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The sporting world has lost one of the last of the old-school greats with the death on 1 September of John Batley, shooting writer, pigeon shooter, fisherman, businessman, car enthusiast, wine connoisseur, former director of the Gun Trade Association, family man, friend and all-round bon oeuf.
I knew John for more than 30 years, having met him when I joined Shooting Times in the early 1990s. We had some tremendous adventures from decoying geese in Saskatchewan, an adventure that ended up in Worth Mathewson’s book Waterfowling; Best Days, to the hilarity of running the Shooting Times stand at The Game Fair for much of the 90s, an event that was hilarious and exhausting in equal measure. One memory in particular comes courtesy of filming the second Shooting Times Pigeon Shooting video in Herefordshire while murder squad detectives hunted for a serial killer’s victims in the adjoining field to our set-up.
Motor racing and a life of travel
John had a rich and adventurous life away from the shooting world. Born in 1940 to Charles Gurson Batley, a prominent solicitor and Grace Lucy Batley, one of the first female pharmacists in the UK, he began his working life at age 16 in the building trade, taking on a number of roles including bread van driver, wine delivery driver and work for an agricultural merchant in Essex. However, motorsports were to take up the next decade. Following a job as a garage hand in 1962, he joined racing engine manufacturer Holbay Engineering in Suffolk and worked there until 1964. After that came a year in France with Paris Rallye Autosport followed by a stint as an independent racing mechanic working around the world. He was with the legendary Frank Williams until 1967 and then took a detour into retail, opening a London shop selling decorative Portuguese marble. However, motorsport soon drew him back as builder and driver of car number 42 in the legendary 1970 London to Mexico World Cup Rally. John made a respectable showing at the event, making it to Peru.
Undaunted, he made a solo winter drive from Lima to Buenos Aires, under treacherous conditions, ending up working for Ford Racing in Buenos Aires until 1972. A series of travels followed with John arriving back in London teaching English, interpreting and managing a number of enterprises followed by a stint with Universal Video Games in Japan.
Pigeon decoying, Shooting Times and the Gun Trade Association
In 1979, he met Caroline Holt at a dinner party in Frant, East Sussex. Caroline remembers being charmed by John and then being disappointed a couple of weeks later when he telephoned her, not with a hoped-for dinner invitation, but with a job offer. Nonetheless in 1982 the couple married and together renovated a beautiful Cotswolds house. In 1984, John set up John Batley Crop Protection, and began writing about pigeon decoying for Shooting Times – he taught and wrote about the craft until 1999. In 1998, he spent three months travelling around the United States researching snow goose migration patterns and from 1999 to 2018 served as director of the Gun Trade Association.
Fishing, friends and family
In retirement, John took up fishing with his usual verve and could be found on the banks of the Wye almost every week with his good friend Peter Martineau. He adored Scotland and loved spending time with his friend Simon MacGillivray and fishing the Tay.
John brought a lot of fun and enjoyment into many people’s lives and our friend, the writer Worth Mathewson remembers: “I, along with my wife, Marge, feel fortunate to have spent time with John on several occasions. First was more than 30 years ago when we hosted John Gregson and John hunting geese in Saskatchewan. A few years later John came by himself and we hunted snow geese in Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Then there was a trip that John, Marge, and I took to Northern Ireland to hunt golden plover over decoys. Our last time together was when he joined me in the high desert of eastern Oregon for pheasant, quail, and chukar. We hunted on a large cattle ranch with real cowboys. John was in full British shooting attire, which the cowboys found more than just interesting, especially that he was wearing a tie. We always had very good times with John and we will miss him greatly.”
Above all of these adventures, John loved his family; wife Caroline, children James and Katie and grandchildren Elsie-Jean, Rex and Hugo; he was so looking forward to meeting granddaughter Penelope, due at the end of October.
I was proud to call John my friend as were so many other people; the world is not quite as bright without him.
A tribute from Edward King, GTA Council member
In 1999, John became Director of the Gun Trade Association, and continued the modernisation which had been started by his predecessor, Brian Carter. During his nearly 20 years in the role, John developed close links with the gun trade, both at home and abroad, as well as with numerous governing authorities, such as the Home Office, the Department of Trade and the Association of Chief Police Officers. He was known for his quiet manner and charm, but he was both uncompromising and determined when it came to defending and protecting the interests of the trade and sport. After retiring in 2018, John became a keen fisherman and would regularly be seen on the riverbank with a rod in his hand. He died peacefully on 1 September, having suffered for some years with cancer. The gun trade has lost one of its most passionate champions.
Frequently asked questions
Who was John Batley?
John Batley (5 April 1940 to 1 September 2026) was a shooting writer and pigeon decoying specialist who wrote for Shooting Times from 1984 to 1999, and served as director of the Gun Trade Association from 1999 to 2018. Earlier in life he was a racing mechanic and drove in the 1970 London to Mexico World Cup Rally.
How long was John Batley director of the Gun Trade Association?
He was director of the Gun Trade Association from 1999 to 2018, nearly 20 years, succeeding Brian Carter and continuing the modernisation Carter had started.
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