History of Ceylon Tea

An Exemplary Gentleman Unruffled By Life’s Ups And Downs

Imboolpittia Estate, Nawalapitiya was owned by a sterling company and managed by Ms Backwoods Estates & Agencies Limited in the late 1915 and Mr Leslie Dunuwille took over the property from Sidney Hall, an Englishman. Thus Mr.Dunuwille became the first Sri Lankan to manage Imboolpittia Estate.

Having undergone a training period of six months under a very experienced and well-known planter, Neil Yapa of Shannon Estate Hatton, l was appointed an assistant on Imboolpittia in the early sixteen and had the privilege of working under Mr.Dunuwille for almost five years. (presume, I was his first assistant and he was my first boss.

Imboolpittia, on the whole, had a poor cover of tea infested with shot hole borer and termite and was an uphill task to maintain viability. However, Mr.Dunuwille met the challenge with planting new tea and with his expertise turned the property round and made it a profitable unit. He was a hard taskmaster, a good administrator with a temper which, of course, was short lived. He gave high priority to discipline and with time I got used to his temperaments and enjoyed working under him. It was my intention to visit him during the course of this month to recollect some of the past memories but very, unfortunately, it did not materialize.

An incident that took place whilst I was his assistant is unforgettable, is worth mentioning. Way back in the sixteen the bungalow, I occupied was the closest to the lower Kotmale Planters’ club and the Nawalapitiya town. Friends visited me frequently and being bachelors, fun and frolic was the order of the day!

A few of them were teasing my second servant and taught him to recite a verse when visitors were entertained, which of course is unprintable!

One day Mr.Dunuwiile, having done a field round stepped into my bungalow and I offered a cup of tea to him. Although the head servant was advised to serve the tea the second servant overpowered him and had taken over the task. l was trembling as I saw the boy with the tray standing boldly and commenced reciting the verse.

My instant guess was whether Mr.Dunuwille would have a hearty laugh since he loved humour, but lo and behold his reaction was furious and the servant boy dropped the tray with the tea and bolted! He sounded very angry and ordered me to call over at his office in the afternoon.

Well, l thought the match was over for me and I prayed for mercy. At his office, I was asked to sit down and I was amazed, he was very calm and put me at ease and wanted to know the servant’s unruly behaviour that morning. l confessed and explained in detail and apologized for the unfortunate incident. He advised me strongly against teasing servants. As time passed I was told by a reliable source that Mr.Dunuwille had been relating this incident to some of his contemporaries, having a hearty laugh!

Mr.Dunuwille led an exemplary life, loved and held in high esteem and possessed the ability to remain unruffled by life’s ups and downs. He was extremely courteous, magnanimous and sincere and above all very honest.

He adored and loved his wife and children. l remember Hiran, the eldest was a smart young boy attending St. Thomas prep school Bandarawela and of course the cute twins Kishanthi and Mayanthi whom I drove seldom to the convent in Nawalapitiya. A charming lady, Mrs, Dunuwille and her late husband were great entertainers and their doors remained open always and their friends were numerous.

I salute you, sir, for you laid the foundation for me to go through a long spell of a 53-year unbroken career having served some of the large and prestigious plantations in the Uva and Nuwara Eliya Districts.

May you attain the supreme bliss of Nirvana

Source: http://www.thesundayleader.lk/2014/01/26/appreciation-82/