Story: Edith May Hogan (1893 - 1907)

From Arthur Lipscombe, added to this site 29 Jan 2001

Edie was born in Melbourne in 1893 to Michael Hogan and Annie nee Ryan, both of Irish Catholic descent. Michael had been a miller when he married, and was later to become a coffee-roaster. Her mother Annie was a midwifery nurse.

In 1906 Edie started a post-card collection in an album that had been given to her as a present by her friend Avril. The album was passed down through her sister Nell and still exists. In those days postcards were sent much like birthday or Christmas cards are now used, or to pass on brief information such as someone would call around the next day - things that we would now use the phone or email to communicate. The album contains humourous and pictureque postcards from her friends, as well as a set of picture postcards showing scenes of London.

Both Edie and her sister Dolly died of galloping consumption (tuberculosis) in their teens, no doubt nursed at home by their mother. The last postcard in the album, dated 31 December 1906, was sent by her friend Avril who was on holiday in New South Wales. It begins "So sorry to hear you have been so ill ....". Edie died in 1907.