---

---

Edna Fincham

Edna Fincham married Oliver Schreiner, Will and Fan Schreiner’s son and Olive Schreiner’s nephew. Edna was from the Cape but travelled to Britain to marry Oliver in 1919. Schreiner commented in a letter to Betty Molteno in August 1919, “as I see more of Edna I quite fall in love with her. There is something that slowly opens upon you - a charm, I quite understand how Oliver fell in love with her. I thought she was quite ordinary at first & now I think she’s beautiful. She is so sweet with Fan too: this is a great joy to me.” However, this followed Edna’s attitudes to race matters being problematic for Schreiner, and represents a variant on her ‘great is silence’ approach to dealing with irresolvable differences, most probably because of her great love for Oliver.

 Recipient Of
no letters

 Mentioned In

 National Library of South Africa, Cape Town: Special Collections at the NLSA provide one of the leading locations for archival papers across many periods, organisations a... Show/Hide Collection Letters

 Anna Purcell MSB 386/2.19:March 24th 1920, My darling Anna, I can't wish you many happy returns of this day. It will be a sad one for you, & yet it...

 Olive Schreiner: Jessie Rose Innes MSC 26/2.6.8:9 Porchester Place , Edgware Rd., March 28th 1920, Dear Jessie, I know you are feeling anxious about our Dorothy. I have writ...

 Olive Schreiner: Jessie Rose Innes MSC 26/2.6.9:9 Porchester Place , Edgware Rd., April 26th 1920, Dear Jessie,, I was so glad to get a letter from Dorothy yesterday, & ...

 Olive Schreiner: Ruth Alexander MSC 26/2.1.12:Dec 14th 1918, My darling Ruth., I was glad to hear from you., You see the the last letter I had from you so many months ago ...

 University of Cape Town, Historical Manuscripts: Manuscripts & Archives at the University of Cape Town is a leading location for accessing archival papers across many per... Show/Hide Collection Letters

 Schreiner-Hemming Family BC 1080 A1.7/172:Darling Effie, Thank you for your sweet letter I shall perhaps come out to Africa in September when Oliver & Edna come in...

 Schreiner-Hemming Family BC 1080 A1.7/173:Dear,, I think I told you I am sailing on the 13th of August with Oliver & Edna for the Cape., It will be good to see you...

 Schreiner-Hemming Family BC 1080 A1.7/174:9 Porchester Place,, Edgware Rd, March 10th 1920, My darling Wynnie, I can’t thank you enough for your beautiful letter...

 Schreiner-Hemming Family BC 1080 A1.7/176:I wonder if you have seen Uncle Cron, dear. He writes me now he is not leaving till the middle of June. I’ve not seen O...

 Olive Schreiner BC16/Box7/Fold1/Jan-July1919/27:My dear old sister, I tried to come & see you last night as I heard Ol & Edna with the Lochs were to dine at Dr Corth...

 Olive Schreiner BC16/Box7/Fold2/Aug-Dec1919/1:Tuesday, Darling Betty, I was so glad of that news, that Alice had been for a walk. I cannot but feel that doctors may mistak...

 Olive Schreiner BC16/Box7/Fold2/Aug-Dec1919/3:Tuesday, My darling Betty, Thank you for your card. I enclose part of Isabellas letter about the meeting in her rooms of the ...

 Olive Schreiner BC16/Box7/Fold2/Aug-Dec1919/14:Betty darling,, Tell Alice she mustn’t think of answering my letter. I know just how she loves me, & you give me he...

 Olive Schreiner BC16/Box7/Fold2/Aug-Dec1919/18:Sunday afternoon, Dear old Sister, It was a joy to get your note from Southampton I am looking forward for a word from Las Pa...

 Olive Schreiner BC16/Box7/Fold2/Aug-Dec1919/20:Oct 11th 1919, Sunday afternoon, Dear old sister, I hear there may be a boat going this week so am writing again in that hope...

 Olive Schreiner BC16/Box7/Fold2/Aug-Dec1919/25:Oct 20th 1919., My dear old sister, This is your birthday, the first for so many long years without a little gift from him., ...

 Olive Schreiner BC16/Box7/Fold2/Aug-Dec1919/26:Thursday night, My darling Betty, If you knew how you & Alice I am so glad she is getting into the room with inner walls....

 Olive Schreiner BC16/Box7/Fold2/Aug-Dec1919/27:9 Porchester Place, Edgware Rd, Oct 25th 1919, My dear old sister, You are surely now in our Africa, with the sunshine & ...

 Olive Schreiner BC16/Box7/Fold2/Aug-Dec1919/33:9 Pl, Tuesday, Darling Betty, You are ever with me. I know all you are living through, but you have this, that you know you a...

 Olive Schreiner BC16/Box7/Fold2/Aug-Dec1919/40:Monday, Darling Betty, I am so glad Eva is with you., Yesterday Lucy came to see me & stayed about three hours. She was g...

 Olive Schreiner BC16/Box7/Fold2/Aug-Dec1919/41:My dear old sister, Thank you so for your letter to me about Dot’s wedding. It is good that our darling child is so hap...

 Olive Schreiner BC16/Box7/Fold2/Aug-Dec1919/42:Nov 29th 1919, Dear Fan, I had a pleasant surprise this afternoon when your friend Mrs Friedlander came in. She said she had ...

 Olive Schreiner BC16/Box7/Fold2/Aug-Dec1919/43:Friday, My darling Betty, I have drawn my table up close to the fire & am really going to try & write to you. It is a...

 Olive Schreiner BC16/Box7/Fold2/Aug-Dec1919/44:Dec 12th 1919, Dear old Sister, I wasn’t able to write to anyone last week, even Cron. Edna told me she had a letter fr...

 Olive Schreiner BC16/Box7/Fold2/Aug-Dec1919/49:Thank you for your splendid letter dear. I am not well enough to write this week but will do so next. Edna I saw last Thursda...

 Olive Schreiner BC16/Box7/Fold3/Jan-Feb1920/1:New Years Day , Darling Betty, I have written to Margaret & sent her off Dillon’s book. I have ordered the other tw...

 Olive Schreiner BC16/Box7/Fold3/Jan-Feb1920/2:Jan 4th 1920, Sunday night, It’s just twelve o’clock but as I can’t sleep I may as well write. Oh we are ha...

 Olive Schreiner BC16/Box7/Fold3/Jan-Feb1920/4:Dear,, The Cape mail has come but no news from any of you Anna Purcell mentions that she came to see you but you were lying d...

 Olive Schreiner BC16/Box7/Fold3/Jan-Feb1920/8:My darling old sister, I’ve just got a letter from Cron he seems so very very pained because you never answered that lo...

 Olive Schreiner BC16/Box7/Fold3/Jan-Feb1920/11:Porchester 9 Porchester Place, Edgware Rd, Jan 22 / 1920, My dear old Sister, I got your interesting long letter yesterday. Y...

 Olive Schreiner BC16/Box7/Fold3/Jan-Feb1920/22:9 Porchester Place, Edgware Rd, Feb 3rd 1920, Dear old sister, I must tell you that I saw Edna & Oliver at their rooms ye...

 Olive Schreiner BC16/Box7/Fold3/Jan-Feb1920/23:Dear JB,, I think you would be surprised if you knew how continually my thoughts are with you & Mary. How I long to see y...

 Olive Schreiner BC16/Box7/Fold3/Jan-Feb1920/24:Dear,, I have your letter. I long to see you but want to be wherever you rest most. May enclosed these letters for you not kn...

 Olive Schreiner BC16/Box7/Fold3/Jan-Feb1920/27:Feb 9th 1920, My dear old Sister , At last yesterday I managed to get to see Edna. She looks very well, so pretty; she looks ...

 Olive Schreiner BC16/Box7/Fold3/Jan-Feb1920/29:Feb 13th 1920, My dear old JB, It is strange I always feel better in the night. That is the only time I am able to write. Don...

 Olive Schreiner BC16/Box7/Fold3/Jan-Feb1920/30:Sunday, Darling Betty, I send you dear Lucy’s letter. She’s such a sweet natural child. I’ve not seen Edna,...

 Olive Schreiner BC16/Box7/Fold3/Jan-Feb1920/31:Saturday, My darling Betty, I enclose you little Lucie’s letter to me, & in case you should care to read it my niec...

 Olive Schreiner BC16/Box7/Fold3/Jan-Feb1920/32:Sunday , My dear old Sister , Your letter has just come. Edna’s little baby was born a week ago, but I have not been ab...

 Olive Schreiner BC16/Box7/Fold3/Jan-Feb1920/33:Monday, Dearest May, I thought perhaps you would like to see what Ursie says about Mrs Molteno (your uncle Charley’s wi...

 Olive Schreiner BC16/Box7/Fold3/Jan-Feb1920/34:My dear old sister, I managed last Saturday to get to see Edna & the babe. Oh it was too beautiful! The babe is lovely –...

 Olive Schreiner BC16/Box7/Fold4/Mar-Dec1920/4:Sunday night, My dear old sister, I went again to see Edna today. She was asleep but I saw Ol. The third swelling on her brea...

 Olive Schreiner BC16/Box7/Fold4/Mar-Dec1920/7:April 10th 1920, Dear old Sister, Mist & rain & rain, & rain & mist! Nothing else. I never knew such an April...

 Olive Schreiner BC16/Box7/Fold4/Mar-Dec1920/8:I went to see how Edna was today as a letter from Ol told me she had had to go back to the nursing home & have an operati...

 Olive Schreiner BC16/Box7/Fold4/Mar-Dec1920/9:Sunday afternoon, My dear old sister, Thank you for your dear letter. I hope you won’t find it lonesome down at St Jame...

 Olive Schreiner BC16/Box7/Fold4/Mar-Dec1920/10:May 13th 1920, My dear dear old sister, I have not seen Edna or the babe for ten days but Ol wrote me they were doing well. I...

 Olive Schreiner BC16/Box7/Fold4/Mar-Dec1920/12:Edna & Oliver had lunch at Dr Corthorns today & I went there in the afternoon. Jean Frances as a wonderful child with...

 Olive Schreiner BC16/Box7/Fold4/Mar-Dec1920/13:June 17th 192, Dear old Sister, Its ages since I had any news of you! I am going to see Edna next Saturday. I’ve not se...

 Olive Schreiner BC16/Box7/Fold4/Mar-Dec1920/19:c/o Mrs Scott, Binzana, Plumstead, We got here on Monday. We had a terrible storm the last two days & nights & the co...

 Olive Schreiner BC16/Box7/Fold4/Mar-Dec1920/21:Plumstead , but address c/o Standard Bank, Strand St, Cape Town, Sep 15th 1920, My darling Betty, I was not able to write las...

 Olive Schreiner BC16/Box7/Fold4/Mar-Dec1920/23:Sandown Rd, Rondebosch, My darling Betty, I am spending 5 days with Lucy. They are all so dear & sweet Carol is a splendi...

 Olive Schreiner BC16/Box11/Fold1/Dated/51:Edna & her sister & the babe came to have tea with me yesterday Edna looks so much better. The babe lay for an hour &...

 Olive Schreiner BC16/Box11/Fold2/Undated/87:Saturday night , Betty dearest still it rains & rains here! I’m so sorry it was so wet when May was with you., Ruth...

 Joyce Newton Thompson BC 643/B23.3:Dear Turnips,, So glad of your letter, but picture of little son has not come yet. Did Joyce get my note thanking her for her...