Mary Louise Edith Weston

Weston in 1936 before the gender-change operations

Weston in 1936 after the gender-change operations

Weston with Alberta Bray in 1936

Mary Louise Edith Weston (later Mark Weston, 30 March 1905 – 29 January 1978), nicknamed "the Devonshire Wonder", was one of the best British field athletes of the 1920s. He was a national champion in the javelin throw and discus throw in 1929 and won the shot put title in 1925, 1928 and 1929.^[1] At the 1926 Women's World Games he finished sixth in the two-handed shot put, where the final result was a sum of two best throws with the right hand and with the left hand.^[2] Weston had a genital abnormality and was assigned as female at birth and raised as a girl.^[3] In April–May 1936, Weston underwent a series of gender changing operations at the Charing Cross Hospital. He changed his first name to Mark, retired from competitions and later worked as a masseur.^[4][5]

In July 1936 Weston married Alberta Matilda Bray and they had three children.^[3] Following his example, his elder sister Hilda also changed her gender and name in the 1930s; Hilda/Harry hanged himself during a depression in 1942.^[5] Mark Weston died in the Freedom Fields Hospital in Plymouth in 1978.^[3]

References

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