Thomas’ journal for the year 1905 is quite sparse. He was to retire in the spring of the next year and there are hints that his energies were diminishing. He records a number of walks undertaken by his children on their own and such walks as he joins in are modest. There are no geological expeditions recorded, and no high level rambles.
Most of the news he records concerns his children; by now he has two, both a son and daughter at University. His eldest son of his second marriage, Henry having left Aberystwyth in 1903 was continuing his higher education at Jesus College, Oxford, studying mathematics. Now in 1905 his second daughter, Caroline Elizabeth, ‘Carrie’ was offered a place at Aberystwyth where women students had been admitted in 1884 and a hall of residence for women opened in 1885 At first Thomas was undecided whether she should go, worrying about expense, but when Carrie achieved a Scholarship, Thomas resolved that she should follow her brother. I believe she read Latin from a newspaper article following her graduation which I can’t now locate.
The academic successes of his children were very gratifying to Thomas, who all those years ago had chosen gardening as a path to social mobility. Sir Henry Robertson seems to have taken a lively interest in the youngsters’ fortunes, advising and encouraging Thomas to facilitate his daughter’s further education as well as his son’s.
Thomas Ruddy (1842-1912) 