Edith Isobella (Palmer) McFedden (1908 - 1991)

Born 1 Sep 1908 in Durban, Natal, South Africa

Ancestors

Wife of Leopold McFedden — married about 1932 (to about 1980) in Durban, Natal, South Africa

Descendants

Died 25 Sep 1991 at age 83 in Durban, Natal, South Africa

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Peter Raath [send private message]

Edith, who lost her mother, Mary Jane Dalton and grandmother, Elizabeth, in 1918, during the Spanish ‘Flu epidemic, at aged just 10, spent her growing years virtually living with her sister, Nellie. That disease, which started in Boston, USA, peaked in October 1918 and as mysteriously and fast as it had arrived, it just stopped - but not before killing 30 million people worldwide during a six-month period. South Africa had tried desperately to quarantine the outburst but when a boat of soldiers arrived in Cape Town and later travelled by train and everywhere they went it was passed on. Within a week 250 000 had succumbed to the illness. "Edith told me that both she and her mother had contracted the dreadful 'Flu Epidemic’ of 1918, which was spread all over the world by returning soldiers. It killed more people than the very bloody war had done! There were so many patients for the Addington hospital to look after, that they spread great marquees on the beach, for men, women and children respectively. She was separated from her mother and lay in the children's ward. After about two weeks, she was ready to go home, and her big sister, Nellie, brought her clothes. She asked why her white dress had black stitching on the sleeves and neck, and they quietly told her on the way home that her mother had died. The grave at the Central Durban Cemetery in West Street, was that of her mother, where the ashes of numerous family members are now laid" recalled Estelle Horne. After the loss of Nellie in 1935, Edith became the foster mother to her nieces and nephews, Gerald, 15, Dorothy, June, Eric and Cyril, having moved in with Nellie and her husband, Frank - after not getting on with her bossy sister-in-law, Alice. Gerald became very close to his aunt and took her to the family house in Gail Street, fetching her bed and few belongings with a rickshaw. For Edith it was the happiest day of her life. "In the early 1930s, she married Patrick McFeddan and lived in the Enterprise Buildings, Aliwal Street, before later moving to Wakefield Court in Gillespie Street," said youngest daughter, Roslyn. Mom had asked her brother Tommy to give her away, but he did not pitch and so brother-in-law Frank Raath was his replacement, which was fitting because Frank and Nellie had taken mom in at a very young age and been surrogate parents. Mom always spoke of how good they were to her and how happy she was to be with them. She would repay the debt years later when Nellie died, and my mom and dad moved into Dumbarton Road so Edy could care for the children and the home. Edna was a toddler. My mother stayed there for a couple of years and my brother Brian was born there. Then Frank married Muriel and my folks moved out to Sandringham Flats in Gillespie Street and finally at Tollisdale until 1981. Over the years Nellie's children always visited my mom. I have great memories of June, who was so pretty and Eric, such a kind man he was. Of course, Gerald never forgot Edy, and she was devastated when he passed away in 1987. Cyril would pitch up on odd occasions and even spent a few days. Sadly, he had problems, but mom would never turn him away, he was after all Nellie's baby. The week before Edy died, she said, “Gerald came to see me” I replied: “My Gerald?” She shook her head and said, “No Gerald with the bible.” That of course meant Uncle Gerald. Sadly, none of us her children were with her when she passed away. She suffered a massive stroke at around 4.00 am on the morning of 25th September 1991."

Her two other addresses were: Farrer House, 51 East Str, Overport, Durban, 4001, Phone 284175 and 21 Greenlands, Corner Park Str & Andrews Str, Durban, phone 3062727.

• Peter Raath