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Colonel and Mrs Woodley Thompson
Mrs. Thompson insisted on being called Mrs. Col. Thompson, she had one of the first cars in the district and a chauffeur, Jack Hare, to drive it. She would not allow smoking in the house, even her husband had to go into the conservatory to smoke.
Mrs. Betty Oloman born on a farm in Burnopfield delivered milk to Whickham district by horse and cart. One day some children were pestering the horses when Mrs. Col. Thompson was walking down from Whickham Park dressed as she usually was in tweeds, pork-pie hat and a walking stick. She berated the children and then turned on Betty, trying to insist that Betty went to the police as soon as she had finished her round as she, Mrs. Col. Thompson, would not tolerate this kind of behaviour in Whickham.
During the summer, if it was a hot day, the servants at Whickham Park opened the kitchen window, Betty would then pass the cans of milk over the window-sill, it saved her going round to the back door. One day she was seen by Mrs.Col. Thompson and was 'court-martialled' on the spot.