Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. a pair of bad boots.

1859, 1860		Hotten Dict. of Modern Sl. etc.
1864, 1867, 1870		Hotten Sl. Dict.
1873		Sl. Dict.
2003		K. Cage Gayle 56/1: bats n. shoes (What Hilda bats!) (cf. gypsies, stilettos) [British Polari].

2. (Ling. Fr./Polari) feet.

1935		Thieves Slang ms list from District Police Training Centre, Ryton-on-Dunsmore, Warwicks 1: Bats: Feet.
1958		F. Norman in Sun. Graphic 10 Aug. in Norman’s London (1969) 27: My bats were buzzing from all the walk about I had been doing.
1985		(ref. to 1945) in Walking After Midnight (1989) 51: This was known as Parlyaree [...] ‘bats’ – feet; ‘Martinis’ – hands.