On 23rd June 1835 Fanny Entwhistle aka Eaton was born at St Andrews, Jamaica. No father was named on Eaton's birth records, suggesting that she may have been illegitimate. Her mother Matilda Foster, a woman of African descent, was born into slavery on the Elim Estate in St Elizabeth parish, property of the Foster or Forster family. The death of a British soldier named James Entwistle, aged twenty, in nearby St Catherine's parish (burial in Spanish Town on 4 July 1835), eleven days after Fanny's birth, has been seen as suggestive that this soldier may have been Fanny's father; see Oxford Dictionary of National Biography.
Around 1840 Fanny Entwhistle aka Eaton [aged 4] and her mother travelled to England. Around 1851 she is recorded as living in London, at 9 Steven's Place, St Pancras.
In 1857 James Eaton [aged 18] and Fanny Entwhistle aka Eaton [aged 21] were married. He a horse cab proprietor and driver. Together, they had 10 children, born in the years 1858-1879. The marriage may not have taken place; no marriage certificate or record has been discovered.
1859. Simeon Solomon [aged 18]. "Mrs. Fanny Eaton [aged 23]".
1859. Frederick Sandys [aged 29]. "Study of the head of a young mulatto woman, full face". Model Fanny Entwhistle aka Eaton [aged 23].
1859. Walter Fryer Stocks [aged 17]. Portrait of Fanny Entwhistle aka Eaton [aged 23].
1860. Frederick Sandys [aged 30]. Drawing of Fanny Entwhistle aka Eaton [aged 24].
1860. Simeon Solomon [aged 19]. "The Mother of Moses". Model Fanny Entwhistle aka Eaton [aged 24].
1860. John Everett Millais 1st Baronet [aged 30]. "The Pearl of Great Price". Model Fanny Entwhistle aka Eaton [aged 24] on the left. Designed twenty images for the Dalziel brothers' Parables of Our Lord published in 1864. This scene illustrates the parable of the Pearl of Great Price from the New Testament (Matthew 13: 45-46) which states: "The kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it."
Annals of the six Kings of England by Nicholas Trivet
Translation of the Annals of the Six Kings of England by that traces the rise and rule of the Angevin aka Plantagenet dynasty from the mid-12th to early 14th century. Written by the Dominican scholar Nicholas Trivet, the work offers a vivid account of English history from the reign of King Stephen through to the death of King Edward I, blending political narrative with moral reflection. Covering the reigns of six monarchs—from Stephen to Edward I—the chronicle explores royal authority, rebellion, war, and the shifting balance between crown, church, and nobility. Trivet provides detailed insight into defining moments such as baronial conflicts, Anglo-French rivalry, and the consolidation of royal power under Edward I, whose reign he describes with particular immediacy. The Annals combines careful year-by-year reporting with thoughtful interpretation, presenting history not merely as a sequence of events but as a moral and political lesson. Ideal for readers interested in medieval history, kingship, and the origins of the English state, this chronicle remains a valuable and accessible window into the turbulent world of the Plantagenet kings.
Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback format.
1861. Joanna Mary Boyce [aged 29]. Portrait of "Mrs. Eaton [aged 25]".
1861. Albert Joseph Moore [aged 19]. "The Mother of Sisera looked out of a Window". Model Fanny Entwhistle aka Eaton [aged 25].
1861. Rebecca Solomon [aged 28]. "The Young Teacher". Model Fanny Entwhistle aka Eaton [aged 25].
1862. Frederick Sandys [aged 32]. Fanny Eaton [aged 26] as Morgan le Fay.
1863. Retouched 1873. Dante Gabriel Rossetti [aged 34]. "Die Geliebte" aka "The Beloved" aka "The Bride". Models: Alice aka Alexa Wilding [aged 16], Ellen Smith, Marie Ford Model, Fanny Entwhistle aka Eaton [aged 27] and Keomi aka Keytumas Gray [aged 21].
Two Biblical texts are inscribed on the frame below the painting.
My beloved is mine and I am his. Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: For thy love is better than wine. [The Song of Songs by King Solomon]
She shall be brought unto the king in raiment of needlework: the virgins that be her fellows shall bear her company, and shall be brought unto thee.
Around 1865. Dante Gabriel Rossetti [aged 36]. "Study of a Young Woman". Model Fanny Entwhistle aka Eaton [aged 29].
1865. Simeon Solomon [aged 24]. "Habet". Model top right probably Fanny Eaton [aged 29]".
1867. John Everett Millais 1st Baronet [aged 37]. "Jephthah". Model Fanny Entwhistle aka Eaton [aged 31] rightmost.
Before 1881 [her husband] James Eaton [aged 42] died.
1886. William Blake Richmond [aged 43]. "The Slave". Model Fanny Entwhistle aka Eaton [aged 50].
The Deeds of the Dukes of Normandy
The Gesta Normannorum Ducum [The Deeds of the Dukes of Normandy] is a landmark medieval chronicle tracing the rise and fall of the Norman dynasty from its early roots through the pivotal events surrounding the Norman Conquest of England. Originally penned in Latin by the monk William of Jumièges shortly before 1060 and later expanded at the behest of William the Conqueror, the work chronicles the deeds, politics, battles, and leadership of the Norman dukes, especially William’s own claim to the English throne. The narrative combines earlier historical sources with firsthand information and oral testimony to present an authoritative account of Normandy’s transformation from a Viking settlement into one of medieval Europe’s most powerful realms. William’s history emphasizes the legitimacy, military prowess, and governance of the Norman line, framing their expansion, including the conquest of England, as both divinely sanctioned and noble in purpose. Later chroniclers such as Orderic Vitalis and Robert of Torigni continued the history, extending the coverage into the 12th century, providing broader context on ducal rule and its impact. Today this classic work remains a foundational source for understanding Norman identity, medieval statesmanship, and the historical forces that reshaped England and Western Europe between 800AD and 1100AD.
Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback format.
On 4th March 1924 Fanny Entwhistle aka Eaton [aged 88] died at Acton. She was buried at Margravine Road Cemetery, Hammersmith.