Michael Roberts
Those with some knowledge of island Lanka’s history over the last two centuries know that one of the most significant figures in its history was the Scottish plantation manager James Taylor (1835-92) because he was the entrepreneur who pioneered the cultivation of tea in the hill-country during the mid-19th century when coffee was the reigning plantation crop. This initial work bore full fruit –literally and figuratively–when the coffee leaf disease decimated the coffee plantation industry in the 1870s and 80s.
Buddhika Dassanayake in Lanka has now added a ‘gold nugget‘ in the world of historical memorabilia: by securing a scrap of a letter by James Taylor recommending one of his working class aides—a kangany (in effect ‘sergeants’ within the plantation coolie labour force).
In presenting this ‘nugget,’ I am expanding my reach by adding some rare photographs of James Taylor the person.
Taylor was also a man placed in a commanding position. …. with manly needs. He probaly had paramours. One of the most poignant tales that I recall is that of his funeral somewhere up-country. The lengthy procession of personnel bearing his cortege to its final resting point included a female lady in unrestrained wailing grief at the tail-end of the ‘beknighted’ array of upper-class personnel who made up the procession. This was Taylor’s companion and de facto wife.
*********
Dassanayake’s Email with his deciphering of the Taylor NOTE:
“Good evening Prof, I thought you might enjoy this re. thre above article. Found it in a random scrap sale at Gampola.As far as I can decipher it goes something like this:
“Hope Estate, 10 March 1875
Bearer [Sambein?– name unclear] Kangany has been my Head Kangany on the Hope for 2 years and 1/2. During this time, he has always been willing, obliging and honest. I dare say he is about the best Head Kangany in Ceylon.
(signed) James Taylor”
PHOTOGRAPHS
A TANGENTIAL NOTE from Dr. Srilal Fernando in Melbourne, Dec 2025
Hi Michael, Very interesting. Many years ago on my first posting as Consultant Psychiatrist in a public hospital in Victoria, one of my junior doctors was of Anglo-Indian origin. We invited his family for dinner and his mother-in-law came with them. She claimed to be a grand-daughter of James Taylor. She was a quiet, good looking elderly lady . Apparently, she grew up in a convent. The revd-sisters arranged marriages for the Eurasian ladies under their care and she found her husband from India, a man of Anglo background I presume, as she was fair in complexion.
A SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Taylor_(tea_planter)
https://thuppahis.com/2017/02/18/james-taylor-and-the-ceylon-tea-industry
Searching for Familial Roots: An Odyssey …. with Lamentations