Inside Tom Jones’ Former LA Mansion Decorated by Wife of 59 Years – Her Last Wish Was to Move Out
As they fondly called her, Lady Linda and Sir Tom Jones were childhood sweethearts and married for 59 years. On March 2, 1957, the couple married when they were both 16 years old and welcomed their first child immediately after.
When Tom Jones became famous, the couple moved into a large Tor Point house, but his family was not very happy there, as he was barely around due to his touring life. They later moved to Los Angeles, where he bought Dean Martin’s luxurious mansion.
However, they were homesick and tried to fix this with furniture and decorations from Great Britain, with Linda decorating the house by herself. After her death, Tom Jones sold their home and moved back to the UK.
Tom Jones and Linda in Hanover Square, London on March 2, 1965 | Source: Getty Images
When they were 12 years old, Thomas John Woodward fell in love with Melinda “Linda” Trenchard. He was diagnosed with tuberculosis at the same age and spent two years in bed recovering.
After he recovered, he said Linda would smile at him on her way to school, but it was not until she turned 15 that she agreed to go on a date with Tom.
Shortly after they started dating, Linda got pregnant, and they quickly got married. A month after their marriage, they welcomed their only son, Mark.
With fame and constantly being on tour, Tom began cheating on Linda. Despite his serial cheating, he said Linda was his one true love as he never had that feeling for anyone else and did not think one could fall in love more than once.
Tom Jones and his son Mark at the 1978 Coty Awards After Party on September 28, 1978 | Source: Getty Images
TOM JONES’ FAMILY LIFE IN GREAT BRITAIN
While in England, Tom got a property in an estate on St. George’s Hill in Weybridge, Surrey. The mansion he bought was named Tor Point house.
Despite having bought a mansion for his family, Tom was hardly ever around as he was predominantly on American tours and was constantly working.
In a year, he would spend barely three months with his family. Tom longed to spend time at home and knew his son was not happy because Mark constantly missed him.
Tom Jones and his son Mark in front of their private jet on May 27, 1980 | Source: Getty Images
With his tours taking place primarily out of the UK, Tom applied for a Green Card in the United States, and while he was waiting for this between 1974 and 1976, he was technically homeless and frustrated.
The closest he got to Britain was while in transit at Heathrow airport. Also, to avoid the monetary implications of taxes, he would arrange to meet his family in neutral locations like France.
An aerial view of Tom Jones’ Bel Air mansion he bought from Dean Martin | Source: Getty Images
MOVING AND SETTLING IN LOS ANGELES
In 1976, he got his Green Card and moved permanently to Los Angeles. When he saw a house in Bel Air similar to the Tor Point house, he fell in love with it.
Dean Martin owned the house, but it was up for sale because Martin was going through a divorce and shedding some properties.
Tom Jones posing in front of his Bel Air home | Source: Getty Images
The house had a circular drive with an Italianate fountain at the center. It also featured a big swimming pool, marble bathrooms, two bars, a grand staircase, one cinema, etc.
To acquire the house for its selling price, Tom had to sadly sell his Tor Point mansion because Martin’s place was more expensive.
Tom Jones posing in front of his Bel Air home | Source: Getty Images
The LA mansion he bought had live-in security guards, but Tom could not live like that, so he built a wall around it because people would randomly show up and have a picnic on his front lawn.
He also installed panic buttons in every room to protect his privacy. The panic buttons had a direct link to the police. At their new place, Linda became homesick.
Tom Jones lounging near the phone box he shipped in from Wales | Source: Getty Images
Even though Tom was also homesick, it was worse for Linda. It was a challenging adjustment period, and they tried to fight it by recreating their Tor Point house in Bel Air.
Their thought was that if they were not allowed in Britain, they would bring Britain to America. The couple then transported their furniture from Weybridge and assembled it in Bel Air, and Linda decorated the house by herself.
Photo of Tom Jones in his Bel Air mansion on January 29, 1987 | Source: Getty Images
When Tom heard that British Telecom was getting rid of the old red box, he decided to get the one that held special memories for him. He did not like the thought of anyone destroying that particular box.
The red box was where he and Linda kissed when they were teenagers, and it was where he had called the maternity when they welcomed their son.
Tom Jones posing for a picture inside his red phone box | Source: Getty Images
Their house also had two kitchens, a butler’s pantry, and a maid and a butler. However, when the staff was not around, Tom did not know where they kept anything.
When his parents realized that he wasn’t returning to Tor Point, they told him they wanted to go back to Wales, and he bought them a place at Pentyrch in Vale of Glamorgan.
Tom Jones and Linda walking down a street circa 1965. | Source: Getty Images
THE LAST WISH AND DEATH OF HIS WIFE
In April 2016, Linda passed away after a “short but fierce” battle with cancer at Cedars Sinai Hospital in LA. Her death was a massive blow to Tom, who had to see a grief therapist to deal with it.
Tom was not sure he would make it as the only woman he had loved for almost six decades was gone. On some days, he found it difficult to get out of bed.
Before her death, Tom revealed that Linda became constantly homesick, but they could not make it back to the UK because of her health. The last week she was alive, she told Tom to go back to London and get a flat there, and he started looking for apartments in London while she was still alive.
Tom Jones performing at the V Festival on August 19, 2012, in England | Source: Getty Images
After her death, he purchased a flat in London, decided to up their LA mansion for sale, and relocated back to the UK. He revealed that he was no longer comfortable in the house since Linda passed away.
Tom sold the house for over six million pounds, and he was glad the new owner wanted all the furniture and fittings because he would not have been able to fit all they had into his new flat. However, he left with their photographs and some artwork.
Jones never recovered from losing Linda, admitting, “there’s no history with anybody else.” As to why he moved out of their LA home following her death, “I didn’t feel comfortable there anymore,” confessed the singer.
