Brian Eaton is the author of ‘Fanny Eaton’s Story.’ Brian is the great-grandson of Fanny Matilda Eaton and James Walter Eaton, born in west London (near to where Fanny died) and now lives happily in West Yorkshire with his wife Mary. Their three sons have all moved on with their lives and are pleased to be related to Fanny.
Brian was involved with steel fabrication for all of his working life until taking early retirement in 1999. His work enabled him to travel extensively both in the UK and abroad. His retirement gave him the time to research his family tree and to meet up with many of Fanny’s descendants.
Brian has given many talks both online and in person to share the story of his great-grandmother Fanny, her life and her contribution to Pre-Raphaelite art, of which he is extremely proud. Mary has written articles about Fanny for a local history group’s magazine ‘The Barwicker’ and Brian gave a talk to its members in 2022. Mary and Brian have also travelled to Jamaica to try to find out more about Fanny and Matilda
Brian has also contributed an essay telling Fanny’s story in Pre-Raphaelite Sisters: Art, Poetry and Female Agency in Victorian Britain, edited by Glenda Youde and Robert Wilkes (2022, Peter Lang).
Brian has had many conversations about Fanny with his own family and his granddaughters have decided to call her “Granny Fanny” and this helps keep her memory very much alive.
