Thomas Campbell Eyton <small>JP, DL</small> (10 September 1809 – 25 October 1880) was an English naturalist whose fields were cattle, fishes and birds. He was a friend and correspondent of Charles Darwin though he opposed his theories.
Eyton was born at Eyton Hall, near Wellington, Shropshire. He studied at St John's College, Cambridge, where he was a contemporary and friend of Charles Darwin.
In 1851 he formed both Wellington's town Waterworks Company, and Wellington Coal and Gas Light Company, to provide street lighting within 5 miles radius of the town.
After succeeding to the estate in 1855, Eyton built a large natural history museum at Eyton Hall that included a range of bird skins and skeletons, described as "one of the finest in Europe". Besides Darwin, Eyton enjoyed some correspondence with other naturalists including Louis Agassiz, Asa Gray, and Alfred Russel Wallace.
He was a justice of the peace (JP) and a deputy lieutenant of Shropshire. He also played county level cricket for Shropshire between 1844 and 1854.
Eyton's daughter, Charlotte Eyton was an amateur geologist, who wrote on the geology of the Wrekin.
Archives
A collection of letters sent to Eyton are held at the Cadbury Research Library, University of Birmingham. This archive collection also contains the correspondence of his father-in-law, Robert Aglionby Slaney, and other family members.
References
- Mullens and Swann – A Bibliography of British Ornithology