An Intriguing Challenge: Deciphering a Photograph of Ceylonese Elites at Tennis

Mevan Pieris & Arun Dias Bandaranaike decipher and debate the identities and location of personnel within an intriguing high-society photograph of a tennis cluster in British Ceylon at some point in the 1920s/30s. The suggestion that JR Jayawardene is part of this cluster is challenged by Mevan : a claim presented within Thuppahi: see https://thuppahis.com/2016/10/29/when-jr-and-banda-batted-for-ceylon-together-in-1926-a-piece-of-social-history/

 

The above group photograph is of a date and time that is not known, although a captioned comment avers that this was dated 1926. Notably, the Nomads Tennis Club started in 1923, and this has been noted by both Mevan Peiris and Arun D.B., and we are both in agreement with some of the facts that are outlined here by Mevan.

There is no definitive identification of all the persons in the picture, although there are just a few who we both can, with a fair deal of accuracy, identify. There is no definite date that can be given this photograph either.  But we both are fairly sure that this cannot be in 1926. 

 The particular individuals that can be identified in the picture are: Solomon Dias Bandaranaike (SWRDB), George R. de Silva, and his sister Irene de Silva (who married Copleston Dias Bandaranaike of Galkissa).

The others cannot be recognized with certainty.

1. The white expanse looking like a short wall, located directly behind the group, is a tennis court. The umpire’s chair fits well for that court. Beyond the tennis court which has been cut off a mound, can be seen at the left extreme a white wall erected on top of the earth embankment. This seems to be additional proof that the tennis court is in the hill country. Additionally, there is in the furthest background the trace of a mountain side, stemming from the right of the picture and moving upward toward the centre and behind the copse of tall trees.
2. The court could be one of several courts of the N’Eliya tennis club of pre-war years or maybe even a court in Bandarawela.
3. Mevan’s observations: Having had another very close look at those seated, I am inclined to think that the young lady next to SWRD is Nedra Obeyesekere (may be even Mrs FC de Saram when this photograph was taken). Nedra was born in 1910 and was the National Tennis champion in 1933. If so next to Nedra could be her mother-in-law, Myra Loos, and next to her, FC’s father, Fred J (Babsie) de Saram (looking like a European), who was a very tall, well-built classy tennis player and cricketer. The other Burgher lady who is standing may be a sister of Myra or Babsie.

Nedra Obeyesekere and her mother, Brenda (Babsie’s sister) were members of the Nomads Tennis club, but Babsie was not.

This photograph is of Fred “Babsie” de Saram from the early years of the 20^tth century.

Arun can’t be certain that the person in the group picture and seated at extreme right is in fact Babsie.

Arun also finds it unclear that the persons seated next to SWRDB are Nedra Obeyesekere and Mrs. Mira Loos-de Saram. The facial features do not match with the way she looked at the time of Nedra being a tennis champion.  This remains a guess, at best.  And the lady next to her is as yet unidentified.   The person in the picture does not seem to be Mira Loos-de Saram.

4. Mevan wrote: I am inclined to agree with Arun DB, in respect of George R de Silva and his sister Irene de Silva as identified by him. George was at Cambridge at the time when SWRD was at Oxford. He was a tall well- built man. George R. de Silva is the person, bare-headed and dressed in a ‘sweater’ with a striped design.  His sister Irene stands in the back row, second from left.
5. If this is a Nomads Tennis Club tennis group, which had met in the hills (where many of them had their own holiday homes), I am inclined to think that the gentleman standing in the rear row at the extreme right, wearing a striped blazer and hat, is Mudaliyar Lee Dassenaike, and the guy standing in the middle row, extreme right is, Lee Dassenaike’s brother in law, Vernon de Livera Tennekoon. Both Lee and Vernon were office bearers in the club. However, Vernon de Livera-Tennekoon’s son, Palitha is of the view that the jaunty figure sporting a blazer and adorned with a pith hat is not his father. Which then makes it difficult to identify that person with certainty.

As for Mudaliyar Lee Dassenaike:

This is what his official Mudaliyar photograph adorned with the regalia of office, appeared in the record.  Although this picture is captioned as being in 1926, the image may have been captured at an earlier date, and before 1926.  Would Lee Dassenaike have looked like the person who is standing at right extreme at the back row in the tennis group picture?  Arun wonders if that could be the identity of that person in the back row.  Therefore, one cannot be certain as to who that person in a blazer and with a pith hat really is.

 

6. Mevan suggests: The guy identified as JRJ is unlikely to be him. In the mid 1930s (State Council days), JRJ was a well -built handsome young man with a good head of hair and a wide forehead. He is not known to have been keen on tennis. This guy seems to be the son of the lady, standing in the last row (4th from the left extreme).

This photograph taken at San Francisco, Ca., c. 1952 of J. R. Jayewardene, shows him to have had a far more youthful appearance than is the case with the person in the Tennis Picture.  If this is how JRJ looked in the 1950s, then he could not have looked as old as is the person purported to be JRJ in the group photograph.

 

7. 7.  Mevan also comments: The strong well built, short guy at extreme left in top row is not a member of the Nomads TC, and the rest in the photograph, including the two young dark girls, seem to be his family members. They too may have been holidaying and would have met in the club.

Conclusion

Some in the photograph as identified, were connected to the Nomads Tennis Club. But this was an informal gathering at tennis of some Nomads members with several other non-members.

Mevan and Arun.

ALSO NOTE  …. 

https://thuppahis.com/2017/06/29/burgher-tennis-club-in-galle-circa-1928/