Born at 80 Park Street, Mayfair, Mary was the youngest daughter of Thomas Hughes, Christian Socialist and author of Tom Brown's Schooldays.
After her sister and brother-in-law drowned on the Titanic, in 1915 Mary moved to live with friends, Doris and Muriel Lester, in the buildings that were later to become Kingsley Hall, Bow.
[2] She joined the Quakers in 1918[3] and moved back to Whitechapel, living in the Blackwall Buildings continuing her work as a poor law Guardian and volunteer visitor to the local infirmary and children's home.
In 1926, Mary acquired an old pub, the Earl Grey, 71 Vallance Road, Whitechapel, which she turned into a refuge, renaming it the Dewdrop Inn[4] (a pun on 'Do Drop In').
Here, Mary slept in a tiny room near the front door on a sort of padded bench, which she often gave up to homeless woman.