His mother was Henrietta Eliza Vaughan Stannard (b. 1856), who became
famous as a children's writer under the pen name "John Strange Winter",
but who added to her reputation with many books of light fiction
dealing with military life, as well as extensive journalism on matters
affecting women. Her 1985 children's story "Bootles Baby" provided the
nickname for her son. Her husband and Eliot's father was Arthur
Stannard, a civil engineer.