Designer Biography

Henry W Batley

Born: Before 1872

Died: After 1910

See items in our stock by Henry W Batley

A pupil of Talbert, Batley designed furniture for Collinson & Lock, including a chair shown in Philadelphia in 1876 and an elaborate drawing room illustrated in Decoration in 1884. He designed the interiors for Doulton's terracotta house at the Paris Exhibition of 1878 which were carried out by Shoolbred & Co. (an intricately decorated piano for Shoolbred is now in the Victoria and Albert Museum) and a cabinet for Henry Ogden & Son of Manchester. He was awarded the cross of the Legion d'Honneur, probably for his contribution to the Paris Exhibition. Batley's Series of Studies for Domestic Furniture Decoration Etc. (1883), while showing the influence of Talbert, also betrays a reliance on Godwin and Jeckyll. He designed wallpapers for Jeffrey & Co., as well as textiles and carpets. In 1873 Arthur Silver became his apprentice. Batley founded the Guild of Decorators Syndicate Ltd. in 1908 with the stated aim of working in close association with commercial manufacturers, unlike the utopian Arts and Crafts guilds.