History of Ceylon Tea

Here are some details of my maternal grandfather John Campbell Tribe who arrived in Ceylon somewhere around 1904. He owned Matale estate which he sold around 1940. He continued to live in Matale until he died in 1945.

We know he bought Matale Estate in 1904 and sold it in 1940. He continued to live in Matale until his death in 1945. My sister has a copy of the 1924 Times of Ceylon Green Book which came before Fergusons – JC Tribe is listed as a VA of two estates, Hapugaspitiya and Treby. We know he came to Australia with his twin brother in 1890. His brother died three months later. His father the Archdeacon of Lahore came to Australia to finalise matters over his death and was here for six months. We are uncertain of my Grandfathers movements in Australia but know his movements since he bought Matale Estate in 1904. My mother was his eldest child and she was born in 1906. He had seven daughters and a son. He may have come to Ceylon in 1898 but we have no record of that.
 
Ken Duff-Tytler