| Admin_History | Leo Batley was born on 24 July 1891 in Norwich. On 7 September 1909 he joined the English Province of the Society of Jesus after studying at Mount St Mary's from 1902-1909.
After his first vows Batley did a year's Juniorate at Manresa, followed by three years philosophy at St Mary's Hall (1912-1915). Following this he was sent to Oxford to read English and took a second class in Mods in 1917. His studies were interrupted by a year's teaching at Stamford Hill, after which he returned to Oxford and gained a third class in English in 1920.
After one more year at Stamford Hill, Batley went for theology to St Bueno's where he was ordained on 23 September 1923, following his M.A. in 1922. After theology, he taught at Stamford Hill for a year and then went to Tullamore for his tertianship (1926-1927). Following his tertianship Batley was sent to Glasgow, where he was to work for the next thirty-four years.
In Glasgow, in 1927, Fr Batley came on the teaching staff of St Aloysius' College as principal teacher of English, and was responsible for its syllabus throughout the school and for the presentation of pupils for the Scottish Leaving Certificate. In addition to this role, Fr Batley was also responsible for the school magazine, of which he was editor (1928-1937), and for organising the school plays, the list of plays which Fr Batley has to his credit is notable as much for variety as for length.
During his time in Glasgow Fr Batley was chaplain to The Boys' Sodality (which he also directed for sixteen years), The Catholic Students' Sodality (of which he was spiritual director between 1947-1961), the Catholic Teachers' Guild, the Marian Players, the Catholic Social Guild, and Glasgow University Catholic Students.
Fr Batley ceased to be principal teacher of English at St Aloysius' College when he became the first Warden of John Ogilvie Hall, Langside, in August 1954. For one year after being appointed Warden Fr Batley continued his teaching at St Aloysius' College, before retiring from that role.
In 1961 his health started declining, and his memory, in particular, was failing. As a result of his declining health Fr Batley was moved to Craighead Retreat House. In August [1963] he had an emergency operation for a strangulated hernia, as a result he needed constant nursing and it was a providential decision to move him to St Mary's Hospital in Lanark, where the Sisters of Charity nursed him in his last three months. In his last three weeks he became confined to bed and sclerosis of the brain made conversation impossible.
Fr Leo Batley died on 28 December 1963. |