Diana Pullein-Thompson, British writer, Died at 90

  Dead Famous

The Pullein-Thompson sisters, Josephine Pullein-Thompson was born on April 3, 1924, and passed away on June 19, 2014.

She was a British writer, known mainly for their pony books, mostly fictional, aimed at children and most popular with girls.

Diana Pullein-Thompson started at a very young age, initially they wrote collectively, and they were at their peak in the 1950s and 1960s, but their popularity has endured.

The sisters also wrote a collective autobiography Fair Girls and Grey Horses.

All three of the Pullein-Thompson sisters have written at least one book under a different name; Josephine wrote one under the pseudonym of Josephine Mann.

Diana Pullein-Thompson wrote three books under her married name of Diana Farr and Christine wrote two books under the name of Christine Keir.

The girl’s mother, Joanna Cannan, sister of the poet May Cannan, wrote similar equestrian stories, but is better known for detective mysteries.

Their father was Captain Harold J “Cappy” Pullein-Thompson, he was badly injured during the First World War.

Consequently, he made his money by selling refrigerators, and did not publish any works.

Diana Pullein-Thompson, brother, Denis Cannan, who was an author as well, primarily a playwright, though he had not published as many works as his sisters.

The sisters are also related to the British novelist and dramatist Gilbert Cannan and the academic Charles Cannan.

Joanna Cannan and May Cannan were daughters of Charles Cannan, making Gilbert Cannan their cousin.

Diana Pullein-Thompson later wrote an autobiography of Cannan’s life.

Christine had four children, two sons and two daughters, as a result of her marriage to Julian Popescu in 1956. The elder of her two daughters,

The sisters’ books are strongly oriented towards ponies, and for over 60 years they have been loved by young girls with a strong enthusiasm for horses and ponies.

Diana Pullein-Thompson has often written books aimed at a slightly older audience, including some set in London.

Diana Pullein-Thompson passed away October 21 2015.