Mary Bonham-Christie
Mary Bonham-Christie (born Mary Florence Whitburn; 23 July 1865 – 28 April 1961) was a reclusive owner of Brownsea Island in Poole Harbour, Dorset, from 1927 until her death. She bought the island at auction in 1927 for £125,000 and became known as “the Demon of Brownsea” for her strict rules and isolation.
Mary was born in Wandsworth, London, to Charles Whitburn and Fanny Whitburn. She married Robert Bonham Bax Christie in 1889. They had two children, Elsie (1890) and Robert Arthur (1893). Robert died in 1931. Mary’s grandson, John Bonham-Christie, was born in 1918.
On Brownsea Island she gave the island’s 200 residents notice to leave and banned hunting and fishing to protect animals. This led to a long legal fight. In 1934 a big fire damaged much of the island; the cause was never proven. Some people blamed the eviction or the Boy Scouts; Mary blamed others. She also hired a bodyguard to keep intruders away. Despite the controversy, the island became a thriving home for wildlife such as red squirrels, deer, and various birds.
Mary died on 28 April 1961 in a nursing home off the island and was cremated in Bournemouth. There is a memorial to her in Marston Bigot.
In 2007, BBC Radio 4 aired a program about her impact on Brownsea Island. After her death, her heir John Bonham-Christie planned to develop the island. Conservationists led by Helen Brotherton opposed this and helped persuade the government to take Brownsea Island as part of death duties. The National Trust did not have enough money, so a deal was reached: the Dorset Wildlife Trust would run half the island; the John Lewis Partnership would lease the castle and grounds for staff holidays; and the Scout and Guide Movements would have access to the rest of the island for their members.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 17:45 (CET).