Elizabeth Glascott Vawdrey was born in Redruth, one of three daughters. Her father, George Vawdrey, was a surgeon with a practice in Hayle.

She studied at Plymouth School of Art, South Kensington, Heatherleys, and in Paris. Her exhibiting addresses were Paignton (1902), Falmouth (1903) and London (1905). By the time of the 1910 Inland Revenue Survey, she was resident in Polperro, and remained there until at least 1935. She was a regular visitor to Sturminster Newton in Dorset, where her nephew lived. She held solo exhibitions at the local school there, in each of the years 1933 to 1936. These included a number of her watercolours of Polperro.

Her depictions of cathedrals from her extensive travels were some of her most highly regarded work. By the time of her death, she was living with her nephew, but her funeral was held in Polperro.