The annals of human history often feature stories that defy conventional norms and challenge societal perceptions. One such story that transcends the boundaries of appearance and societal expectations is the life of Mary Ann Bevan. Born on December 20, 1874, in a London suburb, she embarked on a journey that made her known as “The Ugliest Woman in the World”.
Mary Ann Bevan was not always considered “ugly”.
Born in the late 1800s in a London suburb, she was treated and looked like any other young woman.
Everything changed when she was diagnosed with an unusual disfiguring disease after reaching adulthood and having several children.
Bevan’s face, hands, and feet were so severely disfigured within a few years that she was forced to rely solely on her appearance to survive.
Mary Ann Bevan, one of the most tragic figures from the once-thriving spin-off industry, tells how she came to be known as the world’s ugliest woman.
The Formative Years of Mary Ann Bevan
View this post on Instagram
On December 20, 1874, Mary Ann Webster was born into a large family in the suburbs of London.
She was brought up like her siblings, completed her nursing education in 1894, and married Kentish farmer Thomas Bevan in 1903.
The Bevans had two healthy sons and two healthy daughters, a great start to their married life.
After Thomas’ tragic death in 1914, Mary was left with a modest salary to support their four young children.
After her husband died, she began to show signs of acromegaly, a disorder in which the pituitary gland produces too much growth hormone.
Acromegaly is rare but currently treatable if detected early enough.
Bevan’s appearance began to change drastically, but due to the medical restrictions of the early 20th century, nothing could be done about it.
Mary Ann Bevan addresses Acemagogia directly
Acromegaly can lead to a number of significant problems, including heart disease, kidney problems, and sleep apnea.
Bevan’s disease caused her nose to grow dramatically, her forehead and lower jaw to protrude, and her typically small hands and feet to be disproportionate.
Her appearance changed and she struggled to get a job, so she had to take a series of odd jobs to support her family.
A rare condition permanently changed her appearance.
View this post on Instagram
Bevan, a previous fairground worker, claimed that years ago a farmer she worked for told her that “all [she] was fit for [was] a pageant of ugly women.”
Bevan followed the farmer’s advice and soon after entered and triumphed over 250 other contestants in the “Domestic Woman” competition.
Her success caught the attention of sideshow owners, and she decided to use the situation for her children’s benefit, as her doctor had warned her that it would only get worse.
She soon secured reliable work as a performer at fairs throughout the British Isles.
Bevan answered an ad for “the ugliest woman” in a London newspaper in 1920. Nothing hideous, mutilated, or deformed. A long-term commitment and a good salary are guaranteed for the selected candidate. Send a current photo.”
The Barnum and Bailey Circus employed a British agent to publicize the ad, noting that the woman had “what may sound like a paradox, the face of an ugly woman who was not unpleasant”.
The success of Mary Ann Bevan’s sideshow
Bevan earned about $12 per postcard by selling these types of cards at fairs.
After emailing the agency a photo he had taken especially for the occasion, Bevan was invited to join a sideshow at Dreamland, one of the most sought-after venues for artists at the time.
She applied to a number of prospective employers, but was turned away time and again owing to her physical abnormalities. Labelled as a “freak”, she ran out of options for daily jobs and was struggling to make her ends meet.
— Marina Amaral (@marinamaral2) December 9, 2021
Senator William H. Reynolds and sideshow operator Samuel W. Gumpertz, who later worked with Harry Houdini, came up with the concept for the show.
She was the main attraction in many sideshows and carnivals, with characters such as Jean Carroll the Tattooed Lady, Zip “Pinhead” and Lionel the Lion-Faced Man.
She was a free target for admiration in Dreamland, with her 154-pound frame, 5-foot-7 height, 11-foot frame, and size 25 hands.
Bevan accepted the harsh punishment with grace. “With a robotic smile, she put her own postcards up for sale,” making enough money to support herself and her children.
As time went on, Mary Ann Bevan’s appeal only grew, and by the 1930s she was a prominent figure in the famous Ringling Bros. Circus. and Barnum & Bailey.
In just two years of performing in New York, she earned 20,000 pounds, which is almost $1.6 million in 2022. Thanks to this, she was able to fulfill her goal of supporting her children.
The Last Days of Mary Ann Bevan
Bevan was a mainstay at Coney Island’s Dreamland sideshow until her death in 1933.
Bevan made time for love and made friends both inside and outside the spin-off industry. She was performing at Madison Square Garden in 1929 when she fell in love with Andrew, a giraffe keeper.
She even agreed to be pampered, have her face painted, have her hair straightened, and get a manicure and massage at a salon in New York.
Though they may have said harshly, “red and powder and the rest were as out of place on Mary Ann’s face as the lace curtains on the portholes of a dreadnought.” But Mary Ann, seeing her reflection, remarked, “I think I’ll go back to work.”
Bevan worked at Coney Island for the rest of her life until her death on December 26, 1933.
Mary Ann bevan took up the title of being the world ugliest woman to feed her 4 children #Thread pic.twitter.com/sRs9x19pO0
— Umair (@Dr_MianUmair1) November 20, 2021
Her age was 59 years. Her remains were taken back to England and buried in Ladywell and Brockley City Cemetery.
Mary Ann Bevan’s journey transcends the “World’s Ugliest Women” label to become a compelling story of resilience, strength, and adaptability. Faced with a disfiguring condition, she not only faced societal prejudices but also turned her challenges into a source of livelihood for her family. Bevan’s ability to rise above adversity is a testament to the indomitable human spirit.
Her participation in sideshows and circuses, while unconventional, showed her determination to provide for her family amid the limitations of her condition. Her success in the entertainment industry, marked by her popularity and financial independence, challenges conventional notions of beauty and highlights the empowering nature of self-acceptance.
Mary Ann Bevan’s story is also a reflection of early 20th-century social attitudes towards people with physical differences. The spin-off industry, while exploitative in nature, has provided an avenue for individuals like Bevan to assert their agency and challenge societal norms.
As she worked in the sideshow industry, Bevan’s authenticity and charm became her defining features. Her ability to navigate a world that often sensationalized her appearance demonstrated not only her resilience but also her refusal to be defined solely by external perceptions.
In her later years, Bevan’s embrace of love and camaraderie in and out of the community adds a layer of humanity to her narrative. Her relationships and moments of personal indulgence, such as pampering at a New York salon, show the multidimensional nature of her identity that transcends the label of “Ugliest Woman.”
Mary Ann Bevan’s legacy, though unconventional, resonates as a symbol of empowerment, challenging societal norms and celebrating individuality. Her influence on the spin-off industry, especially her success with the famous Ringling Bros. Circus. and Barnum & Bailey, cemented her place as a trailblazer in an era that often marginalized those who deviated from conventional beauty standards.
At her final resting place in Ladywell and Brockley Cemetery, England, Mary Ann Bevan’s story lives on as a testament to the triumph of the human spirit over adversity and the power to embrace one’s uniqueness in the face of society’s judgments.