Rosemary Leonara Ruth de Rothschild (1913-2013)

Rosemary Leonora Ruth de Rothschild, born 21 September 1913, was the eldest child of Lionel Nathan de Rothschild (1882-1942) and Marie-Louise née Beer (1892-1975). Rosemary was the sister of the late Mr Edmund de Rothschild (1916-2009), the late Mr Leopold de Rothschild (1927-2012) and the late Naomi Louise Goldschmidt (née de Rothschild) (1920-2007). 

Rosemary grew up on the Exbury Estate in Hampshire purchased by her father Lionel de Rothschild (1882-1942), senior partner in the firm N M Rothschild & Sons. Rosemary was privately educated in Surrey and Paris. Rosemary married the Hon. Denis Gomer Berry in 1934, and they had two children, Barbara and Susan. Rosemary married John Anthony (Tony) Seys in 1942, and together they had a son, David, in 1947. In 1949, Rosemary, and Tony purchased a farm in the White Highlands of Kenya, where, with the help of European and African staff, they successfully developed their estate ‘Rhodora’ where the main crop was coffee, together with a prize-winning herd of Guernsey cattle. Every corner of the farm was put to productive use; water sources were found, roads were driven through difficult terrain. In 1963, Rosemary and Tony returned to England, again to farm and to grow ornamental trees for parks. Rosemary and Tony remained active in their retirement. Rosemary's interests centred round the Shetland Sheepdog Club and the Kennel Club, of which she was an honorary life member; she also spent many years working as a Voluntary Associate attached to the Probation Service. Tony died in 1989.  

Rosemary and Tony’s time in Kenya is recorded in her book The Rhodora Letters (The Book Guild Ltd, London, 1993). Rosemary Seys died on 29 April 2013, in her 100th year.