Schoolboy memories, old boys’ reunions and more

When our lot entered Royal College over 70 years ago, Tony was head prefect and, at closer quarters, muddied, on the rugger field. He was also visible commanding the cadet battalions. His brothers, Trevor the place-kicker and Maurice the wizard scorer over the line eclipsed him at rugger but in and around the school he was instantly placed as its leader. Trevor took to medicine and migrated to Australia via Diyatalawa; I last met Maurice in Perth. Their father was an iconic character too, making the hostel a place that provided such comfort as schoolboys had a right to expect.

Tony passed away a few weeks ago, a little over 90.

In the shadow of the attempted coup in 1962, my acquaintance with him occurred at some distance: my wife’s friends, Shelagh and Manique, made all the visits permitted and I received some pictures at second hand of Tony and Don Weerasinghe. Years later Tony told me that the prime mover in that power grab had been not the servicemen and cops but a civilian – a senior member of the Ceylon Civil Service. (Once the Privy Council released the accused, he was brought back into the public service and, to my knowledge, proved to be an able administrator).

Tony retained his interest in the arts and the Wendt was where we occasionally met – whether at performances of the Stage & Set or of other Dramsoc collectives or at art exhibitions. I recall that many years later Shelagh played Desdemona to Chitrasena’s Othello. On Shelagh’s last trip here, we had the pleasure of a visit and much nice conversation. Tony, (with just a trace of head cop), there with Varini.

Tony returned to the Royal scene, chairing groups of Old Boys (‘over-seventies’ who were mostly over eighty) who gathered once or twice a year at lunch and sang songs of varying merit.