Betty Larom

A bit of clearing the decks...

When I was trying to find information on Neville Main for an earlier post (see here) I scanned these two pages by Betty Larom who was also a contributor to TV Comic as well as producing material for Robin and Robin Annual. Betty Larom was Mrs. Neville Main, born on 5 December 1920 and died 4 December 1972.

I believe Betty May Larom was the daughter of F. G. Larom and his wife May Emma Larom. She had previously married Henry Peter Ryland (son of H. Montague Ryland and Sylvia Ryland [Lady Doughty]) on 17 September 1949 and had a son, born in 1951. Her family may have hailed from Eastbourne but I'm not absolutely certain of that. Nor am I sure when she married Neville Main.

She contributed 'Happy and Butterball' to TV Comic for an undetermined period from 1955, later drawing 'The Story of Dumpy' in Robin in 1958-60. Later still, in 1966, she was the artist for 'Camberwick Green' in Pippin. I'm sure a good dig around the nursery comics will turn up more of her work. Happy (and Butterball) also appeared in a number of other books by Betty Larom, including the one below (illustration nabbed from eBay).

Books (all illus. by the author)
Robin's Visit to Fairyland. London, The Children's Press, 1944.
The Story of Tufty. London, Juvenile Productions, 1950.
Wimsy and Pinky. London, Juvenile Productions, 1950.
The Story of Twinky. London, Juvenile Productions, 1951.
The Story of Baba. London, London, Juvenile Productions, 1952.
Neddy's Little Bedtime Book. London, Juvenile Production, 1953.
1 2 3 Board Book. London & Glasgow, Collins, 1956.
My ABC Board Book. London & Glasgow, Collins, c. 1956?
The Three Little Bears. London & Glasgow, Collins, 1956.
The 'Happy' Book. London & Glasgow, Collins, 1964.
Happy's Holiday. London & Glasgow, Collins, 1964.
My Playtime Book. London & Glasgow, Collins, 1967.

Illustrated Books
Nursery Rhymes and Fairy Tales, illus. with others. Southampton, The Capella Press, 1940?
The Crackerjack ABC and Play Book, illus. with others. London & Glasgow, The Children's Press, 195?.
Toytown Series (credited to Betty Hulme Beaman & S. G. Hulme Beaman):
__9: Larry the Plumber. London, Oldbourne, 1961.
__12: The Conversion of Mr. Growser. London, Oldbourne, 1961.