Allan Royce
Section 12, Lot 1
Prospect Cemetery
Born in 1835, a younger cousin of George Cooper, came over from England to live with George and his wife, Mary. George, who had no children, treated him like a foster son, idolised him, and eventually made him his heir. Allan Royce’s actual father was the grandfather of Sir Henry Royce of Rolls-Royce fame. Allan married Sarah Jane Gilbert, a niece of Mary Cooper. When George died, Allan inherited his grand home, “Preston Villa,” on the northerly portion of Cooper’s once 400-acre tract. This became known as Royce Park, but was later changed to Earlscourt Park. Allan Royce died in 1902. In February, 1894, the Toronto Suburban Railway was formed from the merger of the City and Suburban Electric Railway Company and the Davenport Street Railway Company. Allan Henry Royce, son of Allan, became President of the T.S.R., while his brother, Colonel George Royce, was manager. In 1911, the Toronto Suburban was bought out by Sir William MacKenzie, who headed up a huge railway and power conglomerate. Allan Henry lived for some years on Annette Street in the Junction, near the MacCormacks and Theodore Heintzman, the well-known piano manufacturer. Dupont Street was formerly Royce Avenue; named after Allan Sr. Royce Presbyterian Church, at Perth and Dupont, has since amalgamated with Victoria to become Victoria-Royce Presbyterian Church. For many years, the name lived on in Royce-Dupont Poultry Packers, operated by Irv Ungerman. The Ungermans sold the business to Maple Leaf Foods in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The Royce Dupont name still lives on.