Mary Beever

Her father, William Beever, was a Manchester businessman and their mother, Nanny, died while she was young.

Her brother John installed water power for a family printing press and a pond was created where he experimented with different fish foods.

[1] Mary and her sister Susanna were skilled botanical artists and they found themselves in John Ruskin's circle after they first met him in 1873.

[1] Ruskin lived on the other side of Coniston and he would write them letters although a short walk or a row in a boat would enable a visit.

Ruskin was closest to "Susie" and in 1875 he allowed her to create an abridged version of his book Modern Painters.