Rudolph de Trafford

Sir Rudolph Edgar Francis de Trafford, 5th Baronet, OBE (31 August 1894–16 August 1983) was a British aristocrat and banker who succeeded his brother to the de Trafford baronetage at the age of 77.

Rudolph was the second son of Sir Humphrey de Trafford, 3rd Baronet and Violet Alice Maud Franklin. He attended Eton, where he was friends with Marshall Field III, and Trinity College, Cambridge. After graduating with a BA in 1915, he fought in the First World War, being twice mentioned in despatches. In 1919, Rudolph joined Marshall Field in California for a vacation with Field's wife and children on Catalina Island.

Rudolph married June Isabel Chaplin, daughter of Lieutenant-Colonel Reginald Chaplin (son of John Worthy Chaplin VC), at St James Church, Spanish Place, St Marylebone on 6 February 1924. The reception was held at Seaford House, which was lent to the couple by Lord and Lady Howard de Walden and they honeymooned in Egypt.^[1] Their only son, Dermot, was born on 19 January 1925.

By 1931, Rudolph was working in London for the Boston investment bank Lee, Higginson & Co., which had also employed Marshall Field III. Although the bank collapsed in the Swedish match scandal in 1932, Rudolph continued to work for reformed company. In his capacity as the senior director in Europe of Higginson and Co, he negotiated at least two unsuccessful attempts at merger with the British investment house Kleinwort Benson in 1936 and 1938.^[2]

During this period, Rudolph's marriage broke up. In 1936, he and June had leased the Loder Dower House, at Cowfold, Sussex. Then in April 1938, after 14 years of marriage, June de Trafford petitioned for divorce on the grounds of Rudolph's adultery in a London Hotel in November 1937. The case was uncontested and the courts granted June a decree nisi along with custody of their son.^[3] In 1952, June remarried to Thomas Touchet-Jesson and became Lady Audley. They divorced in 1957 and June died in 1977.^[4]

Rudolph also remarried, on the 2 February 1939 to Katherine 'Kay' Lo Savio Balke the daughter of W.W. Balke of Cincinnati, Ohio. He continued to work as a City of London banker, later being appointed director of the Royal Exchange. In 1971, when his elder brother Sir Humphrey de Trafford died with no male heirs, Rudolph succeeded him to the de Trafford baronetage.

Rudolph de Trafford died on 16 August 1983, two weeks before his 89th birthday, at his home in Eaton Square, London.^[5] His requiem was celebrated at St Mary's Church, Cadogan Street.^[6] Kay de Trafford died on 15 September 1993.

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