Mathews was educated at Catholic schools: the Convent of St Andrew (in Streatham) and at Tournai (in Belgium).

[2] Vera Laughton was married to Gordon Mathews from 10 June 1924 until his death in 1943; they had two sons and one daughter.

[citation needed] She was initially the Unit Officer of the WRNS Training Depot at The Crystal Palace in south London;[3] the Depot was wound up immediately after the Armistice was signed in November 1918 as recruitment had ceased and she went on to serve in various posts on the east coast of Britain until demobilisation in 1919.

[4] The Vera Laughton Mathews' Award charity was created on 21 March 1969 with the aim of supporting the education and training of the daughters of former WRNS personnel.

[4] After her retirement from the WRNS, Dame Vera was asked by the post-war Labour government to sit on a number of industry committees.