THIS IS FINDON VILLAGE — www.findonvillage.com  created by Valerie Martin, contains scenes from her home village of Findon, West Sussex, U.K.

THE MOST BEAUTIFUL FINDON DEBUTANTE

Copyright Valerie Martin 2008

First published in the Findon Valley and Village Directory in May 2008

I have the pleasure of introducing you to an attractive young Findon lady, Ulrica Thynne, the only daughter of Colonel and Mrs Ulric Thynne of Muntham Court in the village.

The Thynnes were well known in Findon.  Her mother started the Findon Women’s Institute back in 1922 and became President and Ulrica, as a small girl, became one of the junior members.

As a child she was also an enthusiastic member of the Findon Girl Guides in the halcyon days when guiding was considered a great adventure for the young.

Another of Ulric's passions was to go out on her horse on the downland.   She also kept a collection of postcards in the form of memorabilia in an album.   These were mostly of horses racing, hunting, military etc. and were mostly sent to her by her older brother, Oliver c, 1916 when he was at Eton.    The messages were straightforward and affectionate and often urged her to write to him again.    Some postcards mentioned their brother, Brian, and how pleased Oliver was to get letters from him.    Altogether the postcards conjured up a picture of a happy family of children, whose lives were bound up with their horses and riding.

The 1930s was an era when young ladies were presented at Court and Ulrica had the distinction of being known as the “most beautiful debutante” that season.   After the announcement of her engagement to George Anthony Murray Smith she also became described as the most photographed lady in London.

On 19^th February 1936, she was married at St. Mark’s Church in Audley Street in London (unfortunately, the setting of Findon missed out on this occasion, although many Sussex people attended).

Ulrica had been a favourite choice as a bridesmaid at weddings of her many friends in the county circle but when it was her turn she dispensed with the trappings of the day at her own wedding.

She always had her own taste in dress sense and stood out in a crowd and on her wedding day she wore a rather distinctive and lovely dress of white and silver.   Mrs. Dunas, her most intimate childhood friend, was her Matron of Honour. The wedding reception was held at 9 Chesterfield Gardens, formerly the London home of the Leconfield family.

Ulrica had always cared much more for country life than being in the city and shared her love of this with her new husband.  They loved dogs, horses and hunting and did not return to Findon but went to live in Leicestershire, which in those days shared with the Findon downland a good reputation for hunting.

As a young girl, Ulrica had always ridden well and hunted with the Crawley and Horsham Hunt.   There was an occasion when she flew to the Chiddingfold Point-to-Point near Godalming in Surrey so as to be in time to saddle one of her father’s horses and finished in second place for him.    Her interest was not really in the air, although she had flown with her brother, Brian.    Brian Thynne was a pilot officer in the 601^st Bomber Squadron and landed on his own airstrip behind the mansion at Muntham Court.

Those were the days when the Thynne’s mansion opened its doors for the public on special days for the benefit of the District Nursing Association during the summer months.   Even then the grounds were famous for the picturesque Judas tree, which still survives (it is in bloom every spring); the neat and trim yew hedges and attractive wooded grounds of the estate.

Continue if you would like to read about The Findon Airstrip

THIS IS FINDON VILLAGE — www.findonvillage.com is a continually growing record created by Valerie Martin exclusively for documenting life in Findon.