Wife of Obed (Tommy) Spargo) , mother of Alan and Lionel
Cora Waters was born on the 19th August 1901 to Joseph Waters and Jessie Waters (ne Gartrell) at Middle Kemyell, Paul. She was the youngest of eight children. Henry the second youngest died in 1902 aged 5. Her mother Jessie was forty four when she was born.
Her eldest four siblings were born in Orange Massechussets between 1884 and 1888. Their father was working as a machine operator for at least some of the time they were in the USA. The family returned c 1889 and took over the farm at Middle Kemyell from jessie’s father Henry Gartrell..
To find out more about the Waters family click here
Joeeph was a pioneer in the industry of market earning on the cliffs of West Penwith.
Here are two pictures which include the young Cora.
Front Row Hazel, Elsie and Cora
Cora attended Paul School. Along with her school age siblings she had to walk from Middle Kemyell – about 2.5 miles each way. As the Paul School Board minutes frequently recorded, it was common for children to arrive wet to school. Sometimes they were sent home! Joseph waters would occasionally take pity on the children and take them to school by horse and cart. (family story Lionel). She would have left school at 14.
By 1921 Joseph and Jessie had bought Boslandew House, one of the major properties in Paul. Joseph is still listed as a farmer. There is evidence in later letters and probate details that they held other parcels of land in Paul and continued small scale farming.the farm The lease for Middle Kemyell may been being transferred to their son Albert (Bertie).
She and Tommy started courting probably in their late teen, early twenties and then became engaged.
Read Tommy’s story here.
She trained to be a music teacher.
Cornishman 16.4.1924
MOUSEHOLE. the recent examination of the London College Music the following were successful: Advanced intermediate, Esther Trembath, first class. Intermediate. Stella Symons and Edith Pender, pass. Elementary, Percy Trembath, honours. Pupils of Miss Cora Waters, A.L.C.M., Boslandew House, Paul. nr. Penzance v G59
Cornishman 4.6.1924
WEST CORNWALL NEWS. PENZANCE. At the Higher Examination held at the College of Music, Miss Cora Waters, of Boslandew, Paul, Penzance, obtained the diploma Licentiate of the London College of Music (L.L.C.M.) for pianoforte, theory and harmony.
The invitation was sent to her c/o Tommy’s lodgings in Highbury, so she must have stayed there in order to attend the examination.
Two letters from Cora to Tommy have survived. They are from the last couple of months before Nellie’s death and there is a lot about how she is.
Cora comes across as very sad at times.
30th January 1925
Dear Sweetheart,
Got your letter yesterday. Mum had hers as well. She is pleased (secretly) to know you are thinking of coming home Easter, though she makes out it is me you are coming to see. She says (illegible, on fold of paper and worn through) still manage to get to Lamorna at this rate, and its only her foolishness to think of it, she says it will take her all her time to get down by Easter. Her breath is very short….
’Ive been cheered up since yesterday planning what I’ll do if you come do come home Easter. It would be a lovely weekend and I can’t help looking forward to it. Had a nice bath Saturday night and went straight to bed. Washed my hair Monday and it’s shining like silk now. Ernest Ladner asked me if I would teach his little girl, so that’s one more. I’d rather be busy now you are away, get really fed up when I’ve nothing to do. Won’t have any lessons Easter weekend, no fear!!!….
21st February 1925
Lovely weather today and when I look out at it my heart is in my mouth. I’ve had one or two “weeps” – on the quiet. I can’t bear to see such sunshine and the birds singing as if they’ll never stop. I makes me feel heaps lonelier. The hail showers have brought down the cold. Mum (Nellie) is just the same, a bit short on her breath still, but she will have it that she is better…..It’s a good thing for me, the Choral. If I didn’t have that to do I should probably be down with mum and that isn’t at all lively. I wish I could get a girl chum. I’m fed up and getting old as the hills. Engaged girls aren’t wanted much with younger ones. They think I am very slow.
They finally married in 1926
Cornishman 21.7.1926
If you look at formal wedding photographs from this time, the subjects are rarely smiling. Exposure times were slow and required a pose to be held.. This couple however are BEAMING!
