Joseph Pearson Clemmitt was born at St. Martin-in-Field, England in 1902. In 1930 he emigrated to Winnipeg, Manitoba hoping to become a farmer. Instead he worked for W.L. Parrish, a major grain company for two years before joining the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. He joined in 1932 and Corporal Clemmitt served at Prince Albert and Saskatoon before being posted to the Yukon. He retired as a detective in 1952 and moved to Surrey British Columbia where he worked for the school board.