- Born in Whitby, the son of a boot and shoe shop proprietor. Dick married Margaret Main in South Shields 1901 and lived at the Boot and shoe shop until 1905, when his theatrical work took him to Birmingham then Liverpool and finally Wallasey in 1911. He was always involved in amateur theatrics, focusing on the variety/revue genre and appeared as a comedian, straight man and cast member. His first notable professional engagement was with “Roker Perriots” in 1900, when the cast included stars to be Harry Weldon and Bert Weston. At the commencement of the First World War, he interspersed his Army service with writing and wrote his first revue “Laughs and Ladies” for Harry Russell - it was an instant success.

From then on, he was commissioned to write and produce revues for many well-known stage personalities. His shows included; “The Kellys and the Cohens”, “Mr Mustard’s Millions” and “On Velvet” written for the famous Tyneside comedian Wal Langtry (this also featured his famous song “Wheel Him In” written by Dick Batch which has copyright entries both here and America).

The Derby Castle Theatre in the Isle of Man was home for a number of years for his summer shows “Oceans of Joy”, “Oceans of Notions” and the “Laugh Mixture”. During this time, he also wrote “The Spare Room” - a sketch featuring Jimmy James, which has appeared on stage, on the radio and as a talkie (for which there was some discussion on copyright), “Ask Billy” - which Dick considered his best sketch, and “Peter Henery Brown” for Tessie O’Shea - which she considered one of the best songs in her repertoire.

Other stars he wrote for (and considered personal friends) were Gracie Fields, George Lacey, Hatton and Manners, Sid Field, Rob Wilton and Joe Daniels.

In 1925, he and Margaret opened 'DICK BATCH MUSIC STORES' at 119 Borough Road Wallasey - a focus for musical interest in the area, including Liverpool - because of Margaret’s encyclopaedic knowledge of sheet music, until Jazz, Teddy Boys and Rock & Roll moved it to vinyl.

While Margaret managed the shop, Dick took charge at various times, as Manager-Producer of a number of theatres, the Argyle Birkenhead, Hippodrome Birkenhead and the Hippodrome Wallasey on Borough Road opposite the music shop (originally the Irving Theatre founded by Sir Henry Irving), whilst also acting as booking agent for JW Clarke Theatre owner.

One of the first revues he put on at the Hippodrome Wallasey, on its provincial tour, direct from the Garrick Theatre London, was ”West End Scandals” with the chief comedian of the show the very famous Tommy Trinder. One notable song he wrote was “The Daffodil Parade”, dedicated to the original Mersey Ferries ship Royal Daffodil, which he wrote in a review for the Wallasey Police Minstrels in 1923. It gained considerable popularity at the time.

He gave vent to his vast knowledge, experiences and contacts by writing articles on theatrical subjects for the trade magazines, including an annual contribution, which appeared in the Christmas numbers of the Performer for 20 years up until his death.

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Auction: Rock & Pop with Antiques & Collectors' Items (Liverpool), 7th Mar, 2024

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Tuesday 5th March 2024 from 10.00am to 5.30pm

The Liverpool Saleroom
18 Jordan Street
Liverpool
L1 0BP
0151 709 8070
liverpool@adampartridge.co.uk

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