Horace Batten

Horace Lampard Batten (17 June 1912 – 7 December 2014) was an English shoemaker and bootmaker, who supplied a wide variety of celebrities, royalty, service personnel and others over a career spanning many decades.

Family and early years

Horace Lampard Batten was born on 17 June 1912, the only child of Horace Batten. At the age of 25 he took over the business from his father.

Second World War

During the Second World War the demand for cavalry boots and other riding boots took second place to other types of footwear more important to the war effort. Batten produced deck boots for submarine crews based on boots used by Norwegian fishermen, and boots for the Women's Land Army using soles made from industrial leather belting. The King sent Batten a letter thanking him for his contribution to the war effort. and Harvey Smith, members of various royal families, and the wife of carmaker André Citroën. He also produced a pair of size 14 black wax calf jackboots for Dave Prowse to wear when playing Darth Vader in the Empire Strikes Back film.

Batten married Barbara Harris in 1939; she died in 1997. Batten made his last pair of boots at the age of 99, and handed over the running of the business to his son Timothy and granddaughter Emma. Batten died on 7 December 2014.