Subject

Social worker. Born 80 Park Street, Mayfair, daughter to the Christian socialist Thomas Hughes who was author of "Tom Brown's Schooldays".  Moved to join her sister who was married to the Reverend Henry Carter in Whitechapel. There she worked with the poor and the sick. Her sister and brother-in-law went down on the Titanic but Mary moved into the community settlement, Kingsley Hall, in Bow and carried on her work living in amongst the poor, in similar conditions. Joined the Quakers in 1918. Moved back to Whitechapel and then in 1928 into an ex-pub at 71 Vallance Road. She renamed this the 'Dew Drop Inn' and provided there a community centre for the homeless. She called herself a Communist and met Gandhi in 1931 when he visited Kingsley Hall. Died  St Peter's Hospital, Whitechapel.