UNA ANN WATERS was known by many in Caversham as a teacher, neighbour and friend, and for her involvement in the world of folk music.
She was born in Newport, South Wales, on 4 July 1939 to parents Jeannie and Jack. Una was younger sister to Pamela. She was proud of her Welsh roots and retained her Welsh accent even after nearly 70 years in England. She was also proud of her Scottish ancestry through her mother and had many fond memories of holidays visiting family in Keith, in Banffshire, when she was young. Una had a happy childhood growing up with her parents, sister and maternal grandmother on Corporation Road in Newport. She was always encouraged to excel in education. She was a bright student and followed Pamela to the local grammar school, Newport High. From a young age, Una was an avid reader, something she enjoyed throughout her life, keeping a log of all the books she read. After school, Una (like Pamela) attended Bristol University where she read Classics and threw herself into student life. Her roommate from Bristol, Heather, has remained a close, lifelong friend, even though she has lived in Germany for many years. Una’s academic abilities and passion for her subject paved the way, on graduation, for her career as a Latin and Classics teacher.
Una’s first teaching post was at Ilfield Grammar School in Crawley. Though she loved the job, the pupils and her colleagues, she loathed the boring new town of ‘Creepy Crawley’, as she called it, and so, once her compulsory two years were up, applied for teaching posts elsewhere. Still in her early 20s, Una started teaching at Westwood School in Reading. In 1964, Una attended a party in Derby Road, Caversham, where she met Colin, whom she thought looked like a handsome Peter Sellers! It was love at first sight for the pair and they started courting. Una and Colin were married a year later, on 24 July 1965, at the English Martyrs Church near Prospect Park. They spent their honeymoon in Rome, driving there and back with stops to visit historic – mainly classical – sites en-route. They settled down to married life in Reading: first in a maisonette on Windermere Road and then, from 1968, in Hemdean Road, Caversham.
Una and Colin were thrilled to become parents to Julia in 1967 and Ruth in 1969. Julia has described her mum as fun but also strict when they were growing up. She always taught her two girls the importance of education which had been instilled in her when she was young. Una was quietly proud of her daughters’ academic achievements: Julia went to Oxford to study French and Ruth to Exeter to study Classics. Like their mother, Julia and Ruth both chose careers in education themselves – in higher and primary education, respectively.
Una’s passion for Classics, combined with her lively, engaging teaching style, captivated and inspired the many students she taught during her long career. After leaving Westwood, Una introduced a Latin course at Hemdean House School, where she taught for over 15 years. She later taught at Kendrick School, which Julia and Ruth had both attended, for a similar amount of time. While there, Una organised many school trips to Italy, but also to Russia, Israel and Spain. She also taught briefly at both Reading School and Presentation College, as well as tutoring pupils through GCSE and A-level Latin and was an active member of the local Classics Society.
Una loved being an educator and was reluctant to retire at the age of 65. But any regrets were quickly put aside, as she threw herself, with characteristic enthusiasm and commitment, into the role of Grandma to her four grandchildren, and her and Colin’s active social life. Una was a doting Grandma to Judith, Patrick, Thea and Martha. She was always very hands-on, helping to pick the children up from school, look after them when they were sick or on inset days and enjoyed having them to visit her and Grandad regularly at their home.
One of their main pastimes was a shared love of folk music. It was Una who first got into folk music through the Intervarsity Club when she moved to Reading and later, she introduced Colin to the local folk scene. Together, they ran the Reading Folk Club for over 30 years, with Una acting as Treasurer for 34 years and booking artists to perform at the weekly sessions. She and Colin also helped run the Caversham Charity Folk Festival for nine years and enjoyed going to Wallingford Bunkfest, Sidmouth Folk Festival and others each year.
Una was very sociable and had many friendships and connections with people in Caversham and beyond. She was instantly recognisable as she cycled around town. A quick trip to the local shops would inevitably take far longer than planned, as she would stop to talk to everyone. Una also enjoyed playing Scrabble and was very competitive. She set up the Scrabble Club at Kendrick School and organised the regional inter-schools Scrabble Contest for many years. Long into retirement, she enjoyed weekly Scrabble sessions at Caversham Library.
After retiring, Una enjoyed more time with Colin. Holidays took them around the UK and further afield. Italy, with its Classical sites, remained a favourite destination, and they also enjoyed trips to National Trust properties, ancient churches and other historical landmarks. Una and Colin attended regular lectures and concerts at the university, went to museum exhibitions and archeological digs. Una even had a go at bell-ringing for a while! But Una also enjoyed spending time, sitting in the shade, reading or chatting with friends and family, in their back garden on Hemdean Road.
The last three years were difficult for Una and her family. They were heartbroken by the sudden death of their daughter Ruth, a loss which coincided with Una being diagnosed with dementia. Despite her declining health, Colin’s care and devotion over the past three years ensured she was able to continue living at home and enjoy an active, meaningful life almost until the end. Colin and Una celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary on 24 July 2025.
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