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William Sympson Walters was born in March 1881 the eldest son of Joseph, b.1856 – d.1915 (a Shepherd) and Elizabeth Ann Palmer b.1859 (in Bridestowe) d.1911, of Werrington. This was Joseph’s second marriage as he and Elizabeth married in March 1881 at Launceston, the same month that William was born. It William’s siblings were: Joseph b.1884 who married Isobel Edwards (and later married a Mr Young) and had 4 children…. Muriel, Joyce and twin boys that died at birth. Alice b.1886 – d.1962 who married Lawson Cater. And a brother Joseph b.1877 at Launceston but that died in infancy before 1881 as he’s not on that year’s census.
William attended Horwell School and his first job was in Jack Abbots (?) shop. Jessie Gardner (as in Gardner’s shop) would not marry him as she was caring for her father Henry and with various family issues, William decided to seek his fortune in London. He ended up working for a drapery company called Fore Street Warehouse Company making his way up the ranks to Chairman and Managing Director. The warehouse was the first building to be bombed in WW2 but no lives were lost. The company then moved to Margaret Street and continued trading until the early 1960s. He received the CBE in 1946 for his work with the Central Price Regulation Committee set up by the Board of Trade (being President in 1945). In this position he was invited to many banquets and luncheons in London especially at the Guildhall and even rode in a carriage in the Lord Mayors Parade as a deputy alderman.
Jessie joined him in London and became his wife in September 1909 returning to Launceston to get married, and they had 2 children Marjorie b.1911 and Donald Sympson b.1913, both true cockneys being born ‘within the bow bells of London’.
Donald went on to work with his father at Fore Street Warehouse but under the name of Mr Sympson so as to not show the relationship with his father within the same business! He travelled extensively around Europe for the business, sourcing fabrics and buyers and served as a Captain in WW2 being significantly deafened as a result of the near contact with the artillery during his service. Donald died a bachelor in 1990, having moved to Tavistock with his mother on his father’s death in 1962 and then to Plymouth on her death in 1968.
Marjorie moved to Launceston having met and married Harold Barriball of Barriball’s shop finally settling at Penlea, Dunheved Road with their 2 children and various dogs. Marjorie was very prominent in several local charities and societies especially the Girl Guide movement becoming a life president in her later years. She also accompanied her Father to several of the London luncheons when her Mother felt unable to, often jumping on a train with a new outfit and hat after a hurried phone call from William saying ‘Come on the next train, Marjorie!’ Tragically, Marjorie lost her father & husband within 6 weeks of each other in 1962, both deaths being unexpected. Marjorie then built Barncote in the garden of Dunstowe in the early 1970s named after her beloved childhood home in Woking. Her daughter, having been born 3 months prematurely in 1941 in a bedroom of Penlea, built her family home, in the gardens of Penlea. Marjorie died in 2005.
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