Mary, also known as Marie Pandavoine or Marie Paindavoine, was the daughter of a British father and an Indian mother, granting her a mixed Anglo-Indian heritage. She married Edmond Pandavoine, a French photographer, against the strong objections of his father, Vulfran Paindavoine, whose disapproval may have stemmed from Marie's background and led to a lasting estrangement.

She worked as a traveling photographer alongside her husband, journeying across Europe in a donkey-drawn carriage. After Edmond’s sudden death in Bosnia, Marie and their daughter, Perrine, pressed on toward France, sustaining themselves by operating the mobile photography business. Marie was known for her unfailingly kind and patient disposition, even when facing hostility from business rivals. Though gentle and polite, she held a resolute inner strength and refused to yield to competitors’ demands.

Her physical health was delicate, and she became gravely ill upon arriving in Paris. Despite selling all their belongings, including their cherished donkey Palikare, to afford medicine, her condition continued to decline. On her deathbed, she disclosed the truth of the family estrangement to Perrine, advising her not to immediately reveal her identity to Vulfran but to first earn his affection. She imparted a central lesson to her daughter: “If you wish to be loved, you must first love others,” a principle that would guide Perrine thereafter.

Marie is recalled as a loving and devoted parent, and her passing deeply impacted her daughter. In appearance, she had darker skin than Perrine and was sometimes portrayed in flashbacks wearing a sari, reflecting her Indian heritage. She was also shown occasionally wearing her hair in a motherly side plait rather than a prim bun.