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| Michael Asquith und Diana Battye, 1938. |
Am 5. September 1915 wurde Diana „ Didi “ Eveline Montagu Battye in Kensington, London geboren. Diana war das einzige Kind von Lieutenant Colonel Percival „ Percy “ Lawrence Montagu Battye (1886-1945) und Elisabeth (auch bekannt als „ Elise “ und „ Elsie “) Rodocanachi (1891-1982), die am 23. Juni 1914 in der All Saints Church in Binfield heirateten.
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| Die Hochzeit von Montagu John Battye und Marguerite Josephine Turner, 1885. |
Diana Battyes Großeltern väterlicherseits waren Montagu John Battye (1858–1942) und seine Frau Marguerite Josephine Turner (1861–1925), die 1885 heirateten.
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| Die Bestattungsurkunde von Michel Rodoconachi, 1911. |
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| Die Beerdigungsurkunde von Despina Rodoconachi, 1914. |
Diana Battyes Großeltern mütterlicherseits waren Michel Rodoconachi (1856–1911), ein Dampfschiffdirektor, und Despina Scaramanga (1861–1914), die 1884 heirateten. Sowohl die Familie Rodoconachi als auch die Familie Scaramanga waren griechischer Abstammung und gehörten dem ostorthodoxen Glauben an.
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| Oberstleutnant Percival „Percy“ Battye. |
Dianas Eltern ließen sich schließlich scheiden. 1936 heiratete Dianas Mutter Elizabeth Leonard Arthur Hackett (1905-1978). Am 29. Mai 1945 kam Dianas Vater, Lieutenant Colonel Percy Battye, Mitglied der Welsh Guards und Träger des Military Cross, bei einem Autounfall in der Nähe von Antwerpen ums Leben. Neben seinem Militärdienst im Zweiten Weltkrieg war Lt. Col. Percy Battye auch Veteran des Ersten Weltkriegs.
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| Diana Battye, 1937. |
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| Das Parlament diskutiert kurz das Verschwinden von Diana Battye.
Artikel (c) The Guardian, 18. Juni 1937. |
On 1 June 1937, Diana Battye disappeared while staying at the London residence of her friend
Viscountess Long (née Laura Charteris; 1915-1990; later the Duchess of Marlborough) during the coronation festivities of King George VI of the United Kingdom. The investigation into Diana’s disappearance was quickly turned over to Scotland Yard. It was revealed that Diana’s fiancé Michael Asquith, the second son of
The Hon. Herbert Dixon Asquith and
Lady Cynthia Charteris, had received a note while studying at Oxford which read: “
Unless you take better care of Miss Battye she will be removed.” Scotland Yard was also given other anonymous threats which had been received by Diana. Lady Long swiftly disclosed to Scotland Yard that Diana had been attacked on the evening of the coronation, 12 May, when Diana was slashed on her forehead by an unknown male assailant. The assault was not reported to authorities, as Lady Long recounted that Diana had begged for the attack not to be made public as she feared it would be repeated. On 9 June, Diana suddenly reappeared on the steps of the Asquith family home in London; Lady Cynthia Asquith heard sobs and discovered her son’s betrothed. Diana’s stepfather Leonard Hackett stated: “
When Diana was found she was in a state of complete mental collapse and obviously suffering loss of memory. She became more coherent when we got her to bed. We questioned her but her mind was a complete blank regarding the last eight days since she disappeared.” T
he mystery behind Diana’s disappearance even made its way to the House of Commons. On 17 June, Alfred Short, Member of Parliament for Doncaster, asked Home Secretary Sir Samuel Hoare: “
Have the Metropolitan Police have found any evidence justifying the theory that Miss Diana Battye was kidnapped?” The Home Secretary replied: “
The answer is in the negative.”
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| The newlyweds: Michael Asquith and Diana Battye, 1938. |
After the drama of 1937, Diana and her fiancé continued with their wedding plans. On 17 February 1938, Diana Battye married Michael Henry Asquith (25 July 1914-19 January 2004) at All Saints Church, Binfield Park, Bracknell, Berkshire. The wedding was attended by fifty guests, and the local villagers stood outside in the snow to catch a glimpse of the newlyweds. Michael and Diana spent their honeymoon on the European Continent.
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| Annabel Asquith, 1956. |
Michael Asquith and Diana Battye had three children: Annabel Asquith (1939-1971; married Jasper R. Ungoed-Thomas), Stephen Asquith (b.1944; married firstly Nicola Scott; married secondly Clare Frances Stanton), and Peter Asquith (1947-2019). Michael Asquith and Diana Battye divorced in 1952.
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| The death notice of Diana Battye, 2005. |
Am 28. Juli 1953 heiratete Diana Battye Alastair Robin Peter Patrick Keith Cameron (1919-1980). In dritter Ehe heiratete Diana Peter Thursby. In vierter und letzter Ehe heiratete sie einen Herrn Holland-Martin, den sie überlebte. Frau Diana Eveline Montagu Battye Asquith Cameron Thursby Holland-Martin starb am 24. Juli 2005 im Alter von 89 Jahren. Ihr neunzigster Geburtstag war zwei Monate entfernt. Ihre Beerdigung fand am 25. Juli 2005 in der St. Faith's Church in Overbury statt.
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| Die Tiara gehörte früher Diana Battye und wurde in den 1960er Jahren einer Freundin geschenkt. |
2018 kaufte ich eine Perlentiara, die früher Diana Battye gehört hatte. Die Herkunft des Schmuckstücks vor Diana, die es in den 1960er Jahren jemand anderem schenkte, ist nicht sicher. Die einzige Person, die es seit dem Erwerb getragen hat, ist meine Großmutter Eva, anlässlich ihrer Porträts zum 88. und 90. Geburtstag.
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| Diana Battye (1915–2005). |
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