'Local heroes' are honoured by firm

Oct 29 2002 By The Huddersfield Daily Examiner

Mrs Castle said she had read a survey of things 500 90-year-olds had said they would do if they could live their lives over again.

The top three were that they would spend more time with their family, take more risks and do something to be remembered for.

She said that Roy had taken risks during the 22 years he was involved in Record Breakers and had spent time with his family.

She told representatives of Syngenta at the opening ceremony: "You have kept his memory alive by naming this room after him and for that I thank you very much."

Afterwards Mrs Castle said that she made few visits to Huddersfield, because many of Roy's relatives had now died. She remained in touch with Roy's cousins in North Yorkshire and Nottingham.

Occasionally she visited Roy's former pianist Geoff Saunders, who now lives in Barnsley.

Before being diagnosed with cancer in 1992, Roy had often visited the North professionally in the 70s and 80s, appearing at working men's clubs and nightclubs.

The couple's four children, two boys and two girls, had inherited their father's musical talent, with all of them playing an instrument.

"Roy loved music and encouraged the children but never forced them to learn," she added.

Three lived locally near her home in Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire, while one was in Peru.

Two of her children worked in entertainment, with her daughter employed by the BBC as a floor manager.

Her youngest, Benjamin, 29, is a jazz musician who was involved in the Big Band featured on the TV series Pop Idol.