Obituary: Richard Bateman, farmer and engineer, 1941-2024

It is with great sadness that we announce our founder Richard John Bateman, 83, died peacefully in hospital on Sunday 10th November in the company of his devoted wife and two sons.

 

Born in 1941 to a farming family, Richard was a perfectionist with singular determination, a daunting work ethic and an innate gift for engineering. He left school at 14, with no qualifications, initially farming alongside his father in Wellow, then later at Bycott, Chulmleigh.

 

An instinctive problem solver, it was the wet clay soil of North Devon that led him to invent the ‘Agilator’ in 1978, a low ground pressure vehicle offering all-weather access to the land with minimal crop impact. This was followed by the fully hydrostatic ‘Hi-Lo’, and eventually the RB range, which remains a market leader to this day. In 1992 he was presented the RASE Gold machinery award at the Royal Show.

If engineering was the great passion of his life, then Sally was the great love of it. They met in 1967, married in 1968 and forged an indomitable partnership typical of so many farming families. Together they raised two sons, and fought off the financial burden of a failing farm, before risking everything they possessed on a start-up business, to which they gave so much of their lives.

They cared deeply about the quality of their product, the support service they provided, and the customers who supported them over the years; many of whom they counted as personal friends. This affection extended to the team at Bycott, who over nearly 4 decades have loyally ensured that the standards Richard set himself all those years ago, are still as true in the product to this day.

Bateman Engineering now employs some 90 people, has supplied machines to over 16 countries and continues to grow and prosper under the stewardship of Richard’s eldest son Jason.

 

In later years Richard & Sally moved to New Zealand where he pursued his love of vintage tractors and motor sport.

 

Richard was a humble, principled man, who lived by the adage ‘actions speak louder than words’. He never sought recognition for his achievements, and would likely be embarrassed by the sentiments on this page.

 

His family have lost a loving husband, father and role model.

 

Farming has lost a rare talent.