The story of Mary Ann Bevan, who was considered ‘The ugliest woman in the world,’ starts in the 19th century, a dark period of the American culture when ‘freak shows,’ traveling circuses showing people with certain deformities and disabilities, were at the peak of their popularity.
Today, it is highly unacceptable to treat people with disabilities with disrespect, but back in the day, no one believed it was morally wrong to dub them freaks.
Mary Ann Bevan was born on December 20, 1874, in Plaistow, East London, United Kingdom. She grew up to become a nurse and was respected by the society. On top of that, she was a very attractive woman who was offered many possibilities.
In 1902, Mary met the love of her life, a man named Thomas Bevan. The two married and welcomed four children together, but their happiness didn’t last long. After 14 years, Thomas passed away, leaving Mary heartbroken.
Her life became difficult as she was left to take care and provide for her children all by herself.
Unfortunately, around the time she turned 32, Mary started experiencing strange symptoms. Her face started changing gradually and she didn’t know what was happening or what caused that change which impacted her both psychologically and financially. Mary’s bones grew big, and her face became deformed. As a result, she lost her job and was unable to provide for her children any longer.
Back in the day, no one could diagnose her, but this poor woman suffered from acromegaly, a hormonal disorder that develops when the pituitary gland produces too much growth hormone during adulthood, when a change in height doesn’t occur. Instead, the increase in bone size is limited to the bones of the hands, feet and face.
Today, a lot more is knows about this condition and there are ways to keep it under control, which wasn’t the case during the time Mary lived.
Crushed, heartbroken, and poor, this woman saw an ad one day which read, “Wanted: Ugliest woman. Nothing repulsive, maimed or disfigured. Good pay guaranteed, and long engagement for successful applicant. Send recent photograph.”
No matter how awful she felt about this ‘job,’ she saw no way out of her situation. She simply needed to do anything in order to feed her children. Above all, she was a mother.
Mary answered the ad and she was soon contacted by the circus’ agent, a man named Claude Bartram, who later shared Mary’s story.
“She was not repulsive at all. She had the kind of face one usually finds in a giant, a powerful, masculine jaw, prominent cheek-bones, nose and forehead, but she was unblemished, healthy and strong. She told me she did not like the idea of placing herself on exhibition, she was shy and did not want to be separated from her children,” Bartram said, according to Daily Star.
“I told her she would earn £10 per week for a year, travelling expenses and all the money from the sale of picture postcards of herself, so she could provide for the education of her children.”
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In no time, magazines were filled with Mary Ann’s photos and everyone recognized her as ‘the ugliest woman on Earth.’
Her popularity brought her to the Dreamland Circus in Coney Island, New York, one of the most famous circuses there were. Mary Ann became an attraction, but then a doctor named Harvey Cushing, a leading neurosurgeon, spotted her and knew there was more behind ger huge face that he wanted to explore thoroughly.
“This unfortunate woman who sits in the sideshow of Ringling Brothers ‘between Fat Lady and Armless Wonder’ and ‘affects white lace hats, woollen mittens and high laced shoes’ has a story which is far from mirth-provoking.
“She, previously a vigorous and good-looking young woman, has become the victim of a disease known as acromegaly,” he wrote in a letter to Time magazine.
Mary Ann spent her life working at the circus and she was reported to have earned a small fortune which enabled her to send her children back to England where they attended boarding schools.
She endured a lot, but she did it all for her children.
Mary Ann died at the age of 59 of natural causes. Her final wish was to be buried in her homeland, England, and her children fulfilled her wish. She is resting at the Ladywell and Brockley Cemetery in South London.
This woman’s sad, yet fascinating life story speaks of the mother’s love for her children more than anything else.
Anna Nicole Smith’s Daughter’s 18th Birthday Style Sparks Debate – See Her Dramatic ‘Goth’ Look!
Dannielynn Birkhead recently celebrated her 18th birthday, and it was a special event. However, her choice of outfit for the party stirred up a lot of online discussion. Some people loved her unique style, while others didn’t like it at all.
The birthday celebration for Dannielynn, who is the daughter of the late Anna Nicole Smith, was a big event. Despite the party being memorable, her fashion choice sparked a lot of mixed reactions from people online.
On Saturday, September 7, Dannielynn Birkhead’s dad, Larry Birkhead, shared some exciting photos on Instagram. He gave fans a peek into their special celebration at the “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” The Afterlife Experience in Los Angeles. It was clear that Dannielynn’s 18th birthday was a unique and memorable event, just like they had planned.
Larry Birkhead posted on Instagram, “Dannielynn had a great time celebrating her 18th birthday with friends and family at the @beetlejuiceafterlife.exp and @beetlejuicemovie. It made for an out-of-this-world experience!” He shared photos of the fun and spooky celebration, giving fans a glimpse into Dannielynn’s special day.
Dannielynn went all-out for her 18th birthday with a gothic-chic look, wearing an all-black outfit from Hot Topic. Larry Birkhead shared on Instagram, “Of course, Dannielynn found a Hot Topic store to get a spooky outfit for all the fun! Happy 18th Birthday Dannielynn!” His post added a playful touch to the celebration.
Dannielynn fully embraced the quirky Beetlejuice theme with her birthday look. She wore spooky makeup, styled her blonde hair in loose waves with bangs, and rocked a gothic glam outfit. Among the highlights of her birthday celebration, she was seen posing by the ocean with a stunning sunset in the background.
Another photo showed Dannielynn striking a pose with a man dressed as Beetlejuice himself!
Other photos captured Dannielynn getting her makeup done and beaming with joy at the entrance to the “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” movie event.
One clip even showed her waving to the camera with a Beetlejuice sign on the table. As with any big celebration on social media, Dannielynn’s birthday post sparked a range of opinions.
Critics quickly shared their thoughts on Dannielynn’s gothic makeup and outfit. One commenter said, “She’s goth… Anna Nicole would not approve of that,” while another lamented, “Her mother is turning in her grave .” Some were blunt, stating, “Not a good look,” and one person even suggested, “Larry needs to stop dressing her.”
Despite the criticism, Dannielynn’s supporters rallied to her side. One fan defended her, saying, “Dad did right by his daughter. I know Anna would be so proud; she’s so beautiful like her mom .” Another praised her, writing, “Such a lovely girl! Her mama would be proud!” Many fans highlighted Dannielynn’s resemblance to her famous mother, with one commenting, “Beautiful girl. Looks so much like her mother.”
Larry Birkhead shared that Dannielynn’s final look was inspired by “Ankh” from the movie “Kamen Rider OOO 10th: Core Medal of Resurrection.”
He wrote, “Had an awesome time at this weekend’s @officialpowermorphicon in Pasadena, California, thanks to @tokuspirits! Dannielynn was so excited to meet @maaaaaaaasahiro (Masahiro Inoue) who plays ‘Decade’ from ‘Kamen Rider Decade,’ that she was overcome with joy.”
Larry continued in his message, “She was also excited to meet @yuikoike_official (Gokai Pink) and @ozawa_ryota (Gokai Red) from ‘Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger,’ and @yasuhisa_furuhara0813 (Go-on Red) from ‘Engine Sentai Go-Onger’ was another favorite! This was the first stop and a pre-celebration for Dannielynn’s upcoming birthday! The countdown begins now!”
Larry continued in his message, “She was also excited to meet @yuikoike_official (Gokai Pink) and @ozawa_ryota (Gokai Red) from ‘Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger,’ and @yasuhisa_furuhara0813 (Go-on Red) from ‘Engine Sentai Go-Onger’ was another favorite! This was the first stop and a pre-celebration for Dannielynn’s upcoming birthday! The countdown begins now!”
Larry thanked everyone and the organizations that helped make their attendance at the event possible. He hinted that he and Dannielynn might be heading to Japan next, closing his caption with excitement about future adventures.
Fans who saw their fun at Power Morphicon took to the comments, praising Dannielynn’s various looks and her beautiful hair transformations.
Dannielynn Birkhead and her father, Larry Birkhead, share a close and supportive relationship. As Dannielynn transitions into adulthood, she continues to make her father proud. Larry often reflects on her growth and the journey they’ve shared, celebrating her milestones and achievements.
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