Mora Bertha Emma Batts
Mora Bertha Emma Batts was born on 29 January 1892 in Richmond, Surrey, her father, Henry, was 36, and her mother, Mary, was 33. She lived in Bournemouth, Hampshire, in 1901 and moved to Surrey sometime between 1901 and 1918. She married Archibald Sidney Handley in October 1917 in her hometown. They had two children during their marriage.Mora also served in the military in 1914 when she was 22 years old.
Top Row: Dorothy E. Batts (Hill), Mora Bertha E. Batts (Handley), Lois Georgina Batts (Thomson).
Middle Row: Hilda Batts (Buchanan), Hilda’s daughter, Sarah (Sally) Shaw Rawbone (McNab), William George Rawbone, Mary Georgina Pilkington Rawbone (Batts), Radstock Bein Hagart McNab.
Bottom Row: James Buchanan, Winfred Buchanan, Reverend Henry James Batts.
Archibald Sidney Handley – 1896–1964
Archibald Sidney Handley was born in 1896 in Kingston Upon Thames, Surrey, his father, George, was 43 and his mother, Fanny, was 43. He married Mora Bertha Emma Batts in October 1917 in Richmond, Surrey. They had two children during their marriage. He died on 29 November 1964 in Simon’s Town, Western Cape, South Africa, at the age of 68. Archibald also served in the military (Honourable Artillery Company) in ~1914 – 1915 when he was 19 years old. See his sign up papers below swearing to King George 5th.
See below the passenger liner listing in 1955 – when he traveled from SA to Southampton for 4 months. It appears at the time he was a clerk at Std Bank
Henry James Batts – 1856–1937
Reverend Henry James Batts (Mora’s dad) was born in 1856 in England, his father, Charles, was 26 and his mother, Frances, was 23. He married Mary Georgina Pilkington Rawbone in Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa. They had one child during their marriage. He died in 1937 in South Africa at the age of 81.
His grave remains today in Wynberg
Baptist clergyman. Widower. Was President of the Baptist Union of the Cape Colony. Wrote “the Story of a 100 Years, 1820-1920, being the History of the Baptist Church in South Africa“. Resided at Copthorne, Baker Road, Wynberg, Cape Town. Died from arteriosclerosis and myocardial degeneration (Causes: include high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, and lifestyle choices like smoking and poor diet) at the Long Royd Nursing Home, Rondebosch. Oh – and here is the book in PDF if you want to read it 🙂
More details around the grave can be found here
Mary Georgina Pilkington Rawbone (Henry’s wife)
Birth 1859 • South Africa Cape Town
Death NOVEMBER 18, 1935 • South Africa Cape Town
Mary Georgina Pilkington Rawbone was born in 1859 in South Africa, her father, William, was 25, and her mother, Sarah, was 29. She married Henry James Batts in Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa. They had one child during their marriage. She died on 18 November 1935 in her hometown at the age of 76, and was buried in Wynberg (Plumstead), Western Cape, South Africa
Looks like she died of colon cancer in Volks hospital in Gardens CT (now a Medi-clinic) – see death certificate below.
That takes us onto
William George Rawbone
Birth AUGUST 5, 1834 • Birmingham, Warwickshire, England
Death NOVEMBER 4, 1919 • Cape Town, Cape Province, South Africa
William George Rawbone was born on 5 August 1834 in Birmingham, Warwickshire, his father, William, was 25 and his mother, Sarah, was 19. He had one daughter with Sarah Susanah Baugust in 1859. He died on 4 November 1919 in Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa, having lived a long life of 85 years, and was buried in Maitland, Western Cape, South Africa.
A gun maker – you can still find people talking about his fine guns today – https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/threads/w-g-rawbone-cape-town-rifle-fowler.182050/
They seem to be auctioned off these days – https://www.holtsauctioneers.com/asp/fullcatalogue.asp?salelot=A0915++++522+&refno=+++91434
Estimate £3,500-£4,500 (R105,500.00)