EAGER CHILDREN OF DENTON ISLAND
Top row: Alfred, Jack, Arther, Frank, Horace, Percy, Albert, Charlie. Bottom row: Pat, Lil, Queenie, Pritt, Eva, Rose, Flossie (my mum).
Albert Knights
Golden Wedding Day of Edward and Agnes Eager. Top row - Alfred, Eva, Jack, Queenie and Charlie. Middle Row - Rose, Edward and Agnes, Frank. Bottom row - Toby, Flossie and Arthur. Edward was coxswain on the Newhaven lifeboat for 7 years, and at 72 years of age he was still working as assistant to the Trinity House Pilots of the port. He also occasionally did stevedoring at the North Quay. My grandfather was Frank Eager, middle row on the right.
Carol Walton (nee Eager)
Known as 'The Tipneys'
By Albert Knights
This photo was taken in Meeching Road, Newhaven in 1952. It shows 8 of the 9 boys and 7 of the 9 girls born to my Gran and Grandad (Agnes and Edward Eager). The other 3 children died very young.
They had 18 children in all, and in addition they raised 2 adopted boys. All of the 18 children were born in the same house in Sefton Terrace, Denton Island. The Fludes Carpet Store stands on the site now.
The 'Eagers' were the largest and one of the most well-known familys in Newhaven.
Article from the Herald Newspaper, 20 July 1929
FIFTIETH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY - MR AND MRS EDWARD EAGER OF NEWHAVEN
A happy event was observed at 2 Denton Terrace, Newhaven on Friday, when Mr and Mrs Edward Eager celebrated their golden wedding.
Mr and Mrs Eager were married at Bishopstone Parish Church on 12 July 1879, by the Rev Charles H Dearsly, the then vicar. Mr Eager who is now 72 years of age, was the son of the late Mr Jerry Eager of Newhaven, a hawker of paregoric tablets and Barcelona nuts and a well-known character of his day. Mrs Eager who celebrated her 69th birthday on her golden wedding day, is a daughter of the late Mr Alfred Nightingale, of Tide Mills, Bishopstone, who was a miller for Messrs Catt when the Tide Mills were in full work.
Mr and Mrs Eager are very robust and active for their age. As a young man Mr Eager became a member of the Newhaven Lifeboat crew and for over seven years he was coxwain. He is still working, being at present the assistant to the Trinity House Pilots of the port. He also, occasionally does stevedoring at the North Quay. Mrs Eager still carries out her household duties, including washing for ten persons. They have had a family of 18 children, nine sons and nine daughters. 15 of the children are still living and all but 4 still reside in Newhaven. In addition, they have brought up 2 adopted children, and they have 25 grandchildren. With such a large family of children and grandchildren, the family gathering at their residence on Friday was naturally a large and happy one. They were the recipients of many congratulations, and among the presents they received was a beautiful bouquet of various hued sweet peas to Mrs Eager from her friend Mrs N Browing.