SIEFF, Jonathan (1933-2020)
Richard R
He was s of Hon Michael David SIEFF (1911-87, s of the LP Baron SIEFF (1889-1972) and scion of not descended from the MARKS OF BROUGHTON barons) and his former w Daphne Madge Kerin (1909-88, having m 2nd Sir Michael Hadow KCMG) d of Cyril Aaron MICHAEL (1881-1955) of London by his 1905 m (reg Q3 London) to Nora Maude KERIN (1881-1970). He m 1st 1959 (div 1966) Nicole d of Francis MOSCHIETTO of Monte Carlo, and had two sons. He m 2nd Angela (1942-2008) d of Brig Douglas Alexander PRINGLE (1912-2005) by his 1940 m (6 Aug, India) to Wendy Angela GORDON (1919-2004), and had a dau Rebecca Verassana (b 1967) who is m to a son of the LP Baron HOWARD OF HENDERSKELFE (1920-84) by his wife a dau of the 8th Duke of GRAFTON (1850-1930), and has issue.
colinp
Jonathan Sieff, who has died aged 86, was a member of the Marks & Spencer family and a keen racing driver.
In his youth “Jono”, as he was known, made a miraculous recovery from a life-threatening crash at Le Mans and went on to run several motor-racing and automotive businesses with great success. He had a controlling interest in the Cooper group, and provided the red, white and blue Minis for the 1969 film The Italian Job.
He was born in Marylebone, London, on December 21 1933, the son of Michael Sieff. In the late 19th century his great-grandfather, Ephraim Sieff had emigrated from Lithuania, then part of Russian-controlled “Congress Poland”, to avoid military service in the Russian Army, to Königsberg, East Prussia, from which he was expelled, with other Poles, in 1886.
He reached Hull and made his way to Manchester, where he started a business sorting cotton waste, selling to Beaumont & Co and making his fortune. His son Israel married Rebecca Marks, daughter of Michael Marks, another immigrant, who started his business with a stall in Leeds open air market and created the Penny Bazaars.
He linked up with Tom Spencer, a cashier, and in 1894 Marks & Spencer was established. The Sieff and Marks families not only made a considerable contribution to British life, but as Zionists were disciples and helpers of Chaim Weizmann and, along with others, were involved in the creation of the State of Israel.
Jonathan’s father headed the textile-buying side for M&S and became a managing director. His younger brother, Marcus Sieff, wrote that he was “good in business, had a great knowledge of clothing and first-class relations with people. He was popular and respected inside and outside the business, but he was not as ambitious or pushy as I was.” So it was Sir Marcus (later Lord Sieff of Brimpton) who came to be chairman of the company.
Jonathan Sieff was married three times. His first wife, whom he married at the Mairie in Paris in 1959, was Nicole Moschietto, daughter of François Moschietto of Monte Carlo. He met her at a dinner given by Patricia Rawlings, at which he surreptitiously altered the seating plan in order to sit next to Nicole. They had two sons and divorced in 1966.
Later, Nicole became the last girlfriend of the Queen’s cousin, Prince William of Gloucester, following his return from Tokyo. Prince William was killed in August 1972 taking part in the Goodyear Air Race at Wolverhampton.
Sieff married secondly, in 1966, Angela Pringle, a well-known model who had worked for Pucci and many other international designers. They had one daughter, Rebecca, who married Simon Howard, who ran Castle Howard for the Howard family with considerable success for many years.
After his divorce from Angela, Jono married, in 1986, Candy Seymour-Smith, the jeweller, to whom his children attribute 34 years of great happiness for him, in which he was able to pursue his numerous other interests. He was a highly erudite intellectual and linguist with a considerable knowledge of music and literature in all forms, able to quote Shakespeare and T S Eliot at length.
He was a keen collector of art and books, he rode to hounds, evented and enjoyed shooting and bridge. He loved to travel and was a connoisseur of cooking and wine.
He is survived by his wife, two sons and by his daughter.
Jonathan Sieff, born December 21 1933, died July 1 2020
On Monday, 6 July 2020 09:07:12 UTC+1, Richard R wrote: