Beatrice May was born at Clenchwarton, one of at least nine children (six daughters and three sons) of James O OLLETT (1831 - 1912) and Susan, later to be known as Susannah, nee WILSON (1840 - 1924). Both parents came from families of agricultural labourers.

In 1851 James was aged 20, an agricultural labourer, living with his parents at Clenchwarton. His father, William, was an agricultural labourer born at Shouldham; his mother was Mary born at St Mary's. Also at home were his sister Eliza (1840 - ) and brother William (1844 - ), both born at Clenchwarton.

Susan's family were living at Stow near Downham Market in 1851. Her father was John WILSON, an agricultural labourer, a widower aged 39. Susan's brothers Thomas (15) and James (13) were agricultural labourers; sisters Susan (11) and Frances (9) were working on the farm; and brother Daniel (6) was at home. The family were looked after by a 38 year old general servant, Rhoda GAMBLE, who lived in with her two children: Mary Ann (11) and Henry (3).

James and Susan married at Clenchwarton in December 1860. Susan signed her name while James made his mark; James' sister Eliza was one of the witnesses. In 1861 James was an agricultural labourer living with Susan and their daughter Sarah Ann in a cottage at Clenchwarton. By 1871 they were living at the Victory Inn, Clenchwarton with four daughters: Frances Sarah (10) born Stow and Hannah (8), Ann Eliza (4) and Alice Esther (1) all born Clenchwarton.

James, recorded as a labourer, and Susannah were living in the Prince of Wales at Clenchwarton in 1881, with their children: Frances (21) a dressmaker, Alice (11), James H (7), George W (4), Beatrice May (2), and Lillie V (1). Later that year Bernard T was born and Lilie died. They had one more child in 1883 and named her Lillie Victoria. Ten children all told and eight were still living in 1911.

The family's fortunes improved between 1881 and 1888. By 1888 James and Susannah had moved into Kings Lynn to No. 19 Guannock Terrace where they kept the Salisbury Arms. They lived at Guannock Terrace for the next twenty years or so.

In 1891 James was listed as a licensed victualler and Susannah as a publican. Their children living with them were: Sarah CARPENTER 29 year old married daughter and her son Edwin (1); Anna (24) dressmaker; James (19) telegraph messenger; George (14) chemist's errand boy; Bernard (9) and Lilly (7) scholars. Beatrice May, now aged 12, was staying with her widowed sister Hannah FORDHAM (26) and her children Thomas (4) and Alice (2) at 17 Thomas street South Lynn.

In 1901 James OLLETT (71) publican born Clenchwarton and Susannah (59) born Stow were living with unmarried children all born Clenchwarton - James H (27) postman, George W (24) pawnbroker's assistant, Beatrice M (21), Bernard T (18) apprentice outfitter and Lily Victoria (16) music teacher and boarder Violet MITCHELL (19) single stationer's assistant born Lynn. Two years later Beatrice married Thomas Fiddaman BLOMFIELD.

Beatrice (Beatie) married Thomas (Tom) Fiddaman BLOMFIELD on 2nd November 1903.

By the outbreak of WW1 in July 1914, the family was living at 54 London Road King's Lynn where Tom ran a butcher's shop. They owned the greengrocer's next door, which had been let until April 1913 after which Beatie ran it. Tom Jr was the eldest of four children and his mother was carrying her fifth child. Beatie's niece Winnie BULLEN, the daughter of Ann E nee OLLETT, lived in to help out with domestic duties.

In June 1914, when Beatie told Tom she was pregnant, he denied that the child was his and, based on a single incident, witnessed only by his housekeeper, Mrs. WELLSMAN, he decided to petition for divorce.

On 29th July, to prepare the petition, Tom invited a solicitor to the house to interview Beatie; her mother, Susan OLLETT, was present, but she had no legal representation. She denied all suggestions of impropriety but was told to leave the house immediately with an allowance of 12 shillings per week, about £35 in today's money. She was taken in by her mother, just round the corner at 1 Guannock Terrace, where she lived for a while with her brother James and sister Lillie.This was the address used for all correspondence associated with the divorce hearing.

Their son Tom recalled that he came home from school one day when he was about ten years old to be told that his mother had left them. He didn't know where she had gone or even whether she was still alive. It was forty years before he saw her again and, until then, he was unaware that he had a sister Florence, emphasizing the likelihood that his mother had left home before her birth.

On 11th August 1914, Tom filed his petition for divorce against Beatie on the grounds of her infidelity on the night of 4th April 1914 with a young man called Jim BOWERS, an engine cleaner, who had been courting a young lady who had worked in their greengrocer's shop.

Beatie's situation was eased a little on 13th October when the Court ordered Tom to pay Beatie 15 shillings per week pending the outcome of the case. Their fifth child, Florence Fiddaman BLOMFIELD, was born on 5th December 1914 at 5 South Everard Street where Beatie was still living when she registered the birth on 29th December. Beatie had most likely conceived in early/mid-March, well before the single alleged infidelity.

The case came to court in London in May 1915 and the judge dismissed it with costs against Tom. The local newspapers carried the proceedings in lurid detail, including allegations that Beatie was frequently intoxicated.

Jim BOWERS emigrated to Australia where he made a successful life for himself. He died at Sydney, New South Wales in 1962.

By the end of 1914, when she gave birth to Florence, Beatie was living at 5 South Everard Street. This might have been the latest home of her recently widowed sister Alice Esther FROST nee OLLETT who had married Walter FROST, a groom, who died in March1914. The family moved frequently. According to the School Admissions Registers for daughter Nora at St Michaels School, South Lynn, the family were living at 28 Wisbech Road, in Sept 1913. The family moved out of that district in January 1914 so Nora had to leave St Michael's. In March 1914, after her father's death, the family were living at Frederick Place, Valingers Road and Nora was registered at St Margaret's School. Nora left St Margaret's in July 1915. Their daughter May also attended St Margaret's School, and, in June 1915, she was awarded a scholarship for free attendance at the Girls High School; her address was given as South Everard Street.

54 London Road, 1 Guannock Place and 5 Everard Street are all within a few minutes walk of each other. Beatie had a baby to bring up and it would have been difficult for her to have stayed in that area without encountering son Tom and her other younger children. We know nothing about this difficult stage in her life.

Our next definitive sighting of Beatie is not until 1921 at Fleetwood, where she was living at 67 Warren Street as Beatrice MARTIN with daughters Florence and new arrival Elizabeth Ollett MARTIN who had been born at Fleetwood on 8th August 1920, father recorded as Fred MARTIN. She had most likely been conceived around mid-November 1919, which sets the latest opportunity for Beatie to have encountered Fred.

It was not until 1953, after Tom F BLOMFIELD had died, that she was able to marry Fred.