Wedding of Ruth Martin and Noel Beadle. The wedding took place in West Mersea Parish Church. Photograph by J.R. Board, Buxton.

Ruth was the daughter of Alfred and Gertrude Martin of Les Hirondelles (now No. 14), East Road, West Mersea. Gertrude had been Headmistress at East Mersea School for many years, and Alfred was a local builder.

Noel was killed in Italy within a few months of getting married. Ruth returned to West Mersea and was known by her maiden name, though in later life she was a bit eccentric and sometimes signed herself Lady Abercrombie. She adopted painting as a hobby.

In the 1980s Ruth attended an evening class on drawing run by David Nicholls at the Minories in Colchester. David says her paintings were 'primitive in an attractive way' and she was often successful in selling them.

Date: 4 February 1943