Comments on: At A E Batchelor Ltd, Saddlers

By: John

John — Fri, 08 Jan 2021 18:34:15 +0000

I worked with John Batchelor at Bliss & Co in Sun st, our Master Saddler was Mr Stan Wall,
John I think had come from Cordwainers, one of his projects was making a miniature saddle, I think to go on display in the Epping shop,
I am 68 now John was a little older than me, i remember he always seemed to be laughing, I have had a varied career, but now Ive come back to leather-crafting making Archery Quivers with Pyro artwork on them,
John if you remember me {I’m also John} that trained under Stan, Do you remember Hillary who was also there, and do you remember whilst making that Minature you caught your hand on the sanding machine {Grins} Do You remember Ted the old guy that was on the right of us behind some shelving all ways with that tiny stub of cigarette in his lips, and the day he dropped a flat Iron on his toes…………………..If this doesn’t get to John Batchelor can someone forward it for me

By: Jenny Townsend

Jenny Townsend — Thu, 28 Jan 2016 19:20:21 +0000

What a brilliant article, has brought back lots of fantastic memories of when I worked for John from 1975-1987. Glad to see the family business still doing well in Essex.

By: Gwenn Weatherill

Gwenn Weatherill — Thu, 28 Jan 2016 11:36:25 +0000

I remember the shop in Epping very well. I first took my daughter there when she started riding
back in 1981 and used to buy all her boots and jodhpurs and the staff were always very helpfull.

By: Jenny Pugh

Jenny Pugh — Tue, 26 Jan 2016 16:57:33 +0000

I remember John Batchelor well, such a nice family and hard working, I recognise the girls behind the counter in the photo with John. He also used to come to the Sports Centre in Epping where I worked in the 1980’s. We used to take our shoe and handbag repairs there. John always had the time to chat to his customers. Glad he is still carrying on in his barn. He knew my family (the farming family of Nunn’s) on Copt Hall.

By: Karen Ring

Karen Ring — Mon, 24 Aug 2015 16:10:31 +0000

What a lovely reading, I especially enjoyed the photo’s. I remember the Epping Shop well, with Mr Batchelor snr and his son. All my jodhpurs, jackets and stuff for my horse was purchased from Epping!

By: Annie pye

Annie pye — Sat, 22 Aug 2015 17:00:15 +0000

I was taken to Batchelors in 1958 and when I was old enough to go alone I always shopped there for everything I wanted. Old Mr. Batchelor and his lovely lady wife were always marvellous to their customers. I bought my first saddle there and still have it. wonderful place. wonderful people.

By: kristine dillon

kristine dillon — Fri, 21 Aug 2015 05:45:39 +0000

Beautiful photos, especially the images of the John Batchelor’s hands. Loved too, the close up images of the perfectly stitched saddle. Here’s to fine craftsmanship.

By: armier

armier — Thu, 20 Aug 2015 15:24:44 +0000

It’s always a pleasure to read an intelligent piece on ‘makers’.

It made me think, it’s a shame we don’t really have enough words for them (eg versus ‘artists’), because there’s a lot of ‘artistry’ and ‘dignity’ at work here.

Coincidentally, I was hearing about ‘How Art Became Irrelevant’ which made an extra good bookend to this piece on the Batchelors.

Thanks again, secret writer; what you do is very much appreciated.

* via NPR about a Williams College professor, Michael J. Lewis and his article in Commentary Magazine

By: Richard

Richard — Thu, 20 Aug 2015 14:24:37 +0000

…can almost smell that leather!

By: Paul Vosper

Paul Vosper — Thu, 20 Aug 2015 13:50:35 +0000

Interesting to see the picture of “the machine for splitting leather straps”. I have one of these inherited from my Father. I believe it was called a “Sciver”