Ida Cornelia Ernestina Ed was born in Bergedorf in 1852 to a supportive family who encouraged her to write.

Her creation of short novels and other literary works was deterred when she married Carl Johann Boy[1] at the age of seventeen.

Despite already being a published author of serialised novels and having experience in newspaper writing, she did not find success with the pieces she wrote at this time.

[2] In September 1914, at the outset of the First World War, Boy-Ed's son Walther was killed in France.

[4] Karl recalled that Thomas Mann was amongst the many literary and musical people who visited his mother's home.