Martha Lourens Knox (Tait) Maeder (1894 - 1970)

Born 24 Jan 1894 in Strydenburg, Cape Colony, South Africa

Ancestors

Wife of Robert Maeder Jr. — married 9 Apr 1918 in Prieska

Descendants

Died 27 May 1970 at age 76 in Port Shepstone, Natal [uncertain]

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Dennis Maeder [send private message] and Rosemary Maeder [send private message]

Maud (Tait) Maeder is genealogies verbind aan Suid Afrika /is genealogically connected to South Africa

Biography

Bio adapted from Tait_family_tales authored by daughter in law Penny (Vincent) Maeder

MARTHA LOURENS KNOX (MAUD) TAIT

Maud, for that is what she was always called, the first child born to Dr Richard Knox Tait and his second wife, Susanna Margharita Badenhorst, arrived on the 21st of January 1894, presumably in Strydenburg for she was baptised in the Dutch Reformed Church there.

A tall (5ft 11in: 1,75M) elegant lady with an outgoing personality, very blue eyes and a skin so fair that it seemed unable to tan. I only knew her with beautifully 'white' grey hair although I believe it started off as a rich shade of auburn so it is no wonder she had the skin tones normally associated with redheads. She was a real 'people' person with a lively sense of humour, a compassionate and generous nature, a quick but short lived temper and a commanding personality which could at times seem almost overpowering. This strength of character and positive outlook served her well and were effectively her survival kit when the going got tough.

Maud's own assessment of herself was that she was a singularly untalented housewife who found domestic chores an unrewarding and unmitigated bore. When, as a child, her mother tried to teach her to knit, sew, darn and crochet she always managed to avoid being coerced into doing anything more than cobbling a few holes and tears. Here she frequently appealed to her Dad to arrange some alternative and more pleasing chore for her to carry out. Her sister Sue was a model of domestic application under their mother’s tutelage, and perhaps it was that Maud knew she was ham-handed and totally unable to compete on equal terms in this area of endeavour for she far preferred to be climbing trees, riding horses, playing the piano, visiting friends and other social activities.

Although Maud never mentioned the name of her school it is assumed that she must have attended the Colesberg Collegiate School before going on to Grahamstown Training College, a place which always evoked happy memories for her and she seems to have been particularly devoted to Sister Claire who must have been a remarkable lady for she is fondly remembered by all who passed through her hands. This period also evoked sad memories for it was whilst she was there that her beloved father died in March 1911 and so many changes took place in her life. The consequence of her time at Training College was that she was able to teach and her first post was, according to brother David, at a farm school in the Hopetown area where he was one of her pupils. If this is so then the intervening years must have been spent helping her widowed mother. It seems that the move back to her maternal grandparents home near Hopetown only occurred after their Colesberg home was burnt to the ground.

Maud seems to have been a popular young lady and had at least two serious suitors. Roland, whose surname I have regrettably forgotten, who did not win her hand emigrated to Canada soon afterwards. He must have loved her very dearly and always maintained an interest in her welfare, for when he heard she had been widowed he again tried to woo her but she had no inclination to move to Canada. It could just be that this faithful suitor's surname was Rolland. From the Prieska residence of her step-brother-in-law, Lieb Loots, at 7 a.m. on the 9th April 1918 Maud, then living near Prieska on the farm Phieglands Put, was married to Robert Maeder, son of Robert Maeder of Platberg, Colesberg, both friend and competitor of the luckless Roland. They then set off on their honeymoon, portion of which was spent in East London where Robert also introduced her to family and friends. Maud was most unhappy during these visits because she felt completely cut off as she was both unable to follow or contribute to the conversations taking place in either French or German, depending on who they were visiting. This oversight was later rectified much to Maud’s joy, after the honeymoon they set up house on Robert’s farm, Palmietfontein, in the Hanover district.

After they had been married just on three years their first child, Edward Knox (Ted), was born at Palmietfontein on the 6th March 1921. On the 18th August 1922 son Robert Richard (Dickie) was born and on the 8th September 1925 son Dennis Roy was born. Maud, always hoping for a daughter, was rather disappointed at only having sons. Imagine her delight when on the 26th May 1928 her daughter Sylvia was born. Ted's and Dennis' noses were thoroughly put out of joint because the centre of their mother’s attention was now firmly focused on this magical baby girl. This must also have been some compensation for Maud whose son Dickie had died tragically in April 1925, a few months before Dennis' birth.

Around about this time and without consultation, much to Maud’s annoyance, Robert sold Palmietfontein and moved the family, including his brother-in-law Frank Tait, to South West Africa (now Namibia) where he had bought the farm Oraramukuju in the Seeis district about 80 kilometers North East of Windhoek and near the small town of Omitara [1]. This farm Robert apparently renamed Merino for his purpose was to farm there with Merino sheep against all advice from the experts of this cattle farming district. This venture may even have succeeded had it not been for the double edged sword of the worst drought and worst depression in living memory [with transport costs for wool exceeding the sale price]. This venture failed and the family moved back to South Africa in virtual penury.

The family moved to Prieska, where Maud's mother, now Mrs. Koen lived. It seems that her mother was very supportive during this period and assisted the family as much as she could. It was here that Maud’s' last child, son William Francois (Billy) was born in about 1933 and died about two years later, apparently from Pneumonia. Maud, the girl born with a silver spoon in her mouth and married to a well-off young farmer now had to come to terms with a virtual hand to mouth existence. The family rallied around them and during these difficult times for everyone offered what assistance they could. Ted and Dennis went to her sister Sue, now married and living in Pietersburg but Dennis was so homesick that he returned home. Robert tried his hand at anything he could to earn money for the upkeep of his family. In due course he obtained regular employment at the Vaal Harts Irrigation project and moved his family to nearby Kimberley, where he rented a house at 3 Church Street. Ted was then able to come home to the family as Kimberley offered good schooling for English speaking children.

Since her marriage Maud had not worked and had devoted her efforts to the raising of her children. However, during World War 2, she joined the band of women entering the workforce in order to free the menfolk for War Service. Maud joined the Kimberley Traffic Department becoming one of the "magnificent seven who took over traffic duties in Kimberley in 1940", to quote from an article in The Friend newspaper dated 14th March 1968 entitled Talk of the Day and written by Roderick Random. Maud really enjoyed her time doing this job. At this time her husband, Robert, although on the Reserve of Officers, was considered too old for War Service so did his bit for King and Country as a volunteer in the Inland Company of the Essential Services Protection Corps. Her son, Ted, was already a Permanent Force member of the SAAF and Dennis and Sylvia were still at school.

Having enjoyed the camaraderie of her workmates in the Traffic Department and the financial relief brought about by her salary, Maud, after the end of the War, continued to work. Now, however, she worked for Jaff & Company Limited, who produced Delswa dresses, as an Inspector - her mother’s efforts must not have been entirely in vain as she was clearly very able at telling right from wrong when it came to sewing although she hated doing the sewing herself. Maud worked for them until about the end of 1968 when, due to failing health, she had no option but to retire. This Company held her in such high esteem that as she aged they found an appropriate position for her. To quote from a letter written by Mr. Jaff on the 2nd June 1970 "She was a wonderful person and was keen to keep going as long as she could and it was always a pleasure to see her when I visited the factory". All the staff at the factory were devoted to Maud and Factory Manager, Mr. Blanckenberg, paid tribute to her as follows, "The Staff paid silent tribute to one of the best persons with whom I have been privileged to work". These quoted words were received, after her death, about eighteen months after she had retired.

Maud suffered many tragic experiences, to name a few: the loss of her beloved father when she was barely seventeen; the death of her second son, Dicky, when the pot of boiling jam she was making accidentally tipped on to him; the bankruptcy of her husband during the Great Depression and the ensuing hardships they all had to endure; the death from pneumonia of her last born child, Billy; the death of her son, Dennis, killed, the day after his nineteenth birthday, in a bomb loading accident when he was serving with 21 Squadron SAAF at Pescaro, Italy which so traumatised her that she almost had a nervous breakdown; the loneliness of having a husband who worked away from home and was only able to visit about fortnightly; the death, not long after his retirement, of her husband, Robbie, as a consequence of the injuries he suffered when a cyclist rode into him as they walked home after enjoying an evening of bridge with friends; the emigration of her only daughter, Sylvia, to Australia; never meeting her Australian grand- children. Her stoicism (one who maintains or affects a mental attitude of austere fortitude) enabled her to rise above the anguish of her losses without bitterness and live life to it's fullest.

After she was widowed Maud moved into a flat in Kimberley with her daughter Sylvia. This proved not to be a very successful arrangement and they then moved into a boarding house in Pan Road. Sometime later Maud moved into Lancaster Lodge, an Old Age Home run by the Free Masons in Kimberley even though she was still working; it seems she felt more secure there. During this period she enjoyed having her sister Ina living in Kimberley where she resided in the school hostel. Maud also had a large circle of friends whose hospitality she frequently enjoyed and with whom she had lots of fun and pleasure playing cards with Canasta and Bridge being the favourites.

Around about Easter of 1969 Maud became ill and disorientated. Ted went up to Kimberley to see what the problem was and although we did not really have sufficient room decided to bring her to Cape Town to live with us. Our three teenage children, understandably not without a few grumbles and groans yet with good grace, were crammed into one room so as to give their well loved Gran a room of her own. ... As we had earlier planned to take a December holiday, the last we would be able to enjoy as a complete family unit, Maud happily flew off to the Natal South Coast to stay with her sister Sue where she would also enjoy the company of her sister, Ina, and brother, Frank.

Whilst we were away on holiday we received a telephone call advising us that Maud had had a relapse and that she was to undergo an operation at Port Shepstone Hospital. During this operation it was found that she had advanced cancer of the colon which had become inoperable. It seems that her Kimberley Doctor had misdiagnosed her condition as being Parkinson's Disease, the cancer had gone into temporary remission in Cape Town where none of her previous symptoms appeared to have presented themselves. Maud spent the rest of her life in Port Shepstone Hospital with sisters Sue and Ina lovingly paying her daily visits and her son, Ted, flying up from Cape Town each month to spend a week with her and to spend time with her during the last hours of her life. Many other friends and family members also visited her there. Ted says she was always bright, cheerful, lucid and at peace with the world. Maud died on 26th May 1970, the 42nd anniversary of the birth of her beloved daughter, Sylvia. Her grave is in the Uvongo Cemetery on the Natal South Coast. The book shaped headstone on her grave, plot 106, records her name as Maud Maeder with her dates.

Sources

• Family records of my Dennis Maeder grandmother

1894 birth & baptismal record

[2]

#50

Kind: Martha Lourens Knox

Geboren: 24 Januari 1894

Gedoopt: 20 Mei 1894

Ouers:

Richard Knox Tait

Susanna Margaretha Badenhorst

Getuigen:

David Fisch <sic Fish> Tait

Mary Knox Cowes?

NGK church membership record

[3] [4] TAIT, Martha Lourens Knox 24 Jan 1894 Strydenburg, 79, 1695

1911 death notice of father Richard Knox Tait

[5][6]

Name: Richard Knox Tait

Event Type: Probate

Event Date: 1911

Event Place: Colesberg, Cape Province, South Africa

Event Place (Original): Colesberg

Age: 54

Relationship to Deceased: Deceased

Birth Year (Estimated): 1857

Birthplace: Chirnside, Berwick On Tweed <Scotland>

Death Date: 7 Mar 1911

Parents - David Fish Tait & Rachael Tait

condition - medical practitioner

married to Susanna Margaretha Tait (born Badenhorst)

previous spouse - Louisa Tait, date of death unknown

place of death - deceased's residence situate on erf 9 Colesberg

children of deceased - no issue alive by first wife, child by first marriage - Louisa Tait - deceased

children by second marriage (all minors)

Maud Louwrens <sic> Knox Tait

James Franz Tait

Susan Margaret Tait

Frank Badenhorst Tait

Richardina Tait

David Fish Tait

Mary Tait (deceased)

Vera Eugenie Tait (deceased)

signed S. Tait - surviving spouse

1970 death

Photograph of her grave in Uvongo Cemetery Natal South Coast Inscription on open book reads:

In

Loving Memory

of

Maud Maeder

24 . 1 . 1894

27 . 5 . 1970

----

The Lord is

My Shepherd

Psalm 23