The Tallent-Bateman Deeds

The collection comprises of deeds relating to Flixton and Shawton co Lancs, probably compiled by Charles Tallent Tallent-Bateman during the course of his career as a solicitor.

The solicitor and antiquary, Charles Tallent Bateman, was born at Old Trafford, Manchester, on 29 April 1852, the son of Ignatius W. Bateman and Elizabeth Bateman. The family was of Moravian faith, which derived from his ancestor, John Bateman (1772-1851) and his wife, Mary Agnes, daughter of the Moravian missionary Benjamin La Trobe of Ashton-under-Lyne, Lancashire. Charles was a cousin of the civil engineer and President of the Royal Society, John Frederic La Trobe Bateman (1810-89), who was involved in major construction projects for Glasgow and Manchester.

Charles Tallent Bateman was educated at Pannal College, Harrogate, and in Switzerland at the Pension Morave, and the Cantonal College before embarking on his studies at Owens College, Manchester. He entered the legal profession as a solicitor, and accepted a position with a leading firm in Bedfordshire. He removed to Staffordshire, and finally settled in Manchester in 1882. At some time before 1883, he had changed his name to Charles Tallent Tallent-Bateman. He practiced law in Manchester, and his chambers were located first at 24 Brown Street, Manchester, from 1885 and by 1891 he had removed to 64 Cross Street. By 1899, he had entered into a partnership with John Kenneth Thwaites based at 40 Brazenose Street, Manchester. It was at this address that the solicitors Tallent-Batemen and Thwaites practiced until 1907 when they were joined by William Henry Wood Menzies to form Tallent-Batemen, Thwaites, and Menzies. This partnership was dissolved in September 1913, and thereafter Tallent-Bateman continued to practice alone in Brazenose Street.

As a practicing solicitor, his legal specialisation was in the study of private legal evidences, such as deeds, of which he was said to have compiled a large collection. In addition, he was also an avid book collector and had assembled a private collection of 1,000 volumes by 1926. He became involved in the campaign to secure a public right of way over Kinder Scout in the Peak District: he addressed the law of trespass in an article in City News (1884), and was instrumental in the negotiations and in the formation of the Peak District and Northern Counties' Footpaths Preservation Society (1894). He served as the society's Chairman, and later as its Honorary Solicitor.

He wrote a number of papers on literary and artistic subjects for the Manchester Literary Club, to which he had been elected as a member (1883), and later served as President. He was also a poet, and submitted odes for publication by his Grand Lodge of Freemasons. He was President of the Manchester Association of Elocutionists, and was a gifted literary recitor, and also taught and gave lectures on the art of elocution. He was an active member of the Manchester Shakespeare Society, the Manchester Grand Lodge of Freemasons, and was also connected with the Manchester Young Men's Christian Association for many years. He had also taken a leading part in the Parliamentary Debating Societies of Manchester and Stretford. His interest in Manchester place-names and history led to his contribution of a series of articles on 'Manchester Street Lore' in the City News 'Notes and Queries' column during the 1880s.

He was one of the founder members of the Lancashire and Cheshire Antiquarian Society (1883), he served as a councillor (1886-1927), as Honorary President (1916-17), as Honorary Vice-President (1917-27), and was elected as an Honorary Member for his service to the society. He made frequent contributions to the society by giving lectures, by arranging excursions, also by making short contributions or papers on various subjects in the Transactions. His contributions considered topics such as 'Manchester Streets', 'Small Tithes in Manchester', and 'Humphrey Oldfield, a Salford benefactor' reflecting his interest in Manchester's history; and also illustrating his legal interests and expertise in articles such as 'Legal Documents of Title', 'Statutes Merchant and Statutes Staple, locally illustrated', 'On some Lancashire and Cheshire autographs', 'Ancient Lancashire and Cheshire local courts of civil and criminal jurisdiction', 'Notes on the ancient Court of Exchequer at Chester', and 'Lancastrians and Cestrians on the High Judicial Bench of England since the Conquest'. He suffered a stroke in May 1925, but he had regained most of his powers by January 1926 (as reported in the City News). He died, aged 74, on 16 January 1927, and was buried in the churchyard at Chapel-en-le-Frith on 19 January 1927. He was survived by his widow and four daughters.

There are no restrictions on access to this collection. Viewing is by prior appointment. Please contact archivist@chethams.org.uk.

Presented to Chetham's Library between 21 November and 18 December 1902 by C. T. Tallent-Bateman. The collection has no accession number.

• 'Bateman, John Frederic La Trobe (1810-1889)' (Peter Russell), The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, ed. H.C.G. Matthew (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004).
• A Century of Foothpath Preservation: The Centenary of the Peak and Northern Footpaths Society (Peak and Northern Footpaths Society, 1994).
• London Gazette, 10 Mar 1885; 19 Apr 1887; 24 Apr 1891; 15 Mar 1892; 10 Jul 1894; 18 Apr 1899; 16 Jan 1900; 11 Apr 1905; 2 Mar 1906; 2 Sep 1913; 8 Dec 1916; 31 Mar 1925.
• Obituary, Transactions of the Lancashire and Cheshire Antiquarian Society, 44 (1927), pp. 141-2.
• Manchester City News, 20 Sep 1913; 23 May 1925; 2 Jan 1926; 22 Jan 1927.
• Manchester Evening Chronicle, 18 Jan 1927; 19 Jan 1927.
• Tallent-Bateman, C.T., A Home Historical: Moor Park, Surrey.
• Tallent-Bateman, C.T., 'Coldhouse Chapel, Shudehill, Manchester', Transactions of the Lancashire and Cheshire Antiquarian Society, 8 (1890), pp. 129-34.
• Tallent-Bateman, C.T., 'Booth Hall, Blackley', Transactions of the Lancashire and Cheshire Antiquarian Society, 8 (1890), pp. 176-9.
• Tallent-Bateman, C.T., 'The Alexander Family of Manchester', Transactions of the Lancashire and Cheshire Antiquarian Society, 10 (1892), pp. 139-41.
• Tallent-Bateman, C.T., 'The Family of Humphrey Booth, founder of Salford Chapel', Transactions of the Lancashire and Cheshire Antiquarian Society, 27 (1909), pp. 115-44.
• Tallent-Bateman, C.T., 'Presidential Address: Archaic Language: Calligraphy obsolete', Transactions of the Lancashire and Cheshire Antiquarian Society, 34 (1916), pp. 246-8.
• Tallent-Bateman, C.T., City News, 27 Feb 1926.