History of Ceylon Tea

Ian Gardner (left) as a Creeper on Glenlyon Estate with teacher Sathasivam

Knapsack spraying, 1952. Before the advent of "mist blowers" this was how copper sprays were applied

Tea Bush, Pita Ratmalie Estate, circa 1962 with planters John Burgess (left) and Manilal Abeyawardene (right)

"Brownie" (not a planter), riding my water scooter on the West Holyrood dam. The photo is here as an illustration of the water scooter

Gamini Salgado (standing at rear) & wife Irene (seated in front) with daughter Iromi (top left) and her daughter (beside) & Unknown (standing at right)

G.C. Wickremasinghe (2nd from right) with friends at the Nuwara Eliya Golf Club

(Left to Right) Ralston Tissera, Jim de Zilwa & Ian Gardner at the Dewalakande Estate, Troy Division bungalow

(Left to Right) Gamini Salgado, Phan Dias, Cynthia Dias & Irene Salgado

Houpe Estate, Dalukgalla Division bungalow - Ian Gunewardene (Gardner), Nanda Ellawela, Unknown, Ralph Wickremeratne, Leslie Marshall, Manilal Abeyawardene, Pam Marshall, Herbie*, Unknown, Grace* & Unknown (*Non planters)

At the Castlereigh Boat Club - Robin Trewin, Karen Trewin, Ian Gardner, Ursula Bretherton, David Bretherton & "The Newt"

Trincomalee - (Left to Right) John Wakeford, Gilli Parker, Jane Greenhow, Jenny Zorab* (later Ewart), Chris Woosnam-Mills, Nick Tate*, David Parker, Chris Greenhow & Tony Payne (* Non-planter)

Trincomalee - (Left to Right) Chris Woosnam-Mills, David Parker & John Wakeford

Trincomalee - (Left to Right) Gilli Parker, Chris Woosnam-Mills, Jenny Zorab & John Wakeford

Trincomalee - (Left to Right) Jenny Zorab, David Parker & Gilli Parker

Trincomalee - (Left to Right) John Wakeford, David Parker, Gilli Parker (hidden), Chris Woosnam-Mills & Jenny Zorab

Holyrood Estate, West Holyrood Division Dam - John and Sally Bousfield on my water scooter which had a maximum speed 10mph. The water scooter was unsinkable as it had floatation blocks inside but during boisterous partying later in the day John and others managed to fill it with water!

Holyrood Estate, West Holyrood Division Dam - (Left to Right) Unknown & Manilal Abeyawardene with my dogs Flicka & Hoagey

Holyrood Estate, West Holyrood Division Dam - (Left to Right) Unknown, Manilal Abeyawardene, Unknown & Rohan Gunaratne

Holyrood Estate, West Holyrood Division Dam - (Left to Right) Manilal Abeyawardene and Rohan Gunaratne on my water scooter

Forres Estate Manager's Bungalow Pool (Note: I soon planted a Hibiscus hedge around the pool area - the stick cuttings are visible at the left middle - Ian Gardner)

Dewalakande Estate, Manager's Bungalow Pool - (Left to Right) Volounteers of the Welsh VSO* (first, second & fourth), Ian Gardner, & John Wakeford (*Volunteer Service Organization of the UK)

Periyasamy KG weighing leaf - Glenlyon Estate, Agarapatana

Sathasivam KP weighing leaf - Glenlyon Estate, Agarapatana

Emile - Assistant Manager's dog

Emile - Assistant Manager's dog c.1954

West Holyrood Assistant Managers' bungalow - Holyrood Group

Managers' Bungalow - Forres Estate (basically the same floor plan as the Alton bungalow)

Managers' Bungalow - Forres Estate (basically the same floor plan as the Alton bungalow)

Drawing room of Managers' Bungalow - Forres Estate

Drawing room of Managers' Bungalow - Forres Estate

Managers' bungalow - Alton Estate, Upcot (Kim looking curious and me reading the paper)

Managers' Bungalow - Alton Estate, Upcot (Kim & Cindy)

Tea in the Lindula area of Dimbulla - Henfold Group

Enjoying the newly reclaimed Carlabeck dam one Sunday are from L - R: A planter's wife & child, Peter Innes, David Innes, Enid Innes, Francesca Innes and Ian Gardner. c.1952

Carlabeck Bungalow, Somerset Estate. Veeran and Fernando (house boy and gardener) outside front entrance

Cymru Division, Tangakelle Estate. Pluckers picking over leaf from No. 2 Field prior to weighing

Radella Club

Cymru Division, Tangakelle Estate. Self weighing pluckers' leaf with Emile at my feet - Ian Gardner

Radella Club - Terry Mills with photographs donated after the 1963 fire

Factory - Glenlyon Estate, Agrapatana. Rear view (from No. 5 Field).

Radella Club - Changing rooms & garages in the middle foreground

Factory - Glenlyon Estate, Agrapatana. Front view from drive up to bungalow

Radella Club - Clubhouse, squash court, changing rooms & garages

Manager's bungalow - Glenlyon Estate, Agrapatana

Main Entrance - Alton Estate, Upcot

Ian Gardner at Dewalakande Estate

Internal signpost - Alton Estate, Upcot

After night pig shoot, Glenlyon Estate. Ian Gardner, Gamini Salgado and Dr. Frank Fernando (D.M.O. Agrapatana), Mendis, Kathan and ?

Factory - Alton Estate, Upcot

Factory - Somerset Estate, Nanu Oya. From the old Carlabeck SD's bungalow

Factory, front view - Alton Estate, Upcot

Factory - Tangakelle Estate

Factory, rear view - Alton Estate, Upcot

Tangakelle Estate, Cymru Division bungalow sitting room. Painting and lamp by Ian Gardner.

Factory outhouses and field transport - Alton Estate, Upcot

The new planter with dogs ( and pipe!!) at Carlabeck bungalow, Somerset Estate - Ian Gardner

Factory outhouse - Alton Estate, Upcot

Manager's bungalow - Dewalakande Estate

Factory outhouse - Alton Estate, Upcot

Manager's bungalow - Dewalakande Estate, seen from the drive entrance. (Note: Although Dewalakande was a rubber estate it is included here as it belomged to the CTP, a company which managed tea estates mostly)

Office - Alton Estate, Upcot. Designed and built Circa 1966 by Manager Ian Gardner (then Gunewardene)

Main Factory - Dewalakande Estate, seen from the Manager's bungalow entrance

Office & road to Upper Divsions & Assistant Manager's bungalow - Alton Estate, Upcot

Manager's bungalow - Alton Estate

Office & interview window of Manager's office - Alton Estate, Upcot

Manager's bungalow - Alton Estate

Manager's office - Alton Estate, Upcot

Manager's bungalow - Alton Estate, with new circular drive

Head Clerk - Alton Estate, Upcot

Manager's bungalow - Alton Estate

Charts in the office - Alton Estate, Upcot

Tea factory - Upcountry

Clerks at work - Alton Estate, Upcot

Radella Club - cleaning up after the fire. L-R: Sally Bousfield (?), Unknown, Ian MacDonald and Kelaart (?) (Note: If anyone can identify or verify the unknown persons please e-mail the Editor)

Old survey plan - Alton Estate, Upcot

Ian Gardner at the Sea Angler's Club in 1969 with the record catch of the year, a 41 lb. Parau [Caranx ignobilis]

Road from entrance through old and new tea viewed from the office - Alton Estate, Upcot

Chris Bean, Barry Cameron, Robin Trewin and David Bretherton at a get together in New Zealand in 2008

Manager's bungalow forecourt - Alton Estate, Upcot

Manager's Bungalow, front - Alton Estate, Upcot

Manager's bungalow, beyond forecourt to garage at rear (created Circa 1966) - Alton Estate, Upcot

Manager Hemantha Kahatapitiya & family at the Manager's bungalow - Alton Estate, Upcot

Manager Hemantha Kahatapitiya & family with Ralph Wickremeratne - Alton Estate, Upcot

Manager's bungalow, view from right front - Alton Estate, Upcot

Manager's bungalow, view from right rear - Alton Estate, Upcot

Manager's bungalow, view from the right side front to rear - Alton Estate, Maskeliya

Manager's bungalow, rear view outside 2nd bedroom (verandah created in1966) - Alton Estate, Upcot

Manager's bungalow, foyer - Alton Estate, Upcot

Manager's bungalow, hallway (kitchen etc. through doorway & guest wing to right) - Alton Estate, Upcot

Manager's bungalow, drawing room - Alton Estate, Upcot

Manager's bungalow, dining room - Alton Estate, Upcot

Manager's bungalow - right side garden (visible at left is the entrance to the field road leading to the pre-966 office some 150-200m away round the hill) - Alton Estate, Upcot

Manager's bungalow, 1966 Land Rover & car garage still in use (a garage for the car was created from one of the back rooms of the bungalow Circa1966) - Alton Estate, Upcot

Manager's bungalow (hidden behind trees), view from estate road almost opposite. The visible road leads, to the left, to Kincora, Upper Division and Beaconsfield - Alton Estate, Upcot

View of Adams Peak from the Manager's bungalow - Alton Estate, Upcot

Approach to Assistant Manager's bungalow situated on the hill (behind the visible hill with the Kincora school on it) - Alton Estate, Upcot

Assistant's Manager's Bungalow, adjacent road to Upper Division & Beaconsfield - Alton Estate, Upcot

Assistant's Manager's bungalow, entrance - Alton Estate, Upcot

Assistant's Manager's Bungalow, front - Alton Estate, Upcot

Assistant's Manager's Bungalow, front - Alton Estate, Upcot