Mary Ann Bevan’s riveting and moving life story is set against the backdrop of the late 19th century, a time when social perceptions of physical differences were callously exploited in traveling circuses.
Born in 1874, Mary Ann begins as an ordinary woman who works as a nurse and lives a family life. However, the onset of acromegaly, a hormonal disorder, changes its appearance and sets in motion a series of hardships. The story delves into social rejection, financial struggles, and ultimately Mary Ann’s decision to join the circus in response to an ad seeking “the ugliest woman.” This decision, born out of necessity, catapults her into an unexpected realm of fame and financial stability. As the story unfolds, we witness both the heart-wrenching challenges and the power of motherly love that define the extraordinary life of Mary Ann Bevan.
The life of Mary Ann Bevan, nicknamed “the ugliest woman in the world”, begins at the end of the 19th century, when she was at the height of her popularity touring circuses with individuals with various defects and deformities.
In the past, no one thought it was morally wrong to label disabled people as weirdos, but today it is highly unacceptable to treat them disrespectfully.
On December 20, 1874, Mary Ann Bevan was born in Plaistow, East London, England. Society liked her and she became a nurse. She was also a very nice woman with a lot of options available to her.
Mary fell in love with a man named Thomas Bevan in 1902. After their marriage, they had four children together, but their happiness was short-lived. When Thomas died after 14 years, Mary was devastated.
Left alone to care for and support her children, her life became challenging.
Unfortunately, Mary started showing strange symptoms around the age of 32. She didn’t know what was going on or what was causing the gradual change in her face, which was affecting her mentally and financially. Mary’s face became distorted and her bones enlarged. She ended up losing her job because of it, so she couldn’t support her children.
This poor woman had acromegaly, a hormonal disorder that occurs when the pituitary gland produces too much growth hormone in adulthood when there is no change in height, but no one could diagnose her at the time. Rather, only the bones in the hands, feet, and face increased in size.
Unlike when Mary lived, there are now many more treatments available for this disease and it can be managed.
This woman devastated, devastated, and impoverished, once noticed an advertisement that read: “Wanted: The Ugliest Woman.” Nothing hideous, maimed, or deformed. A long-term commitment and a good salary are guaranteed for the selected candidate.
Send a current photo.”
Despite her deep dislike for her profession, she couldn’t find a way out. All she had to do was do whatever it took to provide food for her children. She was above all a mother.
After Mary answered the ad, Claude Bartram, a circus agent, contacted her and eventually told her the story.
“She was by no means unattractive. Her face was typical of a giant, with a strong, masculine jaw, prominent cheekbones, a prominent nose, and forehead, but she was flawless, robust, and healthy. According to the Daily Star, Bartram said: “She told me she was shy and didn’t want to be separated from her children. She didn’t like the idea of ​​putting herself on display.”
“I told her she would earn £10 a week for a year, travel expenses, and all the money from selling her postcards to provide for her children’s education.
Soon Mary Ann’s photos were all over the media and everyone knew she was “the ugliest woman on Earth.”
Thanks to her fame, she was able to visit one of the most famous circuses in existence, Dreamland Circus in Coney Island, New York. Mary Ann began to attract attention, but when prominent neurosurgeon Harvey Cushing noticed her, he realized there was more to her huge face than meets the eye and wanted to investigate it in detail.
“This sad woman ‘affecting white lace caps, woolen mittens, and high laced boots’ and sitting in the Ringling Brothers sideshow ‘between the Fat Lady and the Armless Wonder’ has a narrative that is far from amusing.
In a letter to Time magazine, he claimed that “she, once a vigorous and good-looking young woman, had fallen victim to a disease known as acromegaly.”
Having worked all her life in the circus, Mary Ann is said to have amassed a modest fortune that allowed her to send her children back to England to boarding school.
She has been through a lot, but all for her children.
Mary Ann died of natural causes at the age of 59. Her children fulfilled her last wish to be buried in her native England. She is buried in Ladywell and Brockley cemeteries in South London.
Finally, the compelling and tragic story of Mary Ann Bevan sheds light on the harsh reality of the late 19th century, when individuals with deformities were exhibited as spectacles in traveling circuses. Born in 1874, Mary Ann initially led a normal life, working as a nurse and raising a family. However, the onset of acromegaly at the age of 32 changed her appearance, leading to social rejection and financial problems. Desperate for the means to support her children, she reluctantly joins the circus after answering an ad seeking “the ugliest woman”. Despite the humiliation, Mary Ann’s fame allowed her to provide for her family. Neurosurgeon Harvey Cushing recognized her condition and shed light on the medical aspect of her story. In the end, Mary Ann’s resilience and dedication to her children won out as she amassed a modest fortune in the circus. Her passing at the age of 59 marked the end of a tumultuous journey and her last wish was fulfilled as she rests in peace in her native England. Mary Ann Bevan’s story is a poignant reminder of the challenges faced by individuals with disabilities in a less enlightened era, and the lengths a mother would go to ensure the well-being of her children.