Description

R.B. Naish, C.C.S.

Letters home to parents while holding various government postings in Ceylon (Sri Lanka), 1915-36:

1. Thirty-two letters from Naish to his mother written while he was stationed at Gape, Ceylon, and staying at the New Oriental Hotel, 24 January 1915-6 August 1916. The letters recount day to day happenings both work and personal matters. (Some pages are missing.)
2. Four letters to his mother written while he was stationed at Avissawella 27 August-1 October 1916. Work as magistrate, description of his bungalow, procession at Kandy, his appointment as Extra Office Assistant to the Government Agent at Jaffna. (First page only of letter dated 1 October 1916.)
3. Letter from Jaffna dated 3 December 1916 reports that he has been transferred to Kurunegala; fails his examination in Sinhalese.
4. Twenty-four letters from Kurunegala to his mother 12 December 1916-21 October 1918. Details of his work and life, and people he meets; installation of telephone (Some pages missing.)
5. Four letters from Coonoor, South India, written to his mother 7 November-26 November 1918. Visit to India on leave; description of journey; news of the armistice; no possibility of home leave until 1921 because of shortage of staff.
6. Three letters from Gampola, 6 December 1918 – 12 January 1919. Return journey to Ceylon.
7. Letter from Tangalle to his mother and father, dated 24 September 1922. Trip to Julampitiya with other officials to investigate a murder.
8. Two letters from Batticaloa, 6 May 1923 and 14 June 1925. On tour in his district; cutting from newspaper with obituary of Sir William Twynam; cholera epidemic; description of the Veddah Festival of Perija Deva; plan of his bungalow.
9. Copy of a talk given by Naish to the Inverness Rotary Club in 1936 on the subject of his work as a member of the Civil Service with a description of Ceylon. TS 18 pp.
10. Cuttings (from either the Ceylon Observer or The Times of India about 1922) – printed copies of letters from Kegalle, Ceylon, in early days of coffee-planting, 1842-47.

Letters relate difficulties in early days of coffee-planting, methods, wages and finance generally. Comment on competition from slave-grown coffee.