Charles Battye (c.1810-1880)
Charles Battye[1] was the fulling miller at Bottoms Mill (also known as Harpin's Mill) in Austonley.
- not to be confused with Charles Batty (c.1814-1873) who was the fulling miller at Bilberry Mill, Austonley, and drawer of Bilberry Reservoir
Biography
He was married to Elizabeth and the couple had several children:
- George Battye (c.1830-1906)
- Mary Ann Battye (c.1832-1855)[2]
- Isaac Battye (c.1834-1887)
- Emma Battye (c.1835-1853)
- Grace Battye (c.1839-?)
- Hannah Maria Battye (c.1841-1902)[3]
- Isabella Battye (c.1844-?)
- Charles Battye (c.1845-1925)[4]
- Elizabeth Battye (1845-?)[5]
By 1871, he had moved from Bottoms Mill to Oldfield, Honley, where he was listed as a "farmer of 5 acres" in the census.
Charles Battye died on 19 May 1880 and was buried on 22 May at All Saints, Netherthong.
Holmfirth Flood of 1852
Battye appeared at the inquest and made a number of statements, which included his warnings to Joseph Dodd which unfortunately went unheeded:[6]
I was on the embankment of the reservoir about four o’clock in the afternoon of the 4th. I returned between five and six, and called in Water Street when I returned. I went to the house of Joseph Dodd, who lived next door to Eliza Marsden, one of the persons drowned. I had promised him to let him know what I thought about it. I had been told before I went that they had something in the shuttle. I told Dodd that the water was 50 feet deep, only 2 feet from running over, and if it continued raining he was to take care of himself. He said, “Nevermind, Charles.”
It was six o’clock when I called at Dodd’s. He said, “Tell old Shaw to keep a good fire, and I’ll be down in the morning.” Old Shaw keeps the fires up, and sleeps in the pan hole.
I live close to the mill, and sleep at home. I thought it would do no harm to us ; but I pre-pared the mill as well as I could. I removed the goods in the mill to where I thought they would stop. I went to bed at twelve, and was up again at half-past. I did not remove my own furniture. It was a yard high in my house, but 7 or 8 feet in the mill.
I did not think it would burst and come town all at once. I did not think about that.