Sensei Roy Tomlin was born in London in 1955. He was one of Sensei Enoeda’s (now deceased ) senior students and was a committee member of Sensei Enoeda’s dojo.
Sensei Tomlin began his karate career in 1972 when he trained in the Kyokushinkai style. In 1977 he went on to train in the Shotokan system with the Thames group, and in 1982 he joined the Karate Union of Great Britain (KUGB), and in 2003 he joined JKA England, where he is now an active member.
Sensei Tomlin has achieved many honours. He currently holds the rank of 5th Dan with the Japan Karate Association (JKA). From 1983 to 1985 he was a member of the KUGB national squad. Between 1983 and 1993 he achieved first place in eight out of ten kumite (fighting) competitions at Sensei Enoeda’s own club championships (coming second and third in the other two competitions). These took place at the famous Marshall Street dojo, the headquarters of the JKA in the UK.
Sensei Tomlin was Thailand’s heavyweight champion and runner-up in the open weight in 1989, and winning both events in 1991. In the same year he became the KUGB Southern Region champion and was placed in the final 16 of the National championships. He was also a member of Sensei Enoeda’s winning teams between 1989 and 1995.
Sensei Tomlin began teaching in 1983 at the Shotokan Karate Centre based in Lewisham, South-East London, where he still teaches today. The club has a membership of approximately 200 students, Sensei Tomlin also teaches in local schools in the area.