Batt, Narcissus (1767?–1840), banker and merchant, was born in Belfast, eldest of five sons of Capt. Robert Batt, who sold his commission in the 18th Regiment after marriage to become a Belfast merchant, and his wife Hannah, daughter of Samuel Hyde, a Belfast linen draper. In 1779 Robert Batt moved to Osier Hill, Co. Wexford, where he had inherited family lands. He died in Waterford in 1783, leaving Narcissus to run the family business, which consisted of one of Belfast's largest trading firms and major interests in the town's textile, rope, salt, and sugar manufacturing industries. In 1783 Narcissus was the youngest founding member of the Belfast chamber of commerce, and the only anglican on that presbyterian-dominated body. He resided at Donegall House, the most elegant residence in Donegall Place, Belfast, which he had bought from the marquis of Donegall. Two of his brothers, Samuel, a cotton spinner and calico printer, and Thomas, lived in the same fashionable street; another brother, William (1768?–1855), was an anglican clergyman who lived at nearby Fountain St., and the youngest brother, Robert (1783?–1811), was a business partner.
In 1808 Narcissus became a partner in the newly established banking firm Gordon & Co., with John Holmes Houston, Hugh Crawford (1757–1819), and David Gordon (1759–1837), the senior partner. Based at the corner of Callendar St., it became known as ‘The Belfast Bank ’, and played a major part in replacing specie with banknotes in Ulster, contributing greatly to the expansion of the province's commerce and industry. In 1821 Batt's eldest son Robert (1795–1864) was taken into partnership. After Narcissus became the senior partner in 1824 the bank was known as Batt & Co. It merged with another private bank, the Belfast Commercial Bank, to become the joint-stock Belfast Banking Company in 1827, based in Waring St. Narcissus served on the bank's board of superintendence until his death, while his brother Thomas and his son Thomas Greg Batt (1805–61) became directors for life.
His politics were moderately liberal: he favoured catholic emancipation, but only if it was introduced gradually, and on 30 January 1792 he signed a declaration dissenting from a Belfast town meeting resolution that had advocated the immediate repeal of all catholic disabilities. In 1797 he captained a Belfast yeomanry corps. He was active in the town's cultural life and was a member of the Belfast Harp Society. At a Belfast public meeting in 1809 he supported a resolution censoring the duke of York for irregularities in issuing army commissions. This earned him a severe rebuke from the marquess of Donegall, who accused him of exploiting the issue to court popularity and custom for his bank, charges that Batt strongly denied. In 1816 he was chairman of the Belfast Harbour Corporation.
He moved to Purdysburn House, Drumbo, Co. Down, in 1811, rebuilding and extending it in 1820, and buying up considerable surrounding lands. In 1835 he was appointed high sheriff of Belfast. In his later years he engaged in considerable philanthropy, dispensing money to charitable causes and building a primary school at Clontifleece, near Warrenpoint, Co. Down, in 1839. He died 27 January 1840 at Purdysburn, and was buried at Drumbo parish churchyard. He was closely bound by family ties to Belfast's bourgeoisie: his maternal aunts were married to Waddell Cunningham (qv) and Thomas Greg (1718–96), a leading Belfast merchant. He married (1793) Greg's daughter, Margaret (d. 1843), a presbyterian; they had two sons and two daughters. His portrait is held by the Ulster Museum.