Chip Chick
Then, she decided to see if she could make money off her looks by entering what was essentially a local “ugliest woman contest” against over 200 other contestants.
When she won, Mary was rapidly approached by sideshow owners, and she realized that since there was nothing she could do about her new looks, she might as well earn a living from them.
In 1920, Mary answered an advertisement published in a London newspaper by an agent for Barnum and Bailey’s circus looking for the “ugliest woman.”
She had a photographer take professional photographs of her to send to Barnum and Bailey and headed out with pictures that would excel her sideshow career.
Mary was invited to join one of the most famous sideshows at Coney Island in New York. She had postcards with her photograph labeled “The World’s Ugliest Woman” sold at fairgrounds.
She was paraded around with some of the most iconic sideshow performers, and despite being put on display for her disorder, she stayed in the business to feed her family.
After performing in New York for two years, Mary made £20,000, which would be over $1 million today.
She was able to give her kids a proper life and an education. Additionally, Mary performed with some of the biggest names in circus and sideshow entertainment, the Ringling Bros. and the Barnum & Bailey show.
Mary continued to work in Coney Island during her later years and eventually passed away in 1933 at 59. Her body was returned to London and was buried in Ladywell Cemetery.
While Mary’s story may be quite sad, it’s also a tale of great perseverance and inspires us to be kinder to one another.
