WILLES, Olivia

1920 - 2012

Beatrice Olivia Willes, known as Olivia, was born at the Nursing Home, Harcourt, Bridge Road, Salisbury on 20 May 1920, second daughter of Francis Charlwood Willes (15 October 1887-24 May 1951), a captain gunner in the Royal Marine Artillery, of Donemark, Bantry, Co. Cork, Ireland and his wife Barbara Dorothy née Nance (31 March 1895-1 January 1985), who was born in Hong Kong, daughter to Sir Arthur Stanley Nance (27 May 1860-11 May 1938). In 1921 Olivia was living at 5 The Orchard, Lewisham, London with her parents and elder sibling 2-year-old Rosamond Glory Willes, who was born in Scotland. During the Second World War Olivia served with Women's Auxiliary Air Force and in 1954 Olivia was a secretary living at 15 Trebivor Road, London NW5. An artist, illustrator, and an author she exhibited at the Royal Academy and was the author of 'A Saharan Sketchbook: A Memoir of a Journey in an Africa of Yesterday' (2003). Beatrice Olivia Willes died at Aldiringham Court, Aldringham Road, Aldringham, Suffolk on 12 April 2012, she was unmarried.

Royal Academy Exhibits
from The Colt House, La Marette, Alderney, Channel Islands
1983 283 Lava Fields, Lanzarote
from Field End, Westleton, Suffolk
1992 1481 In the Jain Temple, Ranakpur

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Works by This Artist