Diane Thompson

Another of the iconic ‘50s models, Diane lived in Haringay in north London. During the war, she was evacuated to Yorkshire but returned to the smoke afterwards. She always had a rather pensive look about her, with her blue eyes, dark hair and trim figure − and she filled a pair of nylons to perfection.

ToCo is its usual schizophrenic self about her background – or perhaps that’s unfair criticism; maybe they did just follow the changes in her life. In one mag, picture editor Brewster says she worked for a music publisher in Denmark Street, otherwise known as Tin Pan Alley because of all the music shops found there then − and now. And in another that she worked in the accounts department of a West-End optician. Her spare time was spent dancing and modelling.

Diane was also one of the victims of ToCo’s rather prim and bizarre practice of retouching stocking tops. I can’t for the life of me imagine why they would do that, unless it was to give the art room boys something to do.

Personal Details  -  Born 1938    36-25-36

Appearances  -  8, debut Span 31 (March 1957)

Spick  -  41

Span  -  31, 38, 40, 41

Beautiful Britons  -  18, 37, X3