Robert Young Eaton
Encyclopedia
Robert Young Eaton (1875–1956) was the nephew of Eaton's
department store founder Timothy Eaton
.
Eaton was born in 1875 to John and Margaret (nee Herbison) Eaton and related to the department store founder as they shared the same grandfather John Eaton Sr (1784–1834).
R.Y. Eaton took over control of the department stores when his cousin Sir John Craig Eaton died of pneumonia in 1922. Sir John's children were too young to take over the company, so R.Y. Eaton filled in until one of the children reached an appropriate age to take over.
R.Y. Eaton proved to be an extremely capable president, and he expanded the company tenfold. His cousin-in-law, Lady Eaton
, the widow of Sir John, never liked R.Y., and throughout her life she always referred to her branch of the family as the "owner Eatons" and R.Y.'s branch as the "worker Eatons".
R.Y. had a resort home, Ireton, built in Port Credit, Ontario
and later in Georgian Bay
.
Lady Eaton's son, John David Eaton
, at the age of 33, eventually took over the presidency of the company, and R.Y. Eaton retired from business life.
He also served as president of the Art Gallery of Ontario
from 1924 to 1941.
R.Y. married Hazel Ireland (1889–1965) and had 5 children. Son John Wallace Eaton (1912–1990) also worked at Eaton's
and ran the Montreal store.
His son Captain Erskine Robert Eaton (1915–1942) graduated from the Royal Military College of Canada
in 1934. At the outbreak of World War II
, he was a member of the staff of the Montreal store of the T. Eaton Co. He died in the Dieppe Raid
on Aug 19, 1942 at 27 years of age. His name is listed on the Memorial Arch at the Royal Military College of Canada.
Eaton's
The T. Eaton Co. Limited was once Canada's largest department store retailer. It was founded in 1869 in Toronto by Timothy Eaton, an Irish immigrant. Eaton's grew to become a retail and social institution in Canada, with stores across the country, buying offices across the globe, and a catalogue...
department store founder Timothy Eaton
Timothy Eaton
Timothy Eaton was a Canadian businessman who founded the Eaton's department store, one of the most important retail businesses in Canada's history.-Early life and family:...
.
Eaton was born in 1875 to John and Margaret (nee Herbison) Eaton and related to the department store founder as they shared the same grandfather John Eaton Sr (1784–1834).
R.Y. Eaton took over control of the department stores when his cousin Sir John Craig Eaton died of pneumonia in 1922. Sir John's children were too young to take over the company, so R.Y. Eaton filled in until one of the children reached an appropriate age to take over.
R.Y. Eaton proved to be an extremely capable president, and he expanded the company tenfold. His cousin-in-law, Lady Eaton
Flora Eaton
Flora McCrea Eaton, Lady Eaton was the wife of Toronto department store president and heir Sir John Craig Eaton.- Life and career :...
, the widow of Sir John, never liked R.Y., and throughout her life she always referred to her branch of the family as the "owner Eatons" and R.Y.'s branch as the "worker Eatons".
R.Y. had a resort home, Ireton, built in Port Credit, Ontario
Port Credit, Ontario
Port Credit is found at the mouth of the Credit River on the north shore of Lake Ontario, within the southcentral area of the city of Mississauga...
and later in Georgian Bay
Georgian Bay
Georgian Bay is a large bay of Lake Huron, located entirely within Ontario, Canada...
.
Lady Eaton's son, John David Eaton
John David Eaton
For other people named John Eaton, see John Eaton ."John David Eaton was the second son of Sir John Craig Eaton and Lady Eaton of Toronto....
, at the age of 33, eventually took over the presidency of the company, and R.Y. Eaton retired from business life.
He also served as president of the Art Gallery of Ontario
Art Gallery of Ontario
Under the direction of its CEO Matthew Teitelbaum, the AGO embarked on a $254 million redevelopment plan by architect Frank Gehry in 2004, called Transformation AGO. The new addition would require demolition of the 1992 Post-Modernist wing by Barton Myers and Kuwabara Payne McKenna Blumberg...
from 1924 to 1941.
R.Y. married Hazel Ireland (1889–1965) and had 5 children. Son John Wallace Eaton (1912–1990) also worked at Eaton's
Eaton's
The T. Eaton Co. Limited was once Canada's largest department store retailer. It was founded in 1869 in Toronto by Timothy Eaton, an Irish immigrant. Eaton's grew to become a retail and social institution in Canada, with stores across the country, buying offices across the globe, and a catalogue...
and ran the Montreal store.
His son Captain Erskine Robert Eaton (1915–1942) graduated from the Royal Military College of Canada
Royal Military College of Canada
The Royal Military College of Canada, RMC, or RMCC , is the military academy of the Canadian Forces, and is a degree-granting university. RMC was established in 1876. RMC is the only federal institution in Canada with degree granting powers...
in 1934. At the outbreak of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, he was a member of the staff of the Montreal store of the T. Eaton Co. He died in the Dieppe Raid
Dieppe Raid
The Dieppe Raid, also known as the Battle of Dieppe, Operation Rutter or later on Operation Jubilee, during the Second World War, was an Allied attack on the German-occupied port of Dieppe on the northern coast of France on 19 August 1942. The assault began at 5:00 AM and by 10:50 AM the Allied...
on Aug 19, 1942 at 27 years of age. His name is listed on the Memorial Arch at the Royal Military College of Canada.