ROYDEN, Thomas Cecil (1938-2019)

[colinp]

From the San Diego Union -Tribune 13 Oct 2019  (via legacy.com):

Thomas C. Royden Del Mar Thomas C. Royden, aged 81, was killed in a car accident on Sunday, October 6th. Educated at Oxford and the son of Sir John Royden [4th Baronet (UK 1905)], Thomas' life took an unconventional path. Under the auspices of the United Nations, he worked in Kitete in Tanzania and helped poor farmers in Ecuador and Bolivia. Through a combination of charm and daring, he traveled across Russia on the trans-Siberian railroad during the Cold War. He was at home with the world, whether with seven-foot-tall Dinkan dockworkers loading freight on the Nile, nudist colonies in the 1970s, or Texas oil heiresses in their natural habitat. In his later years, Thomas returned to the joys of the childhood he spent in Chile: farming, avocados, and storytelling. He settled in southern California and won the heart of Kozy Amemiya, a remarkable woman whose restless spirit matched his own. Living in Del Mar, Thomas served as the elder statesmen of avocado farmers and spent many happy years surrounded by friends, pets, and monarch butterflies. In addition to his wife, Kozy, he leaves behind a beloved family in England; including his sisters, Jane Loder and Anne Kaye; his sister-in-law, Dido Royden; and his nephews, Richard and John Royden. His American family includes the Gerkens as well as Lynn, Alexa, and Thomas Royden. He also leaves behind a large circle of friends, whom he always treated as his family-writ-large.All will miss his optimism, his generosity of spirit, and his stories. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the California Avocado Society or the San Diego Humane Society.

[Richard R]

Thanks Colin. So, should we take from this that "Lynn, Alexa and Thomas Royden" are his children? And that his son is in line to the btcy?

[colinp]

I discounted them being his children when I posted as I thought they would be mentioned after his wife rather than with his "American family" after "the Gerkens" and indeed after his sisters and nephews.  Now I think you are right as I can't see who else they could be.  Whether his son Thomas (if indeed that is who he is) is in line will of course depend on his DOB and the date of his parents' marriage

[colinp]

Could they be step-children who have adopted their step-father's surname?

[Henry W]

"His American family" are all descendants of his uncle Thomas Jerome ROYDEN (1913-1991):

The GERKENs - Anne Elizabeth Mary [known as Pammie?] (b 1945), dau of Thomas Jerome by his first marriage, m 1967 Barry Lewis GERKEN - issue 1 son, 2 dau.

"Lynn, Alexa and Thomas Royden". Lynn is formerly Lynn ASPINWALL, the second wife of Thomas Jerome. They had a son and dau, Thomas and Alexa.

I am confident that the deceased had no children - see http://www.royden.com/roydenhistory/Roydenfamilytree.htm - a site maintained by the current Baronet and his brother it would appear.

I had hoped to see a reference to Ernest ROYDEN (b 1944), who was Thomas Jerome's eldest son by his first marriage, and I believe resident in Canada, but nothing in this notice. I believe he only has a daughter.

https://groups.google.com/g/peerage-news/c/a3av3DwNmQQ/m/LG-LEARmBgAJ - this was discussed a few years ago and I did come across tentative evidence of Thomas Rodyen (the one listed in Lynn, Alexa and Thomas) having married and having a son & dau. My evidence seems to have been taken on board by Kershaw listing and Debrett's 2019, though no further details have emerged, so not sure that we know the son is definitely in remainder. Nonetheless, this son is probably the only long term hope for the title.

[colinp]

Thanks Henry, that's very helpful

[Paul Theroff]

Some additional details about the accident in this article. Some members of his familyh are mentioned.

https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/man-dies-after-suv-broadsided-by-tow-truck-in-carmel-valley/1966144/


"Thomas Royden, 81, was a passenger in a Honda CRV who had the right-of-way at the intersection of El Camino Real and Carmel Valley Road when a tow truck ran a red light and struck the SUV at around 9:30 p.m., according to SDPD.

"Royden sustained serious injuries. Police said he died from his injuries roughly two hours later. His dog was riding in the CRV and was also killed.

"Royden's family told NBC 7 he was an avocado farmer in Ramona who liked to garden.

"Royden's wife Kozy, 72, was behind the wheel when they were hit. She was taken to Scripps Memorial Hospital and was discharged on Tuesday.

"Kozy's niece Heather Gerken flew in from Connecticut to help her aunt recover.

"She said she wanted her uncle to be remembered for his extraordinary life and generosity.

"“His story is so amazing,” said Gerken. “He is almost Great Britain’s answer to Indiana Jones. He is the son of a Lord, educated at Oxford. Instead of staying in England he set off for the world… He, at some point, managed to talk his way onto a train in the Soviet Union during the Cold War through some combination of charm and daringness… He has seen the 7-foot tall Dinkas loading ships in the Nile.”

"Royden's 30-acre farm burned down in the 2007 Witch Creek Fire, but Gerken said that did not stop him from farming his dream.

"“Everyone told him just to give up on it, but he just wouldn’t,” she explained. “He cared about the people who worked on the farm, and he loved that place. I remember visiting it once after the fire; everything was black and all the trees were burned, and he found one branch of a tree that was still living and it moved him so much so he rebuilt that farm.”

"Gerken said her uncle also had a green thumb at his Del Mar home where he tended to a large tomato and milkweed garden.

"“All those are Thomas’s tomatoes, I have never come here in the summertime and not found baskets of them. He would give them away to everyone… Kozy would even carry bags of them with her on errands to give out to people, even at the bank.”

"“The whole driveway was filled with Monarchs. He just grew them because they made Kozy happy,” said Gerken.

"Video from the scene showed a "Wind 'n Sea Towing" truck with some damage to its front.

"It was not clear why the 49-year-old tow truck driver crossed the intersection through a red light.

""It's always a shame and all I can say is we can't predict these things. we do our best to prevent them, but we really have to remember each day to tell people we love them and make sure people know we're there for them," said Barbara Berkovich, a Carmel Valley resident.

"NBC 7 spoke with the tow truck company, and they said the driver involved has been working with them for the past year and has not had any incidents prior.

"The 49-year-old truck driver is OK, according to police.

"SDPD said the tow truck driver may face a misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter charge and, if convicted, could face up to one year in jail. He was not arrested..."