Clara Cox was the daughter of Mary Croft Whatley and Samuel Lediard of Cirencester.  As the daughter of a solicitor, Clara would have grown up in relatively comfortable surroundings.  She was taught to sing and play the piano.  She was a gifted musician, playing and teaching the piano at Cranham parish church and giving piano recitals in Cheltenham.

She attended Cheltenham Ladies College, where she met and married her piano teacher, Adolphus von Holst.  They had two children, Gustav and Emil, who were both born at 4 Pittville Terrace.  Clara managed the household whilst Adolphus travelled around Cheltenham giving piano lessons.  However, Clara increasingly suffered from her ‘nerves’ during her marriage, forcing Adolphus to carry out his piano practice on a silent keyboard.  Clara died of heart disease following a stillbirth.