Michael Roberts
I was born and bred in Galle Fort, living there in Pedlar Street and then in Middle Street in houses rented from Muslim moor landlords by my retired father, T. W. Roberts, of the CCS. I visit the place whenever I can and several pictures taken during the last ten years are inserted within this collection… with Images by Michael Roberts, where not otherwise specified
Dutch-style verandahs –here in a house being repaired with a chain gang transferring clusters of tiles –yes, tiles — Up-Catch-Shift-Place. Wow, efficient-Pic by Roberts
Galle Fort in yesteryear
A Scene in front to the Fort in the 1890s or thereabouts–Pic from National Gallery of Australia
Fishermen at it in the 1930s along the rocks at the foot of the ramparts, western side … a common sight even in the 1950s but now unlikely in the same style of garments —Pics by Lincoln Pereira
SCENES TODAY: THE WATERLINE off the Fort… my teenage playground
FULL FRONTAL: The Imposing Ramparts
The VOC crest over the original harbour entrance … and from inside
The Galle Literary Festival in January 2008
The Eateries– essential fare!
Vikram Seth autographs Bron’s copy
AN AERIAL OVERVIEW
Pic from unknown source
GALLE AS QUIET AS ASLEEP by Norah Roberts Vijitha Yapa Publications
… with cover design from Donald Friend’s Mural Imaginings of Galle in the P & O era of the late 19th century …
…….. and, then, on 26th December 2004 … there was the UNIMAGINABLE: a tsunami, THE TSUNAMI, hit the eastern, southern and south-western coasts of Sri Lanka
Pic from Sunday Times …………………. many people died at this bus-stand and along the coasts on both sides of the Fort; but no one in the Fort was hurt … the Dutch fortifications stood the test…. while one fishing trawler is said to have made it over the southern wall into the Fort, presumably without crew!
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