Denzil's Stories

Thomas and Susan’s wedding — Photo essay T his is a photo essay of my parents’ wedding on 30th December 1953. My father, Don Thomas Jayasinghe, was an aspiring young man and a self-improver. He, at 27, married my mother, Mary Susan Jayawardane, who was 20 years old. Susan was the eldest daughter of a learned man and a retired school principal, renowned for his leadership and moral values in their village, some 15 kilometres from Colombo. The great combination of my parents changed a generation beyond them, and this is an essay to capture that beautiful event in 1953. I am their eldest son, I was fortunate to be brought up as a free thinker and a protagonist thanks to that union. This essay is crafted in gratitude and celebration of my awesome set of parents. Wedding Photo closeup of Don Thomas Jayasinghe (27) and Mary Susan Jayawardane (20). Thomas hailed from Dalugama Kelaniya, while Susan hailed from Eldeniya Kadawatha in Sri Lanka. The wedding ceremony was held at the Catholic Churc...

My Father’s Youthful days — Photo Essay Don Thomas Jayasinghe, when he worked as an office assistant at J M Robertsons in Colombo in 1947. Another photo of Thomas with a friend was taken on the same set; My father wore shorts. At that time, one would only wear long pants if one could speak fluent English. He attended night classes to improve his English and secure a clerical job simultaneously. His unnamed friend wore a sarong, a traditional Sri Lankan male garment. Thomas’s best mate Joseph Perera and K W Perera with Thomas. The three boys attended junior school together, studied for English exams after school and went to work together. — Joseph Perera was a life long friend of Thomas. Joseph was to become Denzil’s godfather, Thomas firstborn. Thomas in the middle of the tree; Taken during a road trip Thomas with his friends during a road trip Also taken during a road trip, K W Perera, Joseph Perera and Thomas (wearing sunnies) seated in front row from left Thomas in shorts on right. ...