Edward was born in the Hotel Bellevue, Thun on the 28th March 1880. His mother Bertha had left her husband John because of his cruelty and adultery and went on to divorce him, made absolute in 1882. At that time, the children of divorce generally stayed with the father but while the older children George and Bertha stayed with their father, Edward stayed with his mother. Bertha was of German origin and after leaving John in Accrington Bertha and son Edward ultimately settled in Dresden. He went to Trinity College, Cambridge in 1899 taking his degree in 1902. He went on to be lecturer in modern languages at Gonville and Caius College becoming a Fellow in Italian Studies only 18 months before his death. He married Enrichetta Checchi the daughter of Eleanora Duse the great Italian actress. They had two children, Halley Edward and Eleanor Ilaria who each in time joined the Dominican Order and changed their names to be Father Sebastian and Sister Mary Mark. Edward died in September 1934 after a short illness aged just 54.

His obituary and other appreciations in the Times of September 18 and 21 1934 give both some detail of his life and the extent to which he was held in high regard by his peers.

KCFA member Helen Holmes wrote an article in the KCFA Newsletter of May 2005 which gives an insight into his life and that of his wife and children.