Josiah Eaton
Professional Pedestrian
A present resident of Woodford can surely claim to have worn out more boots than most if not all other residents, having succeeded in reaching the summits of all the Munros, walked the SW coastal path, the Coast to Coast, the Pennine Way and on the continent the length of the Pyrenees from the Bay of Biscay to the Mediterranean on both the French and Spanish sides, as well as many parts of the Camino de Santiago in northern Spain, to name but a few of his achievements.
However, not wishing to belittle these feats in any way, they do not compare to the distances walked by a native of Woodford born nearly 250 years ago in 1774 to Thomas and Elizabeth Eaton (nee Browning). His name was Josiah Eaton.
Little is known about his early life, but he first came into the public eye when he concluded a walk of 1,100 miles on Blackheath in 1,100 hours starting each mile and completing it in each successive hour taking 6 weeks, finishing on Boxing Day 1815. He styled himself as a professional pedestrian and at “only five feet two he was the sort off man you couldn’t help overlooking in a crowd where all you would see of him would be a ragged fringe of hair and maybe a couple of eyes peeping over someone else’s shoulder”. (Mkt Harborough mail). “You would miss altogether the most striking thing about him- muscular legs which by their great powers of endurance accomplished pedestrian feats” the paper went on to say. Towards the end of this remarkable feat there was some accusation of cheating and seven of his assistants made an affidavit before the Mayor of London claiming to all having accompanied him at some time during the walk
He repeated the walk in the following summer
finishing on 20th July, this time completing each mile
within 20 minutes of the clock striking the hour
This was obviously not enough of a challenge for Josiah as in the following winter he set out to walk 2,000 half miles in 2,000 half hours, however when nearing the end he published the following notice, and finished the feat at 11am on 5th December 1816 having covered 999 miles (1998 half miles)
Article from The Morning Post 2nd December 1816
“The following notice was sent to our office last night “I feel myself fully competent to complete the task I have undertaken, of walking 2000 half miles in 2000 half hours which would have finished on the 5th of December at noon, but being deceived by the gentleman who should have supported me I am determined not to complete the task
I therefore hereby give notice I shall walk only until eleven o clock on Thursday December 5th 1816 being only 1998 half miles and recommend all parties to consider their bets null and void. I am the public’s most devoted and very humble servant”. Signed Josiah Eaton”
Further details were published in the Hampshire chronicle and also give a little background to these walks
Hampshire chronicle 9 December 1816
“Thursday morning at 11am Josiah Eaton, the pedestrian, after walking 1998 half miles in 1998 successive half hours declined finishing the remaining four half miles and states in a handbill distributed on Saturday that, being deceived by the gentleman who should have supported him he determined not to complete the 2000 half miles in 2000 half hours and recommends all bets made should be null and void. Eaton walked the last half mile in eight and a half minutes and afterwards retired to his lodging, where having dressed he went to the tavern opposite and appeared as fresh as when he had started; indeed, he felt so little fatigued that he said he was ready to commence the same task for £100 or walk a quarter of a mile every quarter of an hour for six weeks. He states that he spent upwards of £200 in his pedestrian undertakings in order to convince the public that there was no deception and the only remuneration he has received does not amount to more than four pounds ten shillings. Eaton appears to be a quiet inoffensive man, 47 years of age and a native of Woodford Northamptonshire”
In the summer of 1817 Josiah walked 2,000 miles in 42 days on Wormwood Scrubs and shortly afterwards on 6th September 1817 he walked the 51 miles from Colchester to London, returning the following day, He carried out this walk for twenty days until, according the newspapers of the day, he became bored of the scenery.
Yet all of these tasks were surpassed by what became known as the Stowmarket Sleepwalk when at 2pm on the 12 May 1818, he commenced walking ¼ of a mile in a quarter of an hour repeating it in every successive quarter of an hour, each day for six weeks finishing on 23 June at 1.55pm equating to 1008 miles.
He then seemed to disappear into obscurity until a report was published 28 years later in 1846 by the (London) Morning Advertiser on 3 October, which is reproduced in full.
“In a communication received from Toronto (Upper Canada) the following information is conveyed. It is very interesting in two respects as showing that whether abroad or home the English are fond of encouraging feats of strength and perseverance. The statement is dated under the heading of the Caledonian Springs and us thus given:
“This place is remarkably lively. The fine weather has brought out a great many persons from up the Ottawa, and from settlements to the south of the springs as far as Cornwall to witness the conclusion of the undertaking of an old man of 77 years of age to walk 1000 miles in 1000 hours. He came off successful and was cheered, crowned and conducted in triumph round the Springs by some hundreds of persons. He was formerly a baker at Quebec and is a native of Northamptonshire England, of the name of Josiah Eaton. He appeared as vigorous at the close of his march as at its opening. It is not known precisely what Eaton will get, but it is understood that he will be provided for during the remainder of his life. The collection of people at the Springs adds to the profit of the establishment, makes it more generally known and no doubt the taverns which there are three or four, get a good share.””
Despite the offer of providing for him for the rest of his life, in November 1847 the following notice was published in New York
“I address this to sporting gentlemen and
all others: my reason for doing so is, that I have been informed
that in “Bell’s Life of London” it has been represented that no
person but Capt. Barclay has ever performed the feat of walking
one thousand miles in one thousand successive hours. I have
exceeded this twice by 100 miles/. The first time seven persons
made their affidavit before the Lord Mayor of London, Wood, in
1815, that I justly completed it. I consider the feat as naught
to the task of walking 4032 quarter miles in 4032 quarter hours,
successively, which feat I completed on 23 June 1818. I would
not, and did not, undertake it until 42 gentlemen of Newmarket,
England, signed an agreement to attend during the whole time,
which they did promptly. They were exclusive of the umpires and
watchers. Those who are sceptical on this subject may have an
opportunity, without any difficulty, to witness the feat of 1000
miles again undertaken, and by now a man who is now past 77 years
of age. The performance will be novel, no deception will be
practised, nor indeed can be, if properly attended. It will be
only the distance of 30 yards in the Tremont Bowling Allies, East
Broadway, New York. The pedestrian to have 59 tickets, delivering
one ticket each lap, or 44 tickets at the distance of 40 yards.
I have engaged to complete it at a great risk to myself. If I fail, I fail. If any gentlemen have doubts of it being honestly performed it would be no labour, and very little trouble for them to choose an honest confidential person to count the tickets and deliver them to the pedestrian each hour. I solicit gentlemen, and hope they will engage two to act with my two watchers or time witnesses, which will make four.
If this request is granted, I will consider myself ever indebted and shall remain their much obliged and very humble servant. Josiah Eaton.
A few days later the “Scientific American” published a brief report that “Josiah Eaton, the aged pedestrian, has commenced another feat of walking 1000 miles in a thousand hours, in East Broadway, in this city. He is now 77 years of age.”