Those School Boys Days…. Wesley College, Colombo…as time stands still

Before the spring of year 2001, Dr Douglas Amerasekera launched the Wesley College (OBU) UK web site. We have to thank Azahim Mohamed, Secretary of the OBU branch in the UK for initiating the venture. This exceptionally scholarly site has helped to unfold Wesley’s 127 year history and bring together Wesleyites around the world.

Now, six months later, all Wesleyites have been invited to the launch of the Wesley College (OBU) Australian branch web site. This will join the time zones – east and west. This time we have to thank Mahendra Dissanayake for the excellent architecture and construction of the site. I am glad to see my running partner Reg Bartholomeusz an outstanding sportsman at the helm with my fellow scout Nelson de Silva as Treasurer.

I was excited and exultant to read the newsletter – Vol 1 (1) published by the Australian Branch, edited by Bryan Wijekoon.

Keith de Kretser one of long standing stalwarts who has to be thanked for keeping the Australia branch active in the past years.

The article about Norman de la Harpe brought back some of the old memories of the round table stories narrated by Mr L.A. Fernando during our Athletic meetings before Public schools, Relay Carnival, or the Junior AAA meets. The motivating stories were about our former top sportmen. I have to thank Norman for giving us the first person version. Mr M Sheriff, Harold Matthysz, Trevor Van Rooyen, Ian Campbell and including the great cricketer N S Jayasundara have been brought back to the year 2001. Lucian Dep certainly was an outstanding athlete, national pole vaulter and served the AAA as an official for many years, along with our master Mr A.A.Swaris. His nephews Cletus and S.Dep both were outstanding high jumpers and public schools athletes in the 1960’s. Both of them competed at the time we were representing Wesley. The other athlete Shirley Perera was once again one of St Joseph’s top athletes. Brothers, Shirley, Neville and Neil lived near the Medical College, and certainly were great friends.

It was certainly a great adventure to see the great cricketer Henry Duckworth and Wesleys front-runners in one of the photos. Hopefully time will come to meet and greet these past Wesleyites in the future. Wesley

should certainly be proud of some of our top sportsmen, who were outstanding nationally and internationally. I hope this valuable information on both web sites will motivate the present Wesleyites to emulate the dazzling feats of these past heroes.

I must also take a few moments to remind the Old Wesleyites not only to delve in the performance of sports at Wesley, but also concentrate on the academic excellence. I remember how happy and thrilled when the names of those who entered medical college; University of Ceylon, Colombo campus, Peradeniya campus, Vidyodaya, or Vidyalankara was read out after the University Entrance/Advanced Level results. Very distinctly I remember the Hill Medal winners
D Raymond and Paul David. Paul specially because of brothers Joe and Charles who was my classmate and Alfie David who was an extraordinary sportsman and scholar.

I was happy to see all of the faces in the photograph taken by my good friend Mohan Abraham. It was certainly a pleasure to see the evergreen Dr Frank Jayasinghe (who taught me algebra in Form 1) and all of the other eleven I distinctly remember, same as I had seen a few years ago. We have to thank those loyal Wesleyites for holding on to the Double Blue in Colombo. I certainly remember most of the names I see on the address list. I send my heartfelt greetings to all my fellow Double Blue colleagues on the Australian web.

Wesley to the fore

Shanti McLelland

August 14, 2001

Canada

Whilst every effort is made to ensure correctness, the Wesley College (Colombo) Old Boys’ Union Australia Branch Inc. does not accept responsibility in whole or part for views, contributions or advertised products or services included in this publication.

Wesley College Colombo (Aust Branch) Web Page www.wesleycollege.org

Our resident computer vizard Mahendra Dissanayake has presented us with a brilliant web site. The many features have to be seen to be believed. So to all Wesleyites out there log on and browse this site.

Among the many features is access to Wesley College (UK) Branch and Wesley College Colombo. An unique feature is finding your friends.

A special feature is the photo album and Mahendra requests all Wesleyites to send him their favourite picture which will be scanned and returned to you. Once again Mahendra, Congratulations on a fine job!!

The Editor

Membership Subscriptions

The Subscriptions for the calendar year January to December 2002 are due and should be paid as soon as possible, to the

Membership rates

Full - $12, Pensioners - $10, *Seniors - Voluntary

* Members over 70 years of age are to inform the Treasurer of their age to qualify.

Treasurer

Wesley College (Colombo) OBU

Australia Branch Inc

Box 123 Glenway MDC

Mulgrave 3170

		President Reg Bartholomeusz Vice President Alister Bartholomeusz Secretary Trevor Collette Treasurer Nelson de Silva Editor Bryan Wijeyekoon General Committee Rienzie Mahamooth Dayantha Makalanda Mahendra Dissanayake Neville Ludowyke

VALE

Lionel (Len ) Percy Senaris

16.03.1915- 28.09.2001

A family man, proud parent and grandparent, a staunch and large-hearted friend are some of the many clichés mentioned by those to whom I spoke, of the Late Len Senaris.

My memory of this gentleman, who I have known for many years and to whom we pay tribute, is that of a devout Christian to whom, apart from his love for his family, devotion to God and his Church were of highest priority. Alas with his passing, Wesley College, Sri Lanka and our Old Boys’ Association here, have lost yet another of our loyal “Old Boys”.

Len walked the corridors and playing fields of Wesley, in the Highfield era, with fellow stalwarts like Vernon Achilles, Raymond Fernando, the eldest of the Fernando brothers affectionately called “Notta”, Mervyn and Max Fernando and Quintus Blacker – all of whom, with the exception of Vernon Achilles, have now passed on.

He enjoyed his College-days boxing and boating, and in retired life his golf and bowls.

Most of his working life was spent at Rowlands, the well-known Motor Firm, where he progressed from stenographer, to personal assistant to the General Manager, and retired from the position of Manager of Rowlands’ Associate Firm Tyresoles at Nawinna.

Another friend of this same era, remembered Len as one who always had genuine concern for the less fortunate, and to whom money and the material things of life had scant value.

On 2^nd January 1951 Len married Phylis Fernando, now deceased, who he met as a colleague at Rowlands. Len is mourned by his loved daughter Diane, granddaughter Sharon, and son in law Peter Draper – all of whom assuredly brightened his life with their achievements, as truly talented and accomplished concert musicians.

May he rest in peace and may his memory live on!

Langston Joseph

Oswin Allan Van Buuren

04.01.1925 to 01.07.2001

Recalling the memory of someone, who I could call a younger brother though not biologically could be both enjoyable as well as heart-wrenching. With his brother, the late Denver Van Buuren, Oswin spent most of his later years at Wesley living at our home. This was an Association that lasted all through our years together, and which I recall with fond affection happy years interspersed with occasions of schoolboy fun and innocent mischief when more often than not, Oswin was put on the “front line”! Indeed those were happy times! Through all the years of our Association, Oswin has been a cherished friend to me and our family, and it is with that knowledge of him that I say that he always exemplified the true hall marks of a devoted husband, and a father whose children and grandchildren rightfully idolized. He was never brusque or churlish but on the contrary a gentle man - a gentleman in every sense of the word who bore no traces of haughtiness, arrogance or pride. I count it a privilege to have known him.

May the roses and the orchids, which were his passion and hobby, blossom in abundance in his memory and may he rest in peace.

Langston Joseph

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