had 8 children, one of whom (Dudley Union Batten, b1909) died as an infant in 1910. Their youngest child, Mona Edwina Batten, was my paternal grandmother (1914-1993).
Their second born child,  John Seymour Batten (born 1902, Rooifontein, Orange River Colony), is mentioned in earlier posts to this thread. He was later a naval engineer and served with the British Navy in WW2.  I have taken scans of birth entries in the Batten family Bible and am happy to upload these anyone wishes. I also have numerous photographs of all family members except Dr John Batten himself!

I hope the above provides some helpful information. Perhaps at some point we will be able to clarify whether the Dr John Batten who married a Ms Boutmy in England and his namesake in my tree, are one and the same.
Kind regards, Stephen Wannenburg, Auckland.

[Barrie Green]

Wow- Curiouser and curiouser! I have just got your post, Stephen  and need to get this all into the right timeframe to see if it works! The UK 1881 Census was the last official record of Dr. JBS but a Canadian living descendant of his son Seymour Willoughby Gerard  Burdett  Batten, 'understood' Alice Sophie Amy  Boutmy left SA and returned to England with their son SWGB as Dr. JB Smith had died in SA. I can send you scans of Alice's marriage  to Dr John Batten in London 6 Feb 1874 (note SWGB was born 18 Dec 1871  in the back of a bullock wagon according to the descendant  possibly on the way to Mossel Bay from Durban) and of Alice's Will having married Ralph Molesworth Gurnell  26 July 1893 in London and she died 24 Feb 1899 Ramsgate Eng. In the Will she mentions the marriage settlement from her husband Dr John Batten. I will try and send these through a Personal Message contact to you as I am in Palmerston North NZ and you are unable to contact me through this board until you have had a few more posts.

Faith Green