R. James deRoux

Robert James deRoux, CD,. (March 17, 1930 – November 25, 2012) was a Jamaican businessman and the longest-serving Custos in Jamaican history. He served as Custos Rotulorum of Clarendon for 30 years.

Early life
deRoux was born on 17 March 1930 in Mandeville, Manchester, the only son and second child of Robert Redvers deRoux, a hardware merchant, and Marie Lucille. The deRoux family came to Jamaica as a part of the wave of French refugees fleeing the Haitian Revolution and settled on the island as merchants, clerks, and planters. He was a descendant of the Lindo family, an eminent Sephardic Jewish family, through his father who was a great-grandson of fellow Custos Alexander Joseph Lindo.

He attended Cave Valley Elementary School and Jamaica College, where he was schoolmates with Michael Manley, and excelled in football and diving.

Career
A prominent businessman, deRoux inherited his family's hardware business Stork's deRoux & Son Ltd. , and was the Managing Director until his retirement. In 1962 he was named as one of the inaugural Justices of the Peace for the newly independent Jamaica.

In his professional life, he served as the first Vice President of the Clarendon Chamber of Commerce, Vice Chairman of the May Pen Secondary School, Member of the Board of Management of Glenmuir High School, Director for the Hardware Merchants Association, Honorary President of the Clarendon Cultural Development Committee, President of the Clarendon Level Scouts Association and Chairman of Vere Free Schools Trust



On May 5, 1981, he was appointed the fifth Custos of Clarendon, the Governor-General’s representative in the parish, and Chief Magistrate for the parish by then Governor General Florizel Glasspole. He served under four different Governors-General and acted as Deputy Governor General on three occasions.

After thirty years of service, he retired on July 31, 2011, and was succeeded by businessman William Shagoury. Due to the historic nature of his tenure, his Roll of Justices of the Peace was inducted into the National Archives of Jamaica.

Personal life
deRoux was married twice, and had three sons.

On November 25, 2012, he died in May Pen, Clarendon at the age of 82 of lung cancer.

Awards and honours
In 1983 he was awarded the Prime Minister's Medal of Appreciation by Edward Seaga.

He was awarded the Order of Distinction in the rank of Commander in 2002.

He was posthumously awarded the Governor-General's Medal of Honour in recognition of his service to the country in 2023 on the occasion of Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee.