The curse of lady Mabel Tichborne was once more averted today when tenants of Tichborne estate, Hampshire, received their lady day dole of flower in accordance with this 800-year-old legend. Handed down from generation to generation the legend follows that if the flower doll is not distributed to homes each year the Tichborne family would have 7 sons born to them followed by 7 daughters, when the name which die out an ancient house fall down. The curse was made by lady Mabel Tichborne just before she died in the year 1150, after crawling round 23 acres of her husband's estate. Picture shows: Sir Anthony Tichborne, helped by a 60 daughter, doles out the flower to tenants today. 25 March 1947