Richest family in Canada, The Thomson’s
Reuniting Father and Son: Roy and Kenneth Thomson
On my beautiful walks through St. Jude’s Cemetery in Oakville, Ontario, and Mt. Pleasant Cemetery in Toronto, I had the quiet privilege of reuniting father and son — Roy and Kenneth (Ken) Thomson.
Roy Herbert Thomson, 1st Baron Thomson of Fleet, was born in Toronto, the son of a barber. As a young man, he had poor eyesight, which exempted him from military service during the war.
Roy’s first taste of success came through selling radio receivers in Northern Ontario. To give his customers more programs to listen to, he decided to start his own radio station. By a stroke of luck, he was able to purchase a frequency and transmitter for just $201, and CFCH officially went on the air in North Bay on March 3, 1931.
A natural-born entrepreneur, Roy soon expanded into the newspaper business, purchasing his first paper — The Timmins Daily Press — for $200. This humble beginning grew into a vast media empire, and he would go on to become one of the most influential press barons in Canada and the United Kingdom.Despite his wealth and stature, Roy remained a modest man — much like the simple grave monument I discovered. In Britain, he lived quietly, often taking the London Underground to his office each day, virtually unnoticed by those around him.
Roy Herbert Thomson passed away in London, England, on August 4, 1976, at the age of 82.
Kenneth (Ken) Roy Thomson, 2nd Baron Thomson of Fleet, like his father, was born in Toronto and was heir to carry on the family dynasty, The Thomson Corporation. Ken earned degrees in economics and law from Cambridge University and, unlike his father, served in World War II with the Royal Canadian Air Force.
Following the war, Ken joined the family business, which he would go on to manage for 26 years. At the time of his death, Forbes listed him as the richest person in Canada and the ninth richest person in the world, with a net worth of approximately US $19.6 billion.
In 1987 Kenneth Thomson made the Forbes top 10 Billionaires list for the first time and would be on it for decades.
A patron of the arts and a leading collector of works by Cornelius Krieghoff, Ken and his wife, Marilyn made a remarkable contribution in 2002, donating in trust around two thousand artworks to the Art Gallery of Ontario — a collection still enjoyed and appreciated to this day.
Kenneth Roy Thomson died in Toronto at his office desk in downtown Toronto on June 12, 2006. He was 82.
On my walk though St.Jude’s Cemetery, I discovered the modest grave of Roy and Edna (nee Irvine) Thomson.
Roy Thomson Hall was officially named on January 14, 1982, as thanks to the family of Roy Thomson who donated $4.5 million to complete the fundraising efforts for the new hall.
The family plot of Kenneth and Marilyn Thomson, Canada’s wealthiest family, Mt. Pleasant Cemetery, Toronto, Canada.
See my related site of NHL hockey player Glenn Bryson and Lord Thomson’s son-in law.
NHL legend, Glenn “Swampy” Brydson and son-in law of Lord Roy Thomson
