December 27, 2018 · 10:54 pm
↓ Jump to Comments

Marching into the New Year in Style in the 1940s

 John Kotelawela at complete EASE … on his way to knighthood …. AND ….

……………………………………………..without Banda on his mind

2 Comments

Filed under accountability, life stories, sri lankan society, unusual people

2 responses to “Marching into the New Year in Style in the 1940s”

  1. San De Silva
    January 4, 2019 at 6:58 am

    Dear Michael,

    I was fortunate to see Sir John, at his country home in Biddenden, England in 1965.

    He was called the Laird of Biddenden, and was the Master of the Hunt, and lived a grand life, with a Eurasian Lady-Friend, and a whole host of Sri Lankan staff!

    I was a fortunate guest taken there by Mr. and Mrs. Sangare Sellamuthu, the parents of a very close friend of mine, Rajan, who was also in England at that time.

    Subsequent to that I saw him a few times on my own.

    Sir John also knew my Uncle, N. U. Jayawardena, whom, I am sure, you have heard of as well.

    These are all joyful memories, but all of them are alas, no more!

    I just enjoy reading your posts – very unique, indeed!

    Here’s wishing you and your family a Happy new Year!

    Best Regards,

    Sanath

    Reply
    • thuppahi
      January 4, 2019 at 7:53 am

      Thanks San. EVERY GOOD WISH to YOU and YOURS for 2019. NU Jayawardena hailed from down south and was an old Aloysian. He was the chief guest at a college prize giving in the early 1950s when I was a young lad.
      Sir John of course was a gay lothario according to gossip. I interviewed him on the 3rd Mach and 16th April 1967 at Kandawela in Ratmalana and the tape-recorded interviews are now part of the ROHP digitalized collection –courtesy of ADELAIDE UNIVERSITY.
      • GO TO Go to the Michael Roberts manuscripts listing http://www.adelaide.edu.au/library/special/mss/roberts/

      SIR JOHN also gifted me a signed copy of THE PREMIER STAKES!!! … scurrilous work .Now part of my book collection at home in Adelaide

      Reply

Leave a Reply to San De SilvaCancel reply