Angus T. Jones,

Mary Ann Bevan’s story is remembered as one of both hardship and resilience. She was born in London on December 20, 1874, and grew up in an ordinary household. After training as a nurse, she married Thomas Bevan, a farmer from Kent.

The couple had four children and lived a modest but content life together. That peace was shattered in 1914 when Thomas died suddenly, leaving Mary Ann a widow with young children to raise.

Not long after, she began showing signs of acromegaly, a disorder caused by excess growth hormone. The condition altered her appearance drastically, enlarging her hands, feet, and facial features.

At a time when medical treatment was limited, her condition made daily life difficult. Social prejudice only deepened her struggles, and she found it increasingly hard to secure employment.

In desperation, she entered a “Homeliest Woman” contest, which she won. This unusual victory led to work in sideshows and eventually an invitation to perform at Coney Island’s Dreamland amusement park in 1920.

Marketed under the cruel title of the “Ugliest Woman in the World,” she endured public ridicule. Yet, she accepted the role so she could earn enough to care for and support her children.

Through the 1930s, she became known internationally as a sideshow performer. Mary Ann Bevan died in 1933 at the age of 59, remembered not for her appearance but for her unwavering love and sacrifices as a mother.