Biographie Lahaise Edouard

Biography written by Mrs. Pamela Ryan, from her Family Tree.

Edouard went to Paris, France. He married Emilie Theba Herlin, an intelligent lady with great vivacite'. Emilie's occupation and interest was in the Paris Archives. Edouard - his education was in music- played the pipe organ in one of the churches in Paris and also at special occassions in the MARBLE PALACE, an Exhibition Hall, on the Av. des Champs-Elysees.

Many years ago (1927) Rita, Adeline and Eugenie Lahaise visited their Aunt and Uncle in Paris. Rita and Edouard- two excellent pianists played duets for hours- the classics.

An amusing event surprised the visitors. Edouards's new Auto was a  "de la Haye"( model/make of car)- the original family name. Photo taken on Rue Notre Dame des Champs, Paris France. Front seat- Edouard and le Chaffeur Julien. Rear seat Eugenie, Adeline and Rita Lahaise.

Edouard became interested in the making of frames. When he had the apartment on Rue Notre Dame des Champs in the Latin Quarter- cluttered with frames- his wife suggested that he get an attalier ( a studio for designers/artists) and out from under the beds and from behind the doors went all the frames to Edouard's new attalier nearby on Rue de Vaugirard where he became a prominent designer. One of his life-sized carved frames was odered for the the Queen of Spain.

About 1925 at an exhibition in Paris, Edouard entered a large frame in gold leaf and dark dull brown. On the five inch wide brown border he had painted a row of clustered blossoms- similar to a rhododendron in all the various soft colors. On the outer and inside edges of the frame werew borders of delicate carving- within the frame was a mirror. Hundreds entered their works, Edouard won First Prize.

Paris to St Cloud

Beyond Paris and through the Bois de Bologne is St. Cloud which was noted for the many artists and writers living there- also for the establishment of the COTE PERFUMERIES. One could reach St. Cloud via boat on the River Seine.

Edouard and Emilie built a home here in the quiet town. There was a spacious garden and a small cottage in the rear. At the entrance to the property was a high wall and a gate built and carved by the ownder Edouard himself.

Of course there was much happiness in this home until the NAZI WAR erupted causing untold misery. They were forced out of their large house by the Nazi soldiers and retreated to their small cottage in the rear of their grounds. They were good citizens and courageous, but they suffered from the cold, the inconveniences and the high cost of everything they needed and illness- " le bruits de guerre!"(translates to Rumors of War) When they were allowed to return to the big house they found it in shambles. 

After the sudden death of Emilie all was given up and Edouard returned to Paris a very lonely, discouraged man.  In later years Edouard married a lovely lady of culture and ability named Jeanne Prunier. 

Edouard died in 1961. After the death of her husband Edouard and after her retirement from the office of the archives, Jeanne Lahaise left her Paris apartment for a permanent home in Beaulieu on the Cote Azure- the beautiful blue Mediterranean. Beaulieu is one- half hour from Monte Carlo and fifteen minutes from Nice.

Beaulieu- Beaulieu is a charmine little port with terraces of fine country houses almost smothered in climbing plants. The coast is sheltered from the winds, faces the sun and grows a tropical vegetation. Beaulieu is well known to be the most elegant of the small resorts on the coast and from it Jeanne Lahaise has a magnificent view of the sea and the Alps. In the rear and far above are the two Grand Corniche Drives, the upper and the lower, planned by Napoleon Bonapart(in 1805-1812). Jeanne Lahaise lives near relatives and very close friends.