1 Days never to be forgotten

Eliza Brazier Batt (1864–1926) wrote her life story sometime in 1917 or 1918 when she was 53 years old. It focuses primarily on her early life in England before she and her husband accepted the restored gospel, joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and immigrated to America. This is the third of nine installments (see Batt & Lee Ancestors, 3–5). Eliza was the mother of William B Batt (1888–1959) and the grandmother of Dorothy Batt Cleverly (1915–1982).

When 14, I was prepared for con­firmation, one of the most seri­ous things of my young life. Twice a week found me and 15 others in a class at the rectory, each one of us having to learn and recite the Apostolic Creed, the catechism, and the St. Athanasian Creed, and having to know so much about the Bible. At last the day arrived when I was to be con­firmed. I walked to the village church with my mistress. Not a word was spoken, this experi­ence being looked up­on as the most sacred thing in my young life. Clothed in a light dress and cap and veil, the gift of my mistress, I arrived at the church. The Bishop of Winchester officiated. Each of us took her place without a word as the organ pealed forth, "Onward, Christian Soldiers, Marching as to War." At the altar rail sat the bishop with his long white gown and large white sleeves. With a feel­ing of awe, I arose in my turn as we walked quietly two by two and knelt down in front of the bishop. How my heart rejoiced! I offered up a prayer that I might always be good. The choir sang—

Soldiers of Christ, arise and put your armor on
Strong in the strength which God sup­plies through his eternal Son.

Never will that day be forgotten. I was not allowed to work on that day. One of my schoolmates, a boy I had known all my life, brought me a lovely bunch of violets, which were taken away for fear my thoughts would be taken away from the serious­ness of my confirmation.

When 17, I left the rectory and went to London to be a kitchen maid in Sir Thomas Waller's family, where 14 servants were kept. My work was in the kit­chen under a French cook. Everything being strange, it took me some time to get used to the ways of the people. The house was a beauti­ful mansion in Eaton Square. My mistress Slessor and the Lady Waller had been girls in the same school and were very great friends—a word of recom­mendation gave me the situation.

Leaving the little country village, never having been in a large city before, I felt almost lost as I arrived at Vauxhall station. There was such a tremendous amount of traffic that my heart almost failed me. I had been told what to do before leaving home (my mother, having a perfect horror of my going to London but not wanting to hinder me from such a good situa­tion, parted from me with oft-repeated entreaties not to speak to strangers). After I ar­rived at Vaux­hall station, you can imagine how very shy and timid I was when up came a stately gentle­man inquiring if I were going to Sir Thomas Waller’s Eaton Square. A fine carriage was waiting; Lady Waller had sent the butler to meet me. He was very kind, point­ing out the places of interest as we drove along. At Eaton Square the carriage stopped at a stately man­sion and a livered servant came out and took my trunk. There among 13 other servants, the little country girl be­came a favorite.