Major Robert Thompson (Robin) Thynne

Born: Unknown.

Died:  July 1936.

Major Robert Thynne’s real name was Robert Thompson Tinn, born in Gateshead, County Durham whose father worked as an “iron turner” in the railway industry. He was the fourth of nine children, educated at a secondary school and local college. In 1900 he moved to London where he became an associate of Toynbee Hall, the world’s first university settlement. The 1901 census shows him lodging at the hall of residence, Balliol Hall, Whitechapel, and employed as an assurance society clerk. He was also involved with the labour reform movement in Britain and wrote articles for various publications.

In 1904 he married Mary Ann Walker of Kinsale, and in 1907 the couple moved to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. In 1916 he was back in Britain and joined the army. In Canada he had been involved with property finance but also started a lumber business; his experience of working with heavy equipment made him a suitable candidate for the Royal Army Service Corps. On the 26 September 1916 he officially changed his name by deed poll from Robert Thompson Tinn, to Robin Thynne. His army record was amended to reflect this change and his wife’s name was now given as Dr. Mildred Archer Thynne. Mary Walker, Thynne’s first wife, was still alive so it appears that they had parted company. Towards the end of WWI Thynne transferred to the Royal Air Force by “special appointment” at the request of the Ministry of Munitions and he was seconded to the Directorate of Aircraft Production.

When Thynne died in July 1936, several British newspapers reported that he had been a scientist, anthropologist, expert on cancer treatment, explosive expert, literary agent, author and that he had worked for the British secret service. During his final illness two doctors flew in from Switzerland to try and save him, and after his death a package of documents was taken from his home and destroyed. Reporters tried to find out more about him and visited the area where he lived in Cornwall. Local people were interviewed and most seemed amazed at the interest being shown in the Major, but could add little information of interest. However, one newspaper took a different view of Thynne, saying that he had been a fraudster and was under police investigation at the time of his death. In the late 1920s he invested money in the Mandrake Press and associated with the English occultist and novelist, Aleister Crowley. Major Thynne was a board member of the Mandrake Press Ltd. company. Gerald Yorke contributed £1,000, Major Thynne £1,000, and Karl Germer £500.

Both Crowley and Thynne had a relationship with Deidre Patricia Maureen Doherty. After Crowley's libel suit against Nina Hamnett's for her novel, Laughing Torso, Major Thynne introduced Crowley to her and she later became the mother of Crowley's only son, Aleister Ataturk.