Richard Wynell-Mayow

[Tonyper]

I have added the name of Mr Richard Wynell-Mayow in the Planters' Register. However, I have no information on his planting career in the years before I served under him as SD from 1961 until 1967, having taken over the Upper Division of Craig Estate, Bandarawela from the late Ubhaya de Silva.
 
Mr Mayow was well known for having increased the yield per acre on Craig substantially with his close attention to timely plucking rounds and applications of fertiliser. There was very little about plantation management that he wasn't aware of and was always ready to share with his SD's and friends. If there was anyone who earned the respect of others by his kindness and readiness to teach, it was certainly Mr. Mayow. If he disagreed with a suggestion made, he would clearly state the reasons why, immediately, and that too became a learning experience.
 
During the time I was his SD, the following were also undertaken and successfully completed by Mr. Mayow. A factory expansion costing over Rs 300,000, the successful introduction in the older tea fields of Shear Plucking, the use of Rotorvanes in the rolling room, supplying both the Big and Small bungalows with A/C 220 volt electricity, replanting an acre per annum and not having more than one percent of casualties in any year. Each year, he had many visitors who came to see the results of his vegetatively propogated clones of tea, planted in the one acre "show-pieces." If he was absent from Craig, for more than a week, at any time, it was because he was on other estates as their Visiting Agent. He was one of the most sought after V.A's of his time.
 
He was probably one of the planters who left the industry and the country at the very end of the exodus of non-national planters. I can say with a great deal of certainty that there was never a planter that I knew, during the 21 years that I was associated with the tea industry in Ceylon, who was more knowledgeable, innovative and most importantly approachable to many.
 
He passed away while living in Oxford when he was in his mid-eighties. His wife, Eileen, entered an assisted living facility close to their home soon after his death.

Tony Perera

[terrymills]

It was with sadness that I read this article on the death of Richard Wynell-Mayow. I knew Richard well when I was Resident Engineer for Davidson & Co Sirocco Engineering Works Belfast. Living as I did for three years at Bandarawela Hotel and a member of the old Bow Club I played tennis with and against Richard many times during those years and enjoyed every moment of competition with him.
As Manager of Craig Estate he was well known as a knowledgable planter and as a friend he was always a gentleman. His family will miss him as will all the friends who knew him at Bardarawela.
Terry Mills

[Heather W-M]

I was very touched to read the kind comments made by Tony Perera and Terry Mills regarding my father, Richard Wynell-Mayow.

I have many fond memories of growing up on Craig estate and I know Ceylon was a country my father loved with a passion. Fortunately he and my mother were able to return to Ceylon in 2002 where they spent a wonderful 2 weeks visiting all their old haunts with the highlight being a 3 day visit to Craig. Dad told me how overwhelmed he was by the attention their visit attracted with so many of the estate workers and their relatives travelling from far and wide (some even walking for 2 days) to welcome them back to the estate. A joyous ceremony was held in their honour and Dad was completely overcome with emotion at the reception they received - he did indeed feel like he had finally come "home." 

A return visit was planned with myself but sadly it was not to be as Dad died very unexpectedly after a short illness in January 2005. I believe a day of mourning and subsequent ceremony was held on Craig exactly one month to the day after his death. My daughter and I cherished Mum and Dad's visits to us here in Australia over the years - their first meal always being a local Sri Lankan restaurant where Dad would amaze the staff with his fluent Tamil and Sinhalese!

I miss my father terribly but I take comfort in knowing how well respected and liked he was by all who knew him. He was an extraordinary person and a wonderful father and grandfather. I would like to again thank Tony and Terry for taking the time to write such generous words about Dad on this forum.

Heather Wynell-Mayow

[Mark G]

FOA Tony Perera & Terry Mills

Richard was my Great Uncle. I am the son of Colleen Gordon (nee Wynell-Mayow). My Grandfather was Richard's brother.

A few years ago I took my father & mother to visit Sri lanka more especially to visit some of the tea plantations, The Craig Estate, Nuwara Eliya and the small church at Lindulla where my Great Grandfather & Grandmother are laid to rest. My Great Grandfather was, by all accounts, one of the pioneers of the tea industry. He was given an honourary life membership of the Tea Planters club in Nuwara Eliya.

I would be very grateful if by chance either of you gentlemen have any photos from Richards time?

Kind regards
Mark Gordon

[David Colin-Thomé (Editor)]

This message was submitted through an incorrect channel and so I am manually posting it below (note - no sender's name was mentioned but I would presume it is from either Terry Mills or Tony Perera):

"This is in response to Mark Gordon's remarks regarding his Great Uncle, Richard Wynell-Mayow. I'm sorry but I do not have any photographs of Mr Mayow. There are a few in the Photographs section here in HOTC."

[David Colin-Thomé (Editor)]

This message was submitted through an incorrect channel and so I am manually posting it below:

"I was greatly moved to read the tributes to Richard Wynell-Mayow with whom I had the joy and privilege to work with during our emplyment as Consultants to P. T. Perkebunan in Indonesia during the period 1972 to 1974. Richard was the Agricultural Advisor to 10 Estates and I was employed as the Tea Manufacturing Advisor. I never knew Richard in Ceylon but we worked very closely during our service in Indonesia. He was certainly a man with a vast knowledge in all aspects of Tea, be it agriculture or manufacture and a great loss to Sri Lanka when he left the industry. More importantly, he was a compassionate human being and a dear friend. We spent many a time enjoying each others company and continued to visit each other both at Oxford and Melbourne until his death a few years ago. My wife and I were happy to catch up with Richard's wife Eileen when we called on her during our recent visit to the UK in August this year.
Fred Kreltszheim"