Description
R.B. Naish, C.C.S.
Letters home to parents while holding various government postings in Ceylon (Sri Lanka), 1915-36:
- 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.)
- 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.)
- Letter from Jaffna dated 3 December 1916 reports that he has been transferred to Kurunegala; fails his examination in Sinhalese.
- 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.)
- 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.
- Three letters from Gampola, 6 December 1918 – 12 January 1919. Return journey to Ceylon.
- Letter from Tangalle to his mother and father, dated 24 September 1922. Trip to Julampitiya with other officials to investigate a murder.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.