Diana Pullein-Thompson facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Diana Pullein-Thompson
Born	Diana Pullein-Thompson 1 October 1925
Died	21 October 2015
Nationality	British
Other names	Diana Farr
Occupation	writer
Known for	books about ponies
Spouse(s)	Denis Farr
Relatives	Christine Pullein-Thompson (twin sister) Josephine Pullein-Thompson sister

Diana Pullein-Thompson, later known as Diana Farr (1925 – 2015), was a British writer and amazing horsewoman. She was famous for her pony books. Her mother and two sisters were also writers. Together, they wrote many children's books, especially about horses!

Life and Adventures

Diana Pullein-Thompson was born in 1925. She came from a very interesting family. Her father, Harold Pullein-Thompson, was a war hero. He had won the Military Cross for bravery. Her mother, Joanna Cannan, was a very successful writer.

Diana was one of three sisters, and she also had an older brother. All three sisters grew up to be writers, just like their mother! Their brother, Denis Cannan, became an actor and a playwright.

The family first lived in Wimbledon. Later, they moved to a large house called The Grove in Rotherfield Peppard, Oxfordshire. This house had its own stables! This was perfect because the girls loved horses. They learned to ride and even competed in horse events. They wrote about their childhood in a book called Fair Girls and Grey Horses.

Unlike their brother, who went to a famous school, the girls were taught at home by their mother. They were known for being a bit different and not always following the rules.

When Diana was 14, and her older sister was 15, they decided to stop school. Instead, they started a riding school right at their home! The three sisters taught others how to ride. This helped the family earn extra money.

Becoming a Writer

In 1946, Diana's first book, I Wanted a Pony, was published. She also helped write another book called It Began With Picotee. Her sisters and she had created this book together back in 1941.

Diana and her twin sister, Christine, dreamed of becoming professional horse riders in America. Christine went to Virginia, but Diana couldn't go in 1952. She was diagnosed with tuberculosis, a lung illness. She had to go to Switzerland to get better.

After she recovered, Diana went on an incredible adventure. She rode her horse, Favorita, all the way from John O’Groats in Scotland to Land’s End in England. This long journey took her six weeks!

Diana later worked for a literary agent, someone who helps writers. But she soon returned to writing her own books. In 1959, she married Denis Farr, who also loved horses. They moved several times for his job, but Diana kept writing. Her stories were known for being very realistic. In 1978, she wrote a biography about her cousin, Gilbert Cannan.

Family Life

Diana and Denis Farr had a son and a daughter. Denis Farr passed away in 2006. When Denis retired, they moved to Haslemere in Surrey. This new home made it easier for both of them to ride horses.

Books by Diana Pullein-Thompson

Here are some of the books Diana Pullein-Thompson wrote:

• I Wanted A Pony (1946)
• Three Ponies and Shannan (1947)
• The Penny Fields (1949)
• A Pony To School (1950)
• A Pony For Sale (1951)
• Janet Must Ride (1953)
• Horses At Home and Friends Must Part (1954)
• Riding With The Lyntons (1956)
• Riding For Children (non-fiction, 1957)
• The Boy & The Donkey (1958)
• The Secret Dog (1958)
• The Boy Who Came To Stay (1960)
• The Hidden River (1960)
• Bindi Must Go (1962)
• The Battle Of Clapham Common (1962)
• The Hermit's Horse (1974)
• Black Princess (1975)
• Ponies In The Valley (1976)
• Ride Better And Better (with her sisters, non-fiction, 1977)
• Black Romany (1978)
• Ponies On The Trail (1978)
• Ponies In Peril (1979)
• Cassidy In Danger (1979)
• Only a Pony (1980)
• The Pony Seekers (1981)
• A Foal For Candy (1981)
• Black Piper (1982)
• A Pony Found (1983)
• Dear Pup: Letters To A Young Dog (1988)
• The Long Ride Home (1996)
• Fair Girls and Grey Horses (1996) (with her sisters).

As "Diana Farr":

• Gilbert Cannan; A Georgian Prodigy (1978)
• Five at 10: Prime Ministers' Consorts Since 1957 (1985)
• Choosing (1988)