The Founders

Sir John was born in Cookham, England. His American father came from Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania and his British mother was descended from the first Chairman of Lloyds of London. During World War II he was commissioned in the Black Watch, was a paratrooper and later a member of the Special Allied Airborn Reconnaissance Force. On January 1, 1967 he was created a Knight of the British Empire. This honour was in recognition of the Thourons’ dedication to Anglo-American friendship.

Born in Wilmington, Delaware, Esther Driver du Pont Thouron, the daughter of industrialist Lammot du Pont and Natalie Wilson du Pont, was a noted horse breeder and philanthropist. In 1966 the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders’ Association gave her the Lady’s Sportsmanship Award; she was listed in Who’s Who of American Women, and in 1967 she received an Honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters from the University of Pennsylvania in recognition of her commitment to Anglo-American educational exchange.