Following her marriage to Ellis Harvey Davies in 1923, Mary McLean (aka Betty Roland) produced a number of works under the name Betty M. Davies up until she left her husband in 1933 to travel to Europe. While travelling there she met Guido Baracchi, a prominent member of the Australian Communist Party. The pair lived in Russia for several years before returning to Australia in 1935.
Davies is believed to have adopted the name Betty Roland while in Europe in 1933. A photograph published in the Western Mail (Perth) on 14 September 1933 is captioned: 'Queen of the Pool: Miss Betty Roland stars in an impromptu parade at Paurville-Sur.Mer, near Dieppe, France." (p.6).