EMILY EDDY (1871 - 1950)

Emily was born at Eldorado on 30th August 1871 to Jacob Eddy and Mary Jane (nee Eddy).

Jacob was a mine worker.... they had emigrated from Cornwall in the 1850s.

Emily attended Eldorado State School from August 1874 until February 1884 passing the Standard of Education in 1882.

Her children recall telling of how when she was young the family lost everything their house at Eldorado burnt down one Sunday whilst they were church.

Emily married William Henry Edwards Eddy on January 11th 1899 in the Wesleyan Chapel Chiltern. Marrying a teacher meant that for rest of her life she was to move regularly. Her husband taught schools at Sandmount, Undera North, Brankeet West before moving to Toolamba near Shepparton in April 1909.

1901 Clarence Reginald - known as Clarrie
1904 Evelyn Pearl
( both registered at Numurkah)
1906 Ilma Stella - known as Stella
1910 Howard Stanley
1912 Spencer Lindsay
( all three registered at Shepparton)

Around the Shepparton district

While living in Toolamba XXXX children were born -

Around 1913 Clarrie was sent out to work help support the family

Shepparton 1-1-1918

Lismore 1-9-18

In late 1925 the family moved to Maffra.
Whilst at Maffra she saw her son Howard join the Bank of Victoria at nearby Heyfield in 1927 as a junior and move out of the family home to board there. Stella also left the family home in those times at Maffra. She moved to Melbourne to board with her brother Clarrie so could work his wife Bernie in a Richmond Haberdashery store. She moved back with her parents when they moved to Thornbury in 1934. Stella later was employed in the Corset department of "Foy & Gibsons" city until after she was married.

In the late thirties, daughter Pearl taught music in the house at 28 Alexander Street, Thornbury. Later she decided to become a missionary so undertook training Hawthorn where met her future husband Howard Southwell. Pearl did most of the cooking in the Edwards household at that time.

Emily was brought up in a strict Wesleyan tradition and known to be hard worker. Her upbringing reflected the way she managed home family with ethics that forbade even playing of cards.

Went to church twice a Sunday- knitting on a Sunday considered breaking the Sabbath - she no qualms informing others of this.....

She was never a woman who would entertain guests in the home.....

In her house keeping she was extremely frugal - mutton for instance always purchased preference to lamb because of cost. Meals such as bubble and squeak and sausages in white sauce were the standard fare.

Emily was plagued by such bad eyesight that she unable to thread a needle and always wore glasses - except when having her photo taken. Sight problem so severe that she would fail to recognise her own family members across the street. Never learning to read music she played organ from memory. Sunday evenings after church all gathered around to sing hymns - only hymns!

She and William on a few occasions(- in the thirties) went interstate bus tours. One such holiday, believed to be most likely during the winter of 1933, during their return from Albury two buses were involved in a major accident involving considerable number deaths.
She passed away in 1950, buried in the Preston Cemetery

INDEX

EDWARDS William Henry           1

MATTHEWS Mary Jane              1