HO 405/1158 and HO 334/324/4950

            Rahmatollah Amini was “known privately” as Matt Aminoff. His British naturalization application is contradictory regarding his birthplace and birthdate. His Iranian passport, issued in London in 1947, indicated that he was born in Mached (probably what is today Mashhad) on May 13, 1918, but in his British naturalization application, he claimed to have been born on July 6, 1913 in Merv, Russia. In 1948, he submitted to the Home Office a letter written by the former consul for Russia affirming the latter birthdate and birthplace, information the consul had received from Rahmatollah’s relations. Rahmatollah’s parents were Davoud and Dora Amini (otherwise Aminoff), both Iranian nationals, as was their son. Dora’s maiden name was Mollah.

            Rahmatollah attended schools in Persia and India. He arrived in England on June 9, 1926 at the age of 10. He continued his education at Townley Castle School, Putney, Clarks College, and in the City of London College. During World War II, he did not undertake any work of national importance other than “a small amount of firewatching at Torquay.” On March 8, 1948, Rahmatollah married Pauline Pnina Harounoff, a British subject, in New Synagogue in Hackney. The couple lived at 148 Clapton Common in London with Rahmatollah’s parents. Rahmatollah was registered with police as an alien.

            Rahmatollah was a fur, skin, and Oriental carpet import and export merchant. In 1934, he joined the business of his father, David Amini, and his uncle Morad Aminoff, co-proprietors of M. D. Aminoff, fur and skin merchants, 57 Upper Thames Street, London, established a decade earlier. He also directed a smaller company called Kardoor Trades Ltd., fur and skin merchants, trading from the offices of M & D Aminoff and registered on April 3, 1942. Since his income from the latter business was “negligible” (he earned only £34 in 1948), his father David supported him financially and gave him in addition a weekly allowance of £2 for incidentals in remuneration for his service to M. D. Aminoff. David was the principal in this company while Morad was the “sleeping partner.” Both David and Morad were Iranian. Morad lived in Iran and the firm’s letterhead identifies David as “Iranian.” The company had agencies in India, Iraq, S. W. Africa, the U.S., and throughout Iran. They were direct importers of “furs, skins, Oriental carpets, rugs, gums, etc.” The firm employed four other relatives and was of good repute. At the end of 1948, the company reported an annual turnover of approximately £120,000. After allowing for drawings of £2,474, the firm had an annual net loss of £900, leaving a capital balance of approximately £7,124.

            The share capital of Kardoor Trades Ltd. was £5,000 in £25 shares, all allotted and held by members of the Aminoff family. Rahmatollah, one of the directors, held 25 shares (£625). Accounts for the years 1946-1948, inclusive, showed a net profit of £838, a net loss of £358, and a net profit of £365, respectively. During the period under review a favorable capital balance of £992 had decreased to £658.

            Rahmatollah had a further £250 to his credit in the Midland Bank, £250 in Post Office Savings, and his holdings in a number of industrial securities was valued at approximately £1,000. He had an endowment policy with the Sun Life Assurance Society for £1,250, plus profits, which would mature in 1968, at a premium of £52.4.10. Most of his capital came from his father and had been increased by speculating on the Stock Exchange.

            The Home Office noted that Rahmatollah “lives quietly and is not known to be in debt.” He visited the Continent in 1947 and 1948. In 1937, he spent four months in Palestine and about a year in China to obtain further experience of the fur and skin trade. He spent two weeks in France and Belgium in September 1946 and another two weeks in France and Switzerland in 1947.

            In a letter submitted to the Home Office, Rahmatollah’s father David Aminoff indicated that his son was an indispensable manager of the family firm, particularly with regard to its export work. David asked the Home Office to expedite his son’s naturalization file so that the firm could undertake the expansion of its export trade. He explained that “M. D. Aminoff are anxious to increase their export trade by sending Mr. Aminoff to Europe and America to make personal contacts with their customers, and to discuss future business arrangements.” On a separate form, Rahmatollah added that the export figures he submitted to the Home Office “and the considerable improvements contemplated in the export turnover of my firm,” further justified giving his application priority. He added: “Supplies of carpets and furs hairs wool and other raw materials are easily obtainable by me from my overseas suppliers but it is planned to visit the firms agency in Windhoek, S.W. Africa to improve such supplies. Also it is desired to contact our American and European customers personally with a view to improving orders and discussing future terms and possible long standard arrangements.” He intended to travel to both the Continent and to the U.S.A. He had hitherto “occasionally” travelled on his Iranian passport, but the related visa difficulties were considerable, “particularly in the cases of U.S.A. and France.” The Board of Trade graded M. D. Aminoff as a “B,” moderately important to the British economy, which allowed the Home Office to give “a measure of priority” to Rahmatollah’s naturalization application. As part of his application for British citizenship, Rahmatollah promised not to retain or recover his Iranian nationality.

            His referees included a Chartered Accountant who had known him for 14 years and a bank manager and member of the Stock Exchange, who had known the Aminoff family since 1922, both in business and in social engagements. The latter referee held the family “in very high esteem” and always regarded the applicant as “very British.” Rahmatollah was naturalized in 1949.

            Rahmatollah Amini’s first application for naturalization may have begun in 1941. This file was closed until 2050 and was declassified at my request on August 27, 2025.