 Cornelia Louisa Intveld was born in Padang where her father, who came from humble beginnings in Hellevoetsluis, South Holland, rose up through the Dutch East India Company to become the Dutch Resident of Padang.Her maternal grandmother was an Ono Niha "ranee" (a term that covered every rank from chieftain's daughter to princess) who married a prominent Dutch colonial official and merchant.This "foreign blood" caused opposition to Violet Gordon-Woodhouse's father's family to her parents' marriage and so they eloped.