David J. C. Austin, chairman of David Austin Roses, died at his home in Shropshire at the age of 67 after being diagnosed with Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. The Gardeners World death leaves the company under its experienced leadership team, while his family said he had carried his grandfather’s vision with humility.
Richard Austin, James Austin and Olivia Austin said: "First and foremost, Dad was a gardener." They added: "That was at the heart of who he was." Their tribute also said: "He carried our grandfather’s vision with humility and an unwavering sense of responsibility, always putting the roses, the family business and its people before himself."
David Austin Roses in 1990
David J. C. Austin joined the business in Albrighton, Shropshire, in 1990 and worked alongside his father, David C. H. Austin. Over more than 30 years, he led David Austin Roses as it expanded from a specialist family business into one of the world’s best-known rose brands.
His children said he was "kind and modest, with a playful spirit, a sense of adventure and a real enjoyment of life." They also said: "He faced his illness with the same courage and dignity that he brought to life."
Richard Austin and family tribute
The family’s tribute placed the death in personal terms as well as business terms. "Above all, he was our Dad, and words cannot express how much we will miss him," they said. "We couldn’t be more proud of him."
David Austin Roses said the business would continue under its experienced leadership team. It also said it would work closely with the next generation of the Austin family, leaving the company to carry on without its second-generation leader while the family’s role remains part of the business’s future.
