Mary Gamp (née Rabnott) (24 March, 1462 - 23 February, 1530) was a witch who lived in the 15th and 16th centuries. She was born a member of the then-prominent Rathnott family. She was the wife of Gawain Gamp and the mother of his eight children.
A portrait of Mary sits in one of the halls of the estate that her husband built, along with many other early members of the Gamp family.
Biography
Early life
Mary Rabnott was born in the year 1462 into the pure-blood Rabnott family. She was baptised in King's Lynn, Norfolk, then known as Bishop's Lynn, in June 1462.
Not much is known of her childhood. She had a brother, Edward, and three sisters.
She began attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry on 1 September, 1473. Again, not much is known of her time there, but she was a member of Slytherin House. At the age of nineteen, she married Gawain Gamp, a member of the prominent Gamp family. Over the course of their marriage they would have eight children.
Later life
Her husband was granted land in King's Lynn, then known as Bishop's Lynn, in 1495, where he built the family manor which still stands today. It was completed in 1507. He then died in 1510, at the age of 49, leaving Mary a widow.
Mary passed away nearly twenty years later. Once more, not much is known of her time as a widow.
Legacy
A portrait of Mary Gamp sits in one of the halls of the estate, along with many other early members of the Gamp family. Her descendant, Ulrick Gamp, became the very first Minister for Magic in 1707.
The Gamp family, while arguably an Ancient House, later fell out of favour as its members began a gradual retreat from society in the 19th century. Hector Gamp I, for example, squandered the family gold on lavish jewels for his wife, who later became suspected of poisoning him. Hector II, his son, found himself unable to care for his eleven children, and the Gamps fell into poverty. The line officially died out in 1981 with the passing of Araminta Lestrange (née Gamp), though many descendants of Gamp still live today.
Etymology
The meaning of the name Mary is not known for certain, but there are several theories including "sea of bitterness", "rebelliousness", and "wished for child". However it was most likely originally an Egyptian name, perhaps derived in part from mry "beloved" or mr "love".
This name has been borne by two queens of England, as well as a queen of Scotland, Mary Queen of Scots. Another notable bearer was Mary Shelley (1797-1851), the author of Frankenstein. A famous fictional character by this name is Mary Poppins from the children's books by P. L. Travers, first published in 1934.