Rowan Roy

My project “Building the Wave” began in 1988 soon after I moved to the (British) Virgin Islands. Inevitably this meant that some of the people who would fall into my category of ‘builders before the wave’ were no longer available for interview because for a number of reasons. Once such person was James Rowan Scott Roy, who died in 2005. In such cases I have endeavoured, for the sake of completeness, to include something about these people. Fortunately an excellent obituary appeared in The Island Sun  on January 8th 2005 (http://www.islandsun.com/2005-January/08012005/local2-v14i18.html). It is reproduced below.

ROWAN ROY DEPARTED THIS LIFE

The BVI has lost one of its pioneers and one of the most outstanding figures of the old days. Born James Rowan Scott Roy to parents Christine Scott Roy and William Campbell Roy on 27th December, 1925 in St. Thomas, his birth took place in Charlotte Amalie because the 1924 hurricane had destroyed the Cottage Hospital.

Mr. Roy's parents had moved to Tortola in 1919, and later bought Pasea Hall and Fahie Hill Estates from the Crown. Mr. Roy began his studies in Road Town and 1936 his parents sent him to Strathallan School in Perthshire, Scotland. After spending four years abroad Mr. Roy returned in 1940, but  due to the Battle of Britain in World War II, the same year his parents sent him to Lakefield Preparatory School in Lakefield Ontario, Canada where he completed his education.

After Lakefield, the young entrepreneur spent the next four years studying at the Ontario College of Art in Toronto, Canada. He majored and completed courses in Fine Arts and Commercial Arts.

It was while in Canada that Mr. Roy met his wife Anne, and in 1952 after his father's death he returned to Tortola and resided here ever since.

Anne and Rowan were married November 21st, 1953 and  together they managed Pasea Hall Estate.  Mr. Roy designed and built Treasure Isle Hotel for his brother Charles Lambert Roy.  The hotel started with four double rooms, a bar, restaurant and the hotel lounge.

In 1964 the entire family decided to purchase Treasure Isle from Charles,  and after the sale had taken place Charles, Mr. Roy's brother moved to Virgin Gorda. The young couple managed the hotel until 1968 when the property was sold to Herbert Showering of England.

As an amateur radio operator between 1955 and 1965, Mr. Roy gave weather reports every morning on the Antilles Weather network which was the only weather source in those days. He later became involved in various business practices mainly in the construction field until he retired in 2002. The   well known contactor designed and built Tortola Yacht Services in its original form near Fort Burt, his own home at Hodges Creek along with his brother William Campbell Roy’s house on the same hill and Sir Alan Cobham's home, and a number of other buildings and structures in Road Town and else where.
Mr. Roy was also associated with the Moorings Ltd around the same time Tortola Woodcrafts went up for sale, so he purchased and  managed Tortola Woodcrafts for about six to seven years.  He built furniture for the community and his store Tortola Woodcrafts became well known for its  work.

The deceased served on the Public Service Commission for over five years during the 1960s and 70s he was a founding member of the National Parks Trusts, and a member of Land Development Control Authority for approximately five years during the 1980s, when he also served as Chairman for two years. Mr. Roy was the first chairman of the BVI Hotels Association before the formation of the BVI Hotels & Commerce Association. He was a member of the Rotary Club, and became a Paul Harris fellow and was president of Rotary in 1976- 1977.

Rowan Roy was well known in the community for his impressive shell collection and for his untiring efforts to complete BVI Bird data information every year. He began collecting BVI seashells in 1953 and his collection has been displayed twice  in the Central Administration Building – November 2001 and August 2003.  His collection is comprised of approximately 400 species of shells from the BVI and another 300 species from the Caribbean and oceans of the world. In recent years he worked on a book on BVI shells. He compiled the bird species check list for the National Parks Trust in 1995.  Mr. Roy has chaired under the auspices of the Audubon Society in the Christmas Bird Count since 1989.

The funeral service of the late Rowan Roy will be held at the St. George's Episcopal Church at 3:00 pm on Monday the 10 January.

The Publishers, Management and Staff of The Island Sun newspaper extend sincere condolences to the bereaved.

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Draft of December 20th of interview of December 16th 2009

Builders of Tortola Guide

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