His father, Thomas Bates (1810-1882) was a Northumberland land owner and lawyer whose family had been based in England's northern border regions for five centuries.
His father was a Northumberland land owner. His father was lawyer. A Northumberland land owner had been based in England's northern border regions for five centuries. Lawyer's family had been based in England's northern border regions for five centuries. Thomas Bates (1810-1882) was his father.