{{Short description|British businesswoman (1903–2004)}} {{for|the Australian swimmer|Doris Thompson (swimmer)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2021}} {{more citations needed|date=August 2013}} {{Infobox person | name = Doris Thompson<br><small>OBE</small> | image = | caption = | birth_name = Lilian Doris Bean | birth_date = {{Birth date|1903|1|12|df=y}} | birth_place = Great Yarmouth, England, UK | death_date = {{Death date and age|2004|6|23|1903|1|12|df=yes}} | death_place = Barnacre, England, UK | death_cause = | other_names = | occupation = Businesswoman | years_active = | spouse = Leonard Thompson (1928–1976; his death) | children = Geoffrey Thompson<br>Mary Louise Thompson<br>Carol Jean Thompson }} '''Lilian Doris Thompson''' {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|OBE|JP}} (née '''Bean'''; 12 January 1903 – 23 June 2004)<ref name="shenton">Kenneth Shenton (1 July 2004) [https://web.archive.org/web/20140312214306/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/doris-thompson-6166344.html The Independent: Doris Thompson obituary]. The Independent</ref> was a British businesswoman who was the managing director and chairman of Pleasure Beach Resort (better known as Blackpool Pleasure Beach).
==Career highlights== Doris Thompson became a director at Pleasure Beach Resort in 1929, immediately after the death of her father, whilst her husband, Leonard Thompson, became managing director and chairman.<ref name="shenton" /> Whilst she initially focused on her young family, she gradually assisted more in the development of the park behind the scenes, especially throughout the 1930s, which saw the opening of Fun House, Grand National, and the introduction of the ice show.
When Leonard Thompson died in 1976, Doris Thompson succeeded him as chairman of Pleasure Beach Resort, whilst her son, Geoffrey Thompson, became managing director.
==Education== Doris Thompson was educated locally in Blackpool, and then at Malvern Ladies' College in Worcestershire. In 1928, Doris married Leonard Thompson, "a bright, ambitious, Oxford-educated businessman".<ref name="shenton" /> He worked for the Swedish Match Company at the time, and the couple were content to begin married life in London. However, within a year, the death of her father William Bean threw their plans into disarray. The couple decided to return to Blackpool to continue running his park. While Doris became a director, Leonard became chairman and managing director of the park, roles they held for almost 50 years.<ref name="shenton" />
==Personal life== Doris Thompson was born on 12 January 1903 in Great Yarmouth. She married Leonard Thompson in 1928, at the age of 25. She had three children: Geoffrey, Mary Louise, and Carol Jean.
On 15 April 1948, Mary Louise, the eldest daughter, died when Pan Am Flight 1-10 crashed while landing in dense fog at Shannon Airport, killing 30 passengers. She was en route to study in the United States before attending the University of Oxford.<ref name="shenton" />
Thompson was appointed MBE in 1969 and OBE in 2003.<ref name="shenton" />
Doris Thompson died on 23 June 2004 in Barnacre, on the day of her late son's funeral. She was 101 years old.
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{BPBLtd Properties}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Thompson, Doris}} Category:1903 births Category:Blackpool Pleasure Beach Category:2004 deaths Category:People from Great Yarmouth Category:British women centenarians Category:20th-century English businesswomen Category:Officers_of_the_Order_of_the_British_Empire