Born in Norwich.1,2,3

Baptised in Norwich, St Giles.3,4

Father - Thomas Eaton
Mother - Mary Damant

Thomas Eaton was a silk mercer, Tory and Freemason. He was also a member of the City Common Council, a churchwarden at St Peter Mancroft, and owner of a shop at 3, Gentleman's Walk on the Market Place.

Married Lydia RAY in Norwich, St Giles.32,33,34

Information from the Parish Register :-
By licence
Groom - Thomas Damant Eaton, of the Parish of St Peter Mancroft
Bride - Lydia Ray, of the Parish of St Giles
Vicar - Wm. Ray Clayton

From the Bury and Norwich Post :-
"Yesterday se'nnight Thomas Damant, only son of Mr. Eaton, of this city, to Lydia, third daughter of the late Wm. Ray, Esq. of Tannington Place, Suffolk"

Birth of son Thomas Ray EATON in Norwich.1,23

Birth of son William Ray EATON in Norwich.1,24,25

Birth of son George Clayton EATON in Norwich, Mancroft.1,26,27

Mentioned in Will.5

of Elizabeth Ray
Described as :-
"Lydia the wife of Thomas Damant Eaton"

Birth of daughter Ellen Mary EATON in Norwich.15,29

Death of daughter Ellen Mary EATON in Norwich.15,28

Mentioned in Will.6

Of Catherine Clayton - died 1846

Recorded in census in Norwich, Mancroft (St Peters Mancroft, Gentlemans Walk).1

Head of household
Staff x 3

Mentioned in Will.7

Of Lydia Ray née Clayton - died 1848
Annotated as :-
Lydia the wife of Thomas Damant Eaton of the city aforesaid"

Retired.4

Information from the early Norfolk Photographs 1840-1860 website :-
He had previously taken over his father's business in Gentleman's Walk but retired in 1846 to pursue his cultural interests in the city. He was interested in art, archaeology, literature, music and photography. He was actively involved with the committees for the Public Library and the Museum.  He was a flautist, President of the Norwich Choral Society, a music critic for the Norfolk Chronicle, the first President (elected 1854) of the Norwich Photographic Society and a member (elected 1846) of the Norfolk and Norwich Archaeology Society.

Mentioned in Codicil to Will.7

Of Lydia Ray née Clayton
Annotated as "Mr Eaton my executor"

Mentioned in Will.8

Of Deborah Clayton - died 1851
Annotated as "of Norwich"

Executor.7

Of the will of Lydia Ray née Clayton - died 1848
Joint executor with John Ray

Legacy.9

Received a legacy of GBP 100 pre tax from the estate of Lydia Ray

From the Inland Revenue - Stamps and Taxes :-
"Thomas Damant Eaton - stranger in blood - legacy"

Occupation Retired Silk Mercer.2

Recorded in census in Norwich, West Wymer (St Peters Mancroft, Chapel Field).2

Head of household
Staff x 1
Visitor - Catherine Ray

Executor.8

Of Deborah Clayton - died 1851
"Margaret Elizabeth Clayton Spinster and Susannah Clayton Spinster the sisters and Thomas Damant Eaton"

Legacy.9

Received a legacy of GBP 100 from the estate of Deborah Clayton

From the Legacy Receipt - Inland Revenue :-
"Thomas Damant Eaton - Stranger in blood to the deceased - Pecuniary legacy"

Occupation Retired Silk Mercer.10

Recorded in census in Norwich, Mancroft (St Peters Mancroft, Chapel Street).10

Head of household
Staff x 1

Executor.11

of the Will with two Codicils of Ann Clayton late of Finningham.
Effects - under GBP 16,000.
Executors :-
Margaret Elizabeth Clayton, of the Hamlet of Thorpe, sister
Thomas Damant Eaton, of Chapelfield, gentleman
John Ray, of Chapelfield Road, gentleman.

Executor.12

of the Will and three Codicils of Susanna Clayton, late of Finningham
Effects - under GBP 25,000
Executors :-
John Ray, of the City of Norwich, Merchant
Thomas Damant Eaton, of Norwich, gentleman.

Executor.13

of a Will with a Codicil of Margaret Elizabeth Clayton formerly of Thorpe next Norwich but late of the hamlet of Thorpe, spinster.
Effects - under GBP 50,000
Executors :-
John Ray, of Norwich, gentleman
Thomas Damant Eaton of Norwich, gentleman
Peter Eade of Norwich, doctor of medicine
William Robert Heath Clayton of 36 Great Hermitage Street Wapping, gentleman

Witnessed the Will.14

of Mary Barker, formerly Ray

Death of Lydia RAY in Norwich, Chapel Field.30,31

Death of son Thomas Ray EATON in Norwich.21,22,16

Administrator.16

of the estate of the Reverend Thomas Ray Eaton, late of Chapel Field, clerk, bachelor
Administration to - Thomas Damant Eaton, of Chapel Field, Gentleman, the Father
Effects - under GBP 600.

Died in Norwich.17,18,19,20

From the Times :-
"On Friday, 31st March, in Chapel Field, Norwich, Thomas Damant Eaton, aged 71"

From the Ipswich Journal :-
"31st ult., in Chapel Field, Norwich, Thomas Damant Eaton, aged 71"

Probate in Norwich.20

of the estate of Thomas Damant Eaton of the City of Norwich, gentleman
Executor :-
William Ray Clayton, of Longham, Clerk, son
George Clayton Eaton, of Norwich, artist, son
Effects - Under GBP 13,000
Resworn at the Stamp Office April 1872 - Under GBP 25,000

Occupation Silk Mercer.7

Information from :-
1848 - Will of Lydia Ray, Widow of Norwich, Suffolk

Research Note.15

From "The Black Book" in the Norwich Record Office
"She" refers to Mary Barker, formerly Ray, 1794?-1872.

"She must have been a "character" judging from the tales her daughter Mrs. K. R. Smee & my father George Clayton Eaton have told me - on coming out of the choir of Norwich Cathedral after service she would walk down the nave with her parasol "up" as if out of doors. She played chess with her brother in law Thos. Damant Eaton (he used to call her Mrs. B". He was a well known chess player of his day. When finding the game going against her she would manage as that the chess board was upset!"