Charles Robert EATON (1859 – 1955)

Biography

Biographical notes from Pat Mooney –

• born around the time of the Civil War in Boston, Massachusetts, USA
• influenza epidemic killed both parents around that time
• his father was a doctor
• placed in an orphanage, 2 elderly women took him to their farm for labouring
• as a teenager they took him back to the orphanage
• then went to a plantation to work, owner would whip workers
• retaliated and whipped owner, so ran for his life
• arrived at dockyard and signed on as a seafarer
• spent life at sea
• around WWI he was working as a stevedore at Napier Port – minutes of Harbour Board mention him
• married about this time (possibly) to Joyce Ballantyne’s grandmother, Emma [actually 1908]
• worked till he was 80 as a stevedore, though not physical work
• boy named ….Eaton brought up by Bob and Emma, but he may have been Joyce’s uncle
• adept at ship chandlery eg spliced ropes, saddlery
• made ropes for Dr Ballantyne’s yacht
• lived in home of Irene and Jack Mooney, Church Road, Taradale, opposite Mission Station shearing shed
• was there when Pat was born (June 1943) until he (Pat) was about 12
• Bob and Jack were workmates and friends
• couldn’t read or write so Jack as tally clerk made up the wages
• on leaving Mooneys’ home, he may have lived with the Ballantynes in St Aubyn Street, Hastings, but Pat is unsure if he ever lived at Stoneycroft
• died mid 1955 in Ward 4 at Napier Public Hospital (this was the Old Men’s Home) at the age of 96
• headstone in Park Island lawn cemetery erected by Irene Mooney – it states “erected by Mooney Family
• an American flag that is in one of the glass cabinets in the Ballantyne Room at Stoneycrot belonged to Bob