Robert Shand Thoms IV (Robin) is the son of the late Robert
Shand Thoms III, Vice President and co-founder of the Clan
MacThomas Society. Robin was born in Calcutta, India, shortly
before India’s independence in 1947. His journey to Edinburgh,
when only a few months old, marked the end of three
generations of his family working in the jute industry
dividing their time between the plantations and mills of
Calcutta and the spinning and weaving factories in Dundee,
Scotland.
As a small boy Robin remembers summer holidays
winding up the single track road through Glenshee and up the
Devil’s Elbow to
Braemar. In 1969 he attended the very first Clan Gathering
with his father and, even from far-off lands, has returned for
nearly every gathering since then. It is said that if the
fairies of the Magic Glen take a liking to you, they will draw
you back, year after year.How true! He was appointed Vice
President in 1985.
Robin has five children – Lisa and Kirstie (our former European Secretary) from his first wife , the late Jennifer Thoms, and from his second wife, Lina, he has Robert V, Natali and Katalina. So far, he has 6 grandchildren. His brother, Michael, is a keen member of the Society and currently holds the offices of Merchandise Manager and European Secretary; his late mother Marjorie, and sisters
Jane and Felicity, emigrated to Australia in the
1970’s.
Robin was educated in Edinburgh and initially
worked as a research scientist with the Scotts Porage Oats
factory in Colinton before moving to Inveresk Research on a
contract with the Scotch whisky industry. In the early 1970’s
he changed careers and joined the international banking
division of American Express where for the next 25 years he
worked both throughout the UK and overseas. During a 4 year
assignment to the Republic of Panama he was elected President
of the Panama St
Andrews Society where ex-pats and American Scots enjoyed
bi-weekly highland dancing and whisky tasting on the lawns of
the British Ambassador’s residence (who just happened to be a
Scotsman). He has many interesting tales to tell of his
Central American experience, including his escape from the Dignity Battalion and
dodging the bullets when the United States Army invaded Panama
to overthrow Dictator Manuel Noriega in Operation Just
Cause.
In the UK Robin served several years as a
part-time reservist in the Territorial Army, Royal Corps of
Transport, where he was commissioned and retired as major
commanding a heavy transport squadron. He was awarded the
Territorial Decoration.
Robin
currently lives with his youngest daughter, Katalina, in High
Wycombe, to the west of London. Now retired, Robin undertakes some part-time work as a tour guide for school trips to central London, and as a tour manager for coach holidays in the Highlands of Scotland.
