IN THIS ISSUE
- The Boston Tea Party by Marjorie Boyle
- Feature Article of the Month - Malgolla to Mysore 'Without Regrets' by Hugh Karunanayake
- Personal Memoirs of the Month - Sepala Ilangakoon
- Photo Album of the Month - Ouvahkellie Estate, Lindula
- Contributor Photo Album of the Month - Tom Jackson
- Planter Profiles of the Month - Saliya Atapattu & Gamini Salgado
- Down Memory Lane - Needwood Tennis Meet 1937
- This Year in History - 1858
- Tea Radio by Dilmah
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THE BOSTON TEA PARTY
As this historic event approaches it's 250th anniversary in a couple of years, we re-visit the events of 16 December 1773 through the pen of Marjorie Boyle, which changed the course of US history and led to the American Revolution.
In 1770, Lord North repealed four of the five Townshend Duties but retained the 3d tax on tea. The Tea Act of 1773 was intended to rescue the East India Company from its financial problems and provided that the Company might export tea directly to the American colonies and appoint its own agents to sell it. Before this legislation, the Company had been required to sell its tea at auction in London to wholesalers and retailers; now it entered the retail business itself.
The agents chosen by the Company were frequently colonial merchants who opposed the popular leaders. For example, the "consignees" in Massachusetts included two sons and a nephew of Governor Thomas Hutchinson. This was guaranteed to arouse popular opposition. In New York it was reported that the tea smugglers were the leading opponents of the Tea Act because it made the tea so cheap that they could no longer afford to smuggle. Throughout the colonies there were accusations that the East India Company was a huge monopoly with which no colonial merchant could afford to compete. Click HERE to read the full article. |
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FEATURE ARTICLE OF THE MONTH
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MALGOLLA TO MYSORE ‘WITHOUT REGRETS’
By Hugh Karunanayake
Standing on a shelf in my study is a large racing trophy with the inscription “Madras Races 1939/40 - H.H. the Maharajah of Mysore Cup”. Inscribed further down is the name of the horse “Without Regrets”, and the name of the jockey Davison. The trophy is a handsome piece of silverware measuring 45cm in height and 45cm across at the widest section of the urn. It was gifted to me some years ago by a friend who possibly thought that this memento of horse racing in Sri Lanka would find a cosy niche among my collection of books and ephemera from Ceylon.
He had purchased it at an auction in Colombo but did not know much else of its background. I tried my best to get more information on the trophy, especially the name of the owner and the circumstances in which it came to be auctioned but my efforts were unsuccessful. It continued to rest on my bookshelf with an occasional furtive glance at it by visitors, but with no progress at all on my attempts at research.
The stalemate continued until my friend Mr. S. Muthiah, the former Editor of the Sunday Times, and Times Annual visited me in Sydney a few months ago. He has been domiciled in Chennai (Madras) for the past few decades and is now an authority on the history and heritage of Chennai, so much so that he was awarded an MBE by the Queen of England for his work. Click HERE to read the full article.
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My Memoirs of the Plantations of Ceylon
By the late Sepala Ilangakoon
There was once a gala sit-down dinner at the club, where name tags were placed on the tables for the guests. Garry did a scrutiny and moved ‘Laughing Laki’s tag next to his place tag. Whilst she was engrossed in a hilarious conversation with her neighbour on the other side, Garry took her soup spoon and put it in her handbag which was near at hand. Click HERE to read more. |
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Ouvahkellie Estate, Lindula
Manager's Bungalow - Click HERE to view the album.
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CONTRIBUTOR PHOTO ALBUM OF THE MONTH
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Tom Jackson
Click HERE to view the album
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PLANTER PROFILES OF THE MONTH
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(L-R) Saliya Atapattu & Gamini Salgado
Click on respective photo to view profile
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DOWN MEMORY LANE...PAST & PRESENT!
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THIS YEAR IN HISTORY - 1858
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Sir Emerson Tennent's book on Ceylon published
Here are some other local and international events of significance in 1858.
- First telegraph line (a single wire) in Ceylon between Colombo and Galle. Constructed by Mr. Bailey.
- The Wedding March by Felix Mendelssohn becomes a popular wedding recessional, after it is played on this day at the marriage of Queen Victoria's daughter Victoria.
- The first aerial photography is carried out by Nadar, from a moored balloon in France.
- Macy's department store, founded by R. H. Macy, opens for business in New York City.
- Abraham Lincoln accepts the Republican Party nomination for a seat in the United States Senate.
- In Bengal, India, British officer William James Herschel uses the hand impression of Rajyadhar Konai, as a contract fingerprint signature.
- The Government of India Act, passed by the Parliament of the United Kingdom, transfers the territories of the British East India Company and their administration to the direct rule of the British Crown, through a Secretary of State for India.
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The world’s first tea inspired radio station
Tea Radio has developed a global audience reaching over 90 countries worldwide; with the promise of ‘music inspired by tea’, and features news and views on tea, tea gastronomy and more, amidst the music of the ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s.
Stay updated on the latest tips and trends in the world of tea right here. Download the Tea Radio app on the Google play store or the Apple app store, or stream music inspired by Tea on www.tearadio.com.
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