BC
281 THE
REVEREND H.J. BATTS PAPERS
Manuscripts & Archives
University of Cape Town Libraries
donated
to
The University of Cape Town Libraries
by
Mrs
.A.D. Scott
A
List
compiled
by
Margaret
Curran
1982
|
BC
281 THE
REVEREND H.J. BATTS PAPERS Manuscripts & Archives University of Cape Town Libraries
|
|
donated
to |
|
The University of Cape Town Libraries |
|
by |
|
Mrs
.A.D. Scott |
|
A
List |
|
compiled
by |
|
Margaret
Curran |
|
1982 |
|
|
CONTENTS |
|
|
INTRODUCTION |
|
|
Biographical
notes |
|
|
The
Collection |
|
A. |
Personal
Papers |
|
B. |
Correspondence
and Letters |
|
C. |
Writings |
|
D. |
Baptist
Church and other religious material |
|
E. |
Newspaper
Clippings and Contemporary Periodicals |
|
F. |
Photographs
and Pictures |
INTRODUCTION
BIOGRAPHICAL
NOTE
Henry
James Batts was born on 12th September 1856, near Lymington in Hampshire,
England, one of seven children. His father was head gardener on the estate of
Colonel and the Hon. Mrs. Clinton and H.J.B. learnt the three R's at the village
of Milton School, from the clerk of the parish church.
When he was fourteen years old and had received some training from his
father, he went to work at a plant nursery in Southampton, where his elder
brother was also employed. The boys lived with a Mr Young, who took H.J.B. to
the Carlton Baptist church "and that led to the alteration
of my religious outlook and also of my life work and destiny"[1]At
the Carlton Baptist Church, where he was greatly influenced by the Rev. Edwin
Osborne, he became a Sunday School teacher and tried to improve himself
academically, as he had had a very elementary education. His family had always
considered the ministry an exclusive caste, but the Rev. Osborne persuaded
H.J.B. to take instruction and he was given preaching engagements, until he was
accepted at Spurgeon's College in London, when he was twenty years of age. After
two years of study and more preaching experience he was unexpectedly approached
by the President of the College, C.H. Spurgeon, to go to a church in Wale
Street, Cape Town, South Africa, as a substitute minister for six months.
Although he felt inadequately prepared for such responsible work in a new
country, he sailed for South Africa in September 1878, not knowing that the
whole of his ministerial life was to be spent in South Africa. During
the next fifty eight years he
also served in Port Elizabeth, Kingwilliamstown, Pretoria (during the Anglo Boer
War), Claremont in the Cape, Durban, Grahamstown and finally back in the Cape.
H.J.B. married Mary Georgina Pilkington Rawbone of Cape Town in 1881 and
they had five daughters. He was the
author of two books viz: 'A History of the Baptist Church in South Africa' and
'Pretoria from Within ‑ during the War'.
He died in Rondebosch, Cape Town in January 1937, aged 81.
THE
COLLECTION
The
Rev. H.J. Batts Papers were presented to the University of Cape Town Libraries
in 1961 by his granddaughter, Mrs. Aldyth Scott and number 738 items.
They consist of 56 diaries, 1878‑1936, autobiographical notes,
personal papers and correspondence. Rev. Batts also wrote articles and sermons
on many diverse subjects and there are newspaper clippings and photographs to
illustrate his work in the Baptist Ministry and life in South Africa at the end
of the 19th century, and during the first third of the 20th century.
Besides
biographical information, the collection is of special interest because of the
Rev. Batts' involvement with the Baptist Church in South Africa for over fifty
years and his first hand observations of the South African scene during and just
prior to the Anglo Boer War. His two books ‑ "The History of the
Baptist Church in South Africa, 1820‑1920" (BA 286 BATT ‑
61/1645) and "Pretoria from Within during the War 1899‑1900" (BA
968.691 BATT ‑74/5223) are in the University library and available to
researchers. There are no
restrictions on the use of the papers but permission should first be obtained
from the University Librarian.
|
BC
281 |
THE
REVEREND HENRY JAMES BATTS PAPERS |
|
|
A. |
PERSONAL
PAPERS |
No.
of items |
|
A1. |
Autobiographical
material : H.J.B. 1856‑1896 |
|
|
A1.1 |
1856‑1878: |
|
|
|
Early
life in England until departure for South Africa in September 1878. MS |
1 |
|
A1.2 |
Life
in South Africa from 179 until the Jameson Raid trials in 1896. MS |
1 |
|
A1.3‑A1.16 |
Rough
autobiographical notes. MS |
14 |
|
A1.17 |
Letter
from H.J.B's granddaughter, Aldyth Scott, 20.12.61, with further
biographical information. MS |
1 |
|
A2 |
Diaries |
|
|
A2.1‑A2.56 |
Diaries
for 1878, 1881, 1884 and 1886‑1936 (1904 missing). |
56 |
|
A3 |
Anglo
Boer War material ‑ passes and permits. Lectures given by H.J.B. in
England. 1896‑1922 |
|
|
A3.1‑A3.15 |
South
African passes and permits issued to H.J.B. mainly during Anglo Boer War
period 1896‑1900 |
15 |
|
A3.16 |
Recommendation
from troop commander on board S.S. Dilwara, sailing Southampton to Cape
Town, 6 May 1902. |
1 |
|
A3.17 |
Letter
from General Secretary of Baptist Union of S. Africa certifying H.J.B. as
eligible for ship fare concession. 1922. |
1 |
|
A3.18 |
Publishers'
blurb with press notices for "Pretoria from Within" by H.J.B.
1900. |
1 |
|
A3.19‑A3.25 |
Notices
of lectures given in England in 1900 by H.J.B. about the Anglo Boer War. |
7 |
|
A4 |
Tributes,
Invitations, Programmes, Certificate. |
|
|
A4.1‑A4.3 |
Tribute
to H.J.B. from Pretoria gaol prisoners, 5.6.1900. Lists of prisoners. |
3 |
|
A4.4 |
Appreciation
from Claremont Municipality with Corporate Seal, 10.3.1911. |
1 |
|
A4.5‑A4.6 |
Memorial
sermon preached by the Reverend Charles Garratt of the Cape Town Baptist
Church at H.J.B's funeral. January 1937. |
2 |
|
A4.7 |
Card
announcing marriage of H.J.B. and Mary Georgina Pilkington Rawbone, 12
September 1881. |
1 |
|
A4.8 |
Card
in memory of Sarah Susannah Rawbone, mother‑in-law of H.J.B.
23.12.1891. |
1 |
|
A4.9 |
Notice
of death of Arthur Charles Batts (brother)‑ 1922. |
1 |
|
A4.10‑A4.12 |
Assorted
invitations. |
3 |
|
A4.13 |
Claremont
Debating Society syllabus for 1907. |
1 |
|
A4.14‑A4.18 |
R.M.S.
Tantallon Castle ‑ voyage Cape Town to Southampton, November 1900.
List of passengers and crew, programmes of events, menu. |
5 |
|
A4.19 |
Cambridge
University Certificate awarded to Dorothy E. Batts. December 1906. |
1 |
|
A5.
A5.1‑A5.99 |
Invoices,
Receipts, Bank statements, 30.8.1898‑29.8.1935. |
99 |
|
A5.100 |
Rosette
and coat of arms ‑ probably commemorating Queen Victoria's 60th
anniversary. |
1 |
|
A5.101 |
Small
pencil sketch of H.J.B. |
1 |
|
B. |
CORRESPONDENCE |
|
|
|
(In
alphabetical order) |
|
|
B1.1‑B1.2 |
Abe
Bailey, in London, to H.J.B's daughter, Mrs. Handley, about her father.
15.8.1935. Abe Bailey, in Muizenberg, to H.J.B. 31.1.1936. MSS. |
2 |
|
B1.3 |
General
Botha, Pretoria. Telegram 27.5.1910. |
1 |
|
B1.4‑B1.5 |
Farrar,
Bedford Farm. 27.2.1908. Farrar Bros., Johannesburg. 1.2.1910. TSS. |
2 |
|
B1.6‑B1.7 |
David
Grucey, Caledon. 21.4.1887; Pastor's College, Newington, England.
15.6.1892. MSS. |
2 |
|
B1.8‑B1.12 |
Lord
Roberts on H.J.B's marriage. 30.9.1881. Lord Roberts, Machadadorp.
12.9.1900. Lord Roberts, Pretoria. 6.10.1900 ‑ after reading
'Pretoria from Within during the War' by H.J.B. p.p. Lord Roberts (N.V.
Cowan), Pretoria. 10.10.1900. Lord Roberts, A.D.C., War Office, Pall Mall.
21.4.1901. |
5 |
|
B1‑13‑B1.15 |
Charlie
Spurgeon, Spurgeon's Orphan Homes, London. 30.9.24, 25.12.24, 13.09.26.
MSS. |
3 |
|
B1.16‑B1.17 |
Strange,
Pretoria. Telegrams. 4.2.1907, 11.3.1908. |
2 |
|
B1.18‑B1.21 |
Waterval
Camp for prisoners of war – Correspondence in connection with his visits
to the camp, between H.J.B. and the office of the Commission for the
guarding of Prisoners of War. Pretoria, March 1900. MSS. |
4 |
|
|
CORRESPONDENCE |
|
|
|
(In
chronological order) |
|
|
B1.22‑B1.83 |
Includes
single letters, calling cards, etc.1880‑1930. MSS and TSS. |
62 |
|
C. |
WRITINGS |
|
|
C1. |
Articles
and Papers. |
|
|
C1.1 |
The
Claremont Literary Society ‑ Opening of Session 1907. MS |
1 |
|
C1.2 |
Edgar
Allan Poe. August 1908. MS. |
1 |
|
C1.3 |
England
in 1685 ‑ Macaulay. MS. |
1 |
|
C1.4 |
The
First Steamboat Voyage on American Waters.MS. |
1 |
|
C1.5 |
For
the Guild at the Wesleyan Church, Wynberg. 11 May 1910. MS. |
1 |
|
C1.6 |
The
History of English Literature. 3 June 1908.MS. |
1 |
|
C1.7 |
Humours
of a lecturing tour in England. 1900‑02. Paper given 11 May 1915.
MS. |
1 |
|
C1.8 |
Recollections
and Forecasts of the Transvaal Ministry. MS. |
1 |
|
C1.9 |
Religious
Mysticism or "The Shakers of the New Forest". MS. |
1 |
|
C1.10 |
Reminiscences
of 35 years in South Africa. Lecture given in Durban; 20 May, 1914. MS. |
1 |
|
C1.11 |
Indexed
notebook of various subjects, including poetry, extracts, quotations, etc.
MS. |
1 |
|
C2 |
Sermons
and notes for sermons. |
|
|
C2.1 |
Service
held by H.J.B. for the Jameson Raid political prisoners in the Pretoria
Gaol. 17 May 1896. MS. |
1 |
|
C2.2 |
Address
by H.J.B. to the prisoners after the service on 17.5.1896. MS. |
|
|
C2.3 |
H.J.B's
own account of the service he conducted in the Pretoria gaol on 17.5.1896
and his meeting with Colonel Bettington, one of the prisoners. MS. |
1 |
|
C2.4‑C2.34 |
Notes
for sermons and lectures. MSS. |
31 |
|
C2.35 |
Notebook
recording place, date and subject of sermons given by H.J.B.
1875‑1935. MS. |
1 |
|
C3 |
Poems
and Hymns. |
|
|
C3.1 |
"To
a Friend" signed C.J.T. 12 September 1906. MS. |
1 |
|
C3.2‑C3.2.1 |
'To
the Reverend H.J. Batts on his seventy sixth birthday' signed C. Garratt.
12.9.1932. TSS. |
2 |
|
C3.3‑C3.5 |
Poems.
MSS. (possibly by H.J.B.) After the War; How we spent a week at Eikeboom7
With apologies to Rudyard Kipling ‑ 'The Absent minded Beggar'. |
3 |
|
C3.6 |
Hymn
for the War. MS. Incomplete. |
1 |
|
C3.7 |
Hymn
for the War. Words by Mrs. L. Baillie; Music by Hugh Peyton. Publication
for sale – proceeds to the War Fund. |
1 |
|
C3.8 |
Eternal
in the Heavens ‑ poem. |
1 |
|
C3.9‑C3.9.1 |
He
Leadeth Me. TSS. Note in H.J.B's writing 'Sent to me by the Joliffes when
in the Nursing Home, Durban 1925‑26'. |
2 |
|
C3.10 |
'Sent
from the Transvaal ‑ Six Xmas Carols for children' by Antonia Edith
Corelli Green. Pretoria, October 1899. Publication for sale. |
1 |
|
C3.11 |
'Vision
of a Frosty Northern Night'by Helen Shepstone. |
|
|
MS. |
1 |
|
|
C3.12‑C3.15 |
Miscellaneous
items including Xhosa to English translation exercises, a list of Xhosa
nouns and alphabet letters with equivalents in other scripts.MSS. |
4 |
|
D. |
BAPTIST
CHURCH AND OTHER RELIGIOUS MATERIAL |
|
|
D1. |
Baptist
Church material. 1840‑1922 |
|
|
D1.1‑D1.18 |
Includes
miscellaneous leaflets, programmes, etc. from churches in Cape Town,
Claremont, Durban, Grahamstown, Kingwilliamstown, Llandudno (Wales), Long
Sutton (England), Port Elizabeth. |
21 |
|
D2. |
Other
religious material 1893‑1920. |
|
|
D2.1‑D2.14 |
Includes
church services for Queen Victoria's 80th birthday in 1899 and
her death in 1901; a Military Thanksgiving Service after the
Anglo‑Boer War ended, in St. Alban's Cathedral, Pretoria, 10 June
1900; two anti‑Catholic pamphlets, etc. |
15 |
|
D3.1‑D3.17 |
Printing
blocks for his book "A History of the Baptist Church in South
Africa" by H.J. Batts, (BA 286 BATT ‑ 61/1645) |
17 |
|
E. |
NEWSPAPER
CLIPPINGS AND CONTEMPORARY PERIODICALS |
|
|
El. |
Albums
of Clippings. |
|
|
E1.1 |
Mainly
Baptist Church material, July 1880‑July 1882. |
1 |
|
E1.2 |
Mainly
H.J.B's activities during the Anglo‑Boer War. September 1900 ‑
March 1902. |
1 |
|
E2. |
Loose
clippings. |
|
|
E2.1‑E2.107 |
Concerning
H.J.B. 1882‑1931 |
107 |
|
E2.108‑E2.123 |
Poems
and hymns collected by H.J.B. |
21 |
|
E2.124‑E2.172
|
Concerning
Baptist Church and other religions, 1881‑1926. |
49 |
|
E2.173‑E2.178 |
Concerning
Anglo‑Boer War, 1899‑1901. |
6 |
|
E2.179‑E2.221 |
Miscellaneous,
1882‑1930's, mainly undated, including auction sale notice of
Pretoria erven in 1898 (E2.221) |
44 |
|
E3. |
Periodicals. |
|
|
E3.1 |
Matabeleland
News and Mining Record. 24.7.1894 |
1 |
|
E3.2‑E3.4 |
Matabele
Times and Mining Journals of 10 Aug. 1894; 24 Aug. 1894; 21 Sept. 1894. |
3 |
|
E3.5‑E3.6 |
The
South African Baptist. Jan.1913, Oct.1913. |
2 |
|
E3.7 |
The
Veldt, Vol.l, No.l. June 1900. |
1 |
|
E3.8‑E3.10 |
The
Veld, July 1903; Xmas Number 1903; Feb. 1904. |
3 |
|
E3.11 |
The
Illustrated London News, Feb.23, 1952 – Death of George V1 of England. |
1 |
|
F. |
PHOTOGRAPHS
AND PICTURES. |
|
|
F1. |
Photographs. |
|
|
F1.1‑F1.12 |
The
Rev. H.J. Batts' family, relations, homes. |
12 |
|
F1.13‑F1.17 |
Mr
Harry Abraham's family and home, 'Vectis', in Newport, England. |
5 |
|
F1.18‑F1.26 |
Anglo‑Boer
War. |
|
|
F1.18‑F1.19 |
Field
Marshall Lord Roberts, signed, Pretoria 10 Oct.1900 and General Piet
Joubert. |
2 |
|
F1.20‑F1.26 |
A
Boer Commando, the Waterval prisoner‑of‑war camp near Pretoria
and Pretoria in 1900, showing the hoisting of the British flag and Field
Marshall Lord Roberts' headquarters ‑ all used to illustrate Rev.
Batts' book, "Pretoria from Within, during the War". (BA 968.691
BATT) |
7 |
|
F1.27‑F1.32 |
Additional
Pretoria photographs, circa 1900, mainly of Church Square and the
Raadsaal. See reverse of some for other Pretoria scenes. |
6 |
|
F1.33‑F1.44 |
Baptist
Church personalities and buildings. |
12 |
|
F1.45‑F1.55 |
Miscellaneous
photographs, including early view of Simonstown from Redhill (F1.45);
Cecil Rhodes with a group in the garden behind Groote Schuur (F1.46);
members of the Cape Town Municipal staff at a picnic at Hout Bay, 1898
(F1.55) |
11 |
|
F2. |
Albums. |
|
|
F2.1 |
"Maritzburg
1921 ‑ A few personalities". |
1 |
|
F2.2 |
Mainly
scenes and buildings in England. |
1 |
|
F2.3‑F2.11 |
Loose
pictures from F2.2 plus one picture of Edinburgh |
9 |
|
F3. |
MacKinney
Cartoons. |
|
|
F3.1‑F3.15 |
Drawings
by H.W. MacKinney of prominent Cape personalities 1912. Include General
Christiaan Beyers, Mr. C.L. Botha, the Hon. Chas.P. Crewe, Sir J. Percy
Fitzpatrick, Sir David Harris, Sir L.S. Jameson, Sir Henry Juta, the Hon.
F.S. Malan, the Hon. John X. Merriman, Field‑Marshall Lord Methuen,
Sir Lionel Phillips, C.L. Robinson, J.H. Schoeman, James Searle, Sir
Thomas Smartt. (Duel. of Sir Percy Fitzpatrick). In alphabetical order. |
16 |
|
F4 |
Leather
wallet with silver decoration and initials H.J.B. |
1 |