The Temptress: The Scandalous Life of Alice De Janze and the Mysterious Death of Lord Erroll (21 page)
Authors: Paul Spicer
Mary Leslie-Melville
Farmed five thousand acres in the Wanjohi Valley with her husband, the Honorable David Leslie-Melville. Neighbor to Alice. Assisted Alice in buying Wanjohi Farm from Sir John Ramsden. Found a gun that matched the missing Erroll murder weapon in a catchment dividing her farm from Alice’s.
Julian Joseph (“Lizzie”) Lezard
Arrived in Kenya in 1940. Went to stay with Alice at Wanjohi Farm on Lord Erroll’s instructions to conduct government surveillance work. Briefly Alice’s lover.
Edward Caswell (“Boy”) Long
Invited by Lord Delamere to manage his cattle in the Rift Valley. Married Genesta Heath in 1924. Had brief affair with Idina Hay. Married Paula Gellibrand in 1938.
Marie
French maid and housekeeper to Idina Hay in 1925. Most helpful to Alice on her first arrival in Kenya.
Louise Mattocks
Alice’s stepmother. Married William Silverthorne in Paris shortly after the death of Alice’s mother, Juliabelle (Louise’s cousin). She had several children by William, including Patricia, who was born in 1915.
Henry Harris (“Harry”) Morris, KC
Well-known senior counsel based in South Africa. Hired by Diana Delves Broughton to defend her husband, Jock, at his trial (on Lazarus Kaplan’s instruction). An expert on ballistics, he obtained an acquittal in the trial.
Alice May (Aunt Tattie)
Born Alice Chapin, she was the sister of Alice’s mother, Juliabelle. Married Francis May of the May department store chain. Became joint guardian of Alice when Alice was made a ward of the court at the instigation of her brother, Simeon Chapin (Uncle Sim). Also served as long-term guardian of Alice’s daughters, Nolwen and Paola.
René Mettetal
Alice’s principal lawyer in Paris and her defense counsel in her trial for the attempted murder of Raymund de Trafford. Procured her ultimate pardon from the president of France and put the case for her annulment to Pope Pius XI.
Noreen Pearson
Girlfriend of Alice in Nairobi. Had a daughter whom Alice admired—Alice stated in her will that her farm was to go to Noreen’s daughter if her own children failed to take over Wanjohi Farm after her death.
Richard (“Dickie”) Pembroke
Alice’s lover in 1940–1941. Testified in court that Alice had been with him on the night of Lord Erroll’s murder. Carried Alice’s letters with him in the desert campaign against Field Marshal Rommel.
Pope Pius XI
Pope from 1922 to 1939. Granted an annulment of Alice’s marriage to Frédéric de Janzé in August 1928.
Mary (“Molly”) Ramsay-Hill
Divorced her husband, Cyril Ramsay-Hill, in order to marry Lord Erroll in 1930. Lived with Joss at Cyril’s former home, Oserian, on the shores of Lake Naivasha. Her personal wealth was rumored to have come from Boots, the UK chemist chain.
Sir John Frecheville (“Chops”) Ramsden
Landowner and builder of settler-type houses in the Wanjohi area. Owned Wanjohi Farm prior to the de Janzés’ purchase of it. Built their house for them under Alice’s supervision.
Arap Ruta
Alice’s chauffeur from 1933 onward. Member of the Kalengin tribe. Remained with Alice until her death.
Lady Idina Sackville
Much-married founder of the Happy Valley set. Daughter of Albert Sackville, the eighth Earl de la Warr. Married Josslyn Hay in 1923 and had four other husbands as well. Her house, Clouds, was the center of Alice’s social life after her return to Kenya in 1933.
Sir Francis Scott (the third baronet)
Pioneer settler based near Nanyuki. Made friends with Joss Hay.
Juliabelle Silverthorne
Alice’s mother, who died when Alice was seven years old. She was the daughter of Emery David Chapin and Marietta Armour.
Patricia (“Pat”) Silverthorne
Alice’s half sister. Daughter of William Silverthorne by his second wife, Louise Mattocks.
William Silverthorne
Alice’s father, a businessman in Chicago, Buffalo, and New York City. Married Juliabelle Chapin and then, shortly after Juliabelle’s death, Louise Mattocks. All but disappeared from Alice’s life after she was made a ward of the court by Julia’s family. Married for a third time in 1922 to Iris Cottell, and in 1925 he married his fourth wife, Myrtle Plunkett.
Margaret Spicer
Friend of Alice. Mother of the author of this book. Americanborn and Swiss-educated. Married Roy Spicer in 1926 in Kenya. Died at Hampton Court Palace in 1953 in the grace-and-favor apartment granted to her by Queen Elizabeth II.
Roy Spicer
Father of the author of this book. Son of Bullen Spicer and Adele von Besser. Scholar at St. Paul’s School, London. Fought in World War I, wounded and gassed. Awarded a Military Cross. Commissioner of the Kenya police (1925–1931). Friends with Alice and Frédéric de Janzé. Later he was inspector general of the Palestine police (1931–1937). Joined the Allied administration during World War II and, as a full colonel, became governor of Rome.
Sir Dermot de Trafford (the sixth baronet)
The current baronet is the son of Rudolph de Trafford and the nephew of Raymund.
Sir Humphrey de Trafford (the third baronet)
Father of Raymund de Trafford. Upon his death in January 1929, he was succeeded by his son Humphrey, who became the fourth baronet.
Raymund de Trafford
After arriving in Kenya, he became Alice’s lover. He almost died when she shot him at the Gare du Nord in Paris in 1927. Went on to marry and then divorce Alice. Later married Eve Drummond.
Sir Rudolph de Trafford (the fifth baronet)
Raymund’s brother and the best man at Alice’s marriage to Raymund in 1932. He became the fifth baronet upon the death of his brother Humphrey in 1971.
Fabian Wallace
Close friend of Alice after her return to Kenya in 1933.
Evelyn Waugh
Renowned author who stayed with Raymund de Trafford in Kenya in 1931 and wrote about his visit in a travel book,
Remote People
(1931). Among his many other books are
Decline and Fall
and
Brides-head Revisited.
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