Mary Ann Bevan, an English nurse, was born on December 20, 1874, in Plaistow, East London, into a working-class family. She was one of eight children. She was described as a very attractive and beautiful woman who later developed a disease named Acromegaly.
In 1902, she married Thomas Bevan. The couple had four children together. Around the age of 32, shortly after her marriage, she began experiencing unusual symptoms. She developed abnormal growth patterns, facial distortion, severe headaches, and progressive vision loss. These were classic symptoms of acromegaly. She became widely known after being labeled the “Ugliest Woman in the World.”
According to NHS, Acromegaly is a rare condition where the body makes too much of a hormone that can make parts of your body grow bigger.
In 1914, Thomas, Mary’s husband, died, leaving her as the sole provider for their four children. To support her family, she decided to enter an “Ugliest Woman” contest, which she won.
Later, in 1920, American showman Samuel W. Gumpertz recruited Bevan to appear at Coney Island’s Dreamland sideshow, where she spent most of her remaining years. She also performed with the Ringling Brothers Circus.
Contemporary accounts from 1926 reportedly described her as pleasant to talk to and noted that she resented being pitied.
"As her husband had died, the only way she could find to make a living to support her four children was to be in a freak show and be called the world’s ugliest woman."
Wouter de Herder, Consultant Endocrinologist, Erasmus Medical Centre, Rotterdam, Netherlands
Mary Ann Bevan became a patient of Dr. Harvey Cushing, one of the most renowned neurosurgeons of his time. In 1927, after Time magazine published content mocking Bevan’s appearance, Dr. Cushing wrote a powerful letter of protest.
He emphasized that Bevan was a victim of disease, not a subject for mockery. Cushing stated that she had once been a young and attractive woman before becoming a victim of acromegaly.
“Being a physician, I do not like to feel that Time can be frivolous over the tragedies of disease,” said Dr. Harvey Cushing.
Mary Ann Bevan continued working in sideshows until her death on December 26, 1933 when she was 59 years old. She was interred at Brockley and Ladywell Cemeteries in London.
More than 70 years after her death, Mary Ann Bevan’s image sparked renewed controversy. In the early 2000s, Hallmark Cards used her photograph on a birthday card sold throughout the United Kingdom. The card referenced the television show Blind Date, hosted by Cilla Black.
Dr. Wouter de Herder, a consultant endocrinologist at the Erasmus Medical Centre in Rotterdam, Netherlands discovered the card while on holiday in the UK. Having recently written an article about Bevan, he immediately recognized her image and filed a formal complaint. He argued that using the image of someone disfigured by disease was deeply disrespectful to both Bevan's memory and to patients living with acromegaly.
Hallmark initially defended the card but reversed course upon learning about Bevan's medical condition. Lisa Palillo, the company's communications manager, stated that once they discovered the woman had been ill rather than simply having unconventional features, they immediately withdrew the card from distribution.
Reference:
1. Danzig J. Doctor protests at greeting card manufacturer making fun of woman with acromegaly. BMJ. 2006;333(7575):936.
