FLASHBACK: August 2009 – Reminiscing Peterites’ first victory over Josephians
Harold de Silva seen here at Ajax Cricket Club near Toronto in September 2009, where he was chief guest for a tournament.
Sixty- three years ago in 1946 when St. Peter’s College recorded the glorious first victory against St. Josephs’ College in their ‘Big Match’ Harold de Silva, one of the finest wicket-keeper-batsman in the Peterite team, played a key role in that victory.
The gusty de Silva also went on to captain the Peterite Rugger team in 1949. Today he is the oldest living Peterite captain. At 80 years of age he is still in immaculate physical condition.
Only permitted to drink apple juice to keep fit for another 20 years, Harold welcomed me at his only son Rodney and daughter-in-law Tamara’s Toronto residence. His gracious wife Doris has better memories of her husband’s sports records. This tells us how much love and respect they have enjoyed over the years. I must thank Jeyer Rodriguez, a former Peterite skipper, Havelock’s Sports Club captain and Ceylon and Sri Lanka ruggerite, for alerting me to the presence of Harold de Silva in Toronto.
It’s an amazing experience to hear Harold unfold history of cricket and rugger for over half a century at St. Peter’s College and the Colt’s Cricket Club where he played for a number of years. It was a rare opportunity to bring back nostalgic memories but he says the saddest part of it is that most of his colleagues are now dead. He remembered his colleagues with gratitude revealing his strong respect for them as he recalled how the Peterite side defeated the Josephians for the first time in 1946.
Dion Walles, who captained the team is now a resident of Scotland, Shelly Wickremasinghe, founder President of the Bloomfield Cricket Club, Mike Chanmugam, Oswald Martinzine, Bernard Wijetunga, Maurice Perera (Vice Captain), Darrel Weinman, Linfy Fernando, Neville de Silva, former Assistant Superintendent of Sri Lanka Police and now a resident of Canada. Harold describes Neville as a very clever spinner and googley bowler.
Harold with his wife Dorothy, son Rodney and daughter-in-law Tammy.
“As wicket-keeper I enjoyed Neville’s spin bowling as he mesmerized the batsmen,” said de Silva in his exclusive interview with the Sri Lanka Reporter, not forgetting to mention the coach, late Col. B. R. Heyn, who later became the Commander of the Sri Lanka Army. His two sons, Richard and David, also captained the cricket teams at St. Peter’s College.
Being the oldest living Peterite Ruggerite and captain of St. Peter’s College team in 1949, Harold had a galaxy of players such as Major General Denis Perera who was later Commander of the Army, Navy Commander A. W. H. Perera his brother Douglas Perera, Godwin Schockman and Ago Pavia to name a few.
The famous 1946 Josephian team was led by the gangling six-footer Neil Weerasinghe. Hugh Bagot scored a century as the Peterite skipper Dion Walles team defeated the Josephians for the first time. The Josephian captain Neil Weerasinghe later joined the Police Department and rose to the rank of Deputy Inspector General of Police. Earlier he was the head of Presidential Security Division during the period of late President J. R. Jayewardene.
"As wicket-keeper I enjoyed Neville’s spin bowling as he mesmerized the batsmen”
At Ceylon Insurance, Harold de Silva rose to a top executive position and was given a foreign assignment to manage its insurance business in the Maldives Islands.
He recalls National Security Minister Lalith Athulathmudali calling on him in the Maldives Islands. Later he visited Minister Athulathmudali with three tins of apple juice which the latter loved and accompanied the minister and his wife Srimani Athulathmudali on a shopping spree in the Maldives Islands.
Mrs. Athulathmudali died of cancer a few years after Minister Athulathmudali was shot dead at a meeting at Kirillapona.
For Harold it was long innings with the Insurance Corporation. Apart from his foreign assignment, he also served as the branch manager of the Corporation in Chilaw and Ratnapura.
OBITUARY
Veteran Old Peterite Harold Lloyd De Silva passes away
Veteran Old Peterite Harold Lloyd De Silva passes away. He was former Branch Manager, Ceylon Insurance Ratnapura & Chilaw. Later he was the Manager Insurance Corporation, Maldives.
He is the husband of Doris, father of Pauline and Rodney (Canada), father-in-law Anwar Abdul Cader and Tamara (Canada), grandfather of Mariesz, Andretta and Imthiyas, Uhani and Charith Alles and Jawid, great-grandfather of Ariana, brother of Audrey and Tony and late Bennet, Helen, Kenneth, Laura, Letticia and Aubrey, brother-in-law of late Archibald Pereira, and Prema. Cremation took place at the General Cemetery, Kanatte, Borella. Rukmalgama Housing Scheme, Kottawa.
