As we have seen, William Battle and his second wife, Mary, were eager to increase their contact with the Listers of Shibden Hall. Letters went backwards and forwards between the two households as William encouraged Mary, in her role as social hostess, to impress the Listers.
In her letters to them she appeared to be a gregarious, fun-loving woman, always ready to fill her house with guests. Welton Hall became a much-visited place and even the village itself was given a radiant gloss as Mary endeavoured to tempt the Listers with invitations to the Battle home.
Return visits to Shibden Hall were greatly prized by the aspiring couple and eventually we find Mary Battle thanking James Lister (senior)for their stay at Shibden Hall and reminding the family to remember they would always have a home at Welton Hall. [26.11.1777. Ref. SH: 7/LL/ 230.] At this point, Rebecca Battle would have been seven years old and her future husband, Captain Jeremy Lister, twenty-five years old.
On the 22nd of July 1778, another effusive letter arrived at Shibden Hall from Mary, listing the gaieties they had and repeating her invitation to the Listers to come to Welton. [Ref.SH: 7/LL/231.]
Later William is lamenting that there is ‘… no message that you are coming to Welton. We have four beds at your service and we will endeavour to make your stay agreeable.’ The letter was signed, I am, dear Sir, your obedient humble servant.’ [23.7. 1778. Ref, SH: 7/LL/233.]
As the years passed, the young Rebecca Lister was growing into young womanhood. We find her, at the age of sixteen and, presumably on her own, on a visit to Shibden Hall. Her father writes to James Lister (senior) ‘I beg she may not stay beyond the time appointed for school again.’[3.7. 1786. Ref. SH: 7/ LL/261.]
Throughout Rebecca’s childhood and adolescence, Ensign Jeremy Lister was engaged in pursuing his career in the army. At the age of twenty-two he was in America, fighting in the Battle of Lexington, the opening act of that great drama – the American War of Independence. He received a severe wound from the impact of a musket ball which shattered his elbow in one arm and had to retire from the battle. On the 16th December 1775, he left for England, newly promoted to Lieutenant in recognition of his courageous conduct, and provided with a new post as recruiting officer.
Jeremy now had his sights set on a captaincy but this would have to be bought. His family, though not over-wealthy, raised a thousand pounds (in today’s money, the equivalence of £160,000) for the purchase of this commission and by 1778 his ambition was realised. Captain Jeremy Lister became his military title and with this he rested content for the duration of his army career.
During 1787, the health of Jeremy Lister, senior, had begun to deteriorate. He was in his seventy-fourth year and suffering greatly from rheumatism. At the beginning of 1788, his eldest son, James, became concerned enough to recall Captain Jeremy Lister from London and their sister, Anne, from Hull where she had apparently been visiting friends of the Battle family, for Mary Battle accompanied Anne home to Shibden Hall. James, in his diary of his father’s last illness and death, made the following entry on 8th February 1788: ‘Sister Anne and Mrs Battle came to dinner. [My father] knew them both & seem’d pleased to see them.’
Two days later, Jeremy (senior) died. On 15th February the funeral took place and he was buried in the family vault inside the medieval Halifax Parish Church of St John the Baptist. Mary Battle left Shibden for Welton the following day.
James Lister was now the owner of the Shibden estates. The old era was over and the younger Lister men were in charge of their own destinies with no parental hand to either guide or stay them. At the time of Jeremy senior’s death the remaining family consisted of the three unmarried brothers, James, in his fortieth year; Joseph, aged thirty-seven and thirty-five year old Jeremy, plus two unmarried sisters, Martha, twenty-five, and Anne who, at twenty-three, was the youngest of the family.
Four weeks after the death of their father, James and Jeremy left Shibden for York, where they attended a trial. They then travelled on to Welton, arriving there on 15th March and staying until the 3rd April. The intimation is that James had merely accompanied his brother to Welton, perhaps for support in the latter’s courtship of Rebecca. A telling phrase in a letter from Martha Lister to James gives some credibility to this theory. She wrote on 22nd March 1788, informing James that their Aunt Fawcett had paid a visit to Shibden Hall, curious to hear the outcome of the visit to Welton. …I believe she will be happy to hear of your return, not only for your safety but also for the expectation of being informed how my Bro. Captain has gone on.’ Obviously, Jeremy was successful in his marriage bid for the ill-matched couple were married on the 2nd August 1788 at St Helen’s Church, Welton.
The Road Less Travelled
As we have seen, William Battle and his second wife, Mary, were eager to increase their contact with the Listers of Shibden Hall. Letters went backwards and forwards between the two households as William encouraged Mary, in her role as social hostess, to impress the Listers.
In her letters to them she appeared to be a gregarious, fun-loving woman, always ready to fill her house with guests. Welton Hall became a much-visited place and even the village itself was given a radiant gloss as Mary endeavoured to tempt the Listers with invitations to the Battle home.
Return visits to Shibden Hall were greatly prized by the aspiring couple and eventually we find Mary Battle thanking James Lister (senior)for their stay at Shibden Hall and reminding the family to remember they would always have a home at Welton Hall. [26.11.1777. Ref. SH: 7/LL/ 230.] At this point, Rebecca Battle would have been seven years old and her future husband, Captain Jeremy Lister, twenty-five years old.
On the 22nd of July 1778, another effusive letter arrived at Shibden Hall from Mary, listing the gaieties they had and repeating her invitation to the Listers to come to Welton. [Ref.SH: 7/LL/231.]
Later William is lamenting that there is ‘… no message that you are coming to Welton. We have four beds at your service and we will endeavour to make your stay agreeable.’ The letter was signed, I am, dear Sir, your obedient humble servant.’ [23.7. 1778. Ref, SH: 7/LL/233.]
As the years passed, the young Rebecca Lister was growing into young womanhood. We find her, at the age of sixteen and, presumably on her own, on a visit to Shibden Hall. Her father writes to James Lister (senior) ‘I beg she may not stay beyond the time appointed for school again.’[3.7. 1786. Ref. SH: 7/ LL/261.]
Throughout Rebecca’s childhood and adolescence, Ensign Jeremy Lister was engaged in pursuing his career in the army. At the age of twenty-two he was in America, fighting in the Battle of Lexington, the opening act of that great drama – the American War of Independence. He received a severe wound from the impact of a musket ball which shattered his elbow in one arm and had to retire from the battle. On the 16th December 1775, he left for England, newly promoted to Lieutenant in recognition of his courageous conduct, and provided with a new post as recruiting officer.
Jeremy now had his sights set on a captaincy but this would have to be bought. His family, though not over-wealthy, raised a thousand pounds (in today’s money, the equivalence of £160,000) for the purchase of this commission and by 1778 his ambition was realised. Captain Jeremy Lister became his military title and with this he rested content for the duration of his army career.
During 1787, the health of Jeremy Lister, senior, had begun to deteriorate. He was in his seventy-fourth year and suffering greatly from rheumatism. At the beginning of 1788, his eldest son, James, became concerned enough to recall Captain Jeremy Lister from London and their sister, Anne, from Hull where she had apparently been visiting friends of the Battle family, for Mary Battle accompanied Anne home to Shibden Hall. James, in his diary of his father’s last illness and death, made the following entry on 8th February 1788: ‘Sister Anne and Mrs Battle came to dinner. [My father] knew them both & seem’d pleased to see them.’
Two days later, Jeremy (senior) died. On 15th February the funeral took place and he was buried in the family vault inside the medieval Halifax Parish Church of St John the Baptist. Mary Battle left Shibden for Welton the following day.
James Lister was now the owner of the Shibden estates. The old era was over and the younger Lister men were in charge of their own destinies with no parental hand to either guide or stay them. At the time of Jeremy senior’s death the remaining family consisted of the three unmarried brothers, James, in his fortieth year; Joseph, aged thirty-seven and thirty-five year old Jeremy, plus two unmarried sisters, Martha, twenty-five, and Anne who, at twenty-three, was the youngest of the family.
Four weeks after the death of their father, James and Jeremy left Shibden for York, where they attended a trial. They then travelled on to Welton, arriving there on 15th March and staying until the 3rd April. The intimation is that James had merely accompanied his brother to Welton, perhaps for support in the latter’s courtship of Rebecca. A telling phrase in a letter from Martha Lister to James gives some credibility to this theory. She wrote on 22nd March 1788, informing James that their Aunt Fawcett had paid a visit to Shibden Hall, curious to hear the outcome of the visit to Welton. …I believe she will be happy to hear of your return, not only for your safety but also for the expectation of being informed how my Bro. Captain has gone on.’ Obviously, Jeremy was successful in his marriage bid for the ill-matched couple were married on the 2nd August 1788 at St Helen’s Church, Welton.