Chapter 1 - Kirillapone - 1939 to 1940

Kirillapone House


















I was born on 4th November 1939, the eldest son of Cecil Wilford and May Sybil (nee Ebert) Rowlands in Colombo, (Ceylon) Sri Lanka.

I obviously have no recollections of our stay at the house in High Level Road, Kirillapone, but have included these photographs as a memento of my days as a baby. We stayed at this house until the start of the Second World War and I am told, moved to Mutwal because of Dad’s work.

Mum tells me that when she was pregnant with me she got Chicken Pox and because of this, I was born at her parent’s home as she could not get admission into the Nursing Home. I understand that I had a few spots on me when I was born and must have acquired immunity to Chicken Pox, as I was around boys who got it in our dormitory, but to date have never caught Chicken pox.

As the first “Rowlands” grand-son, my Mother tells me that I was spoilt and treated like “royalty”. The pictures show that I was also given some unusual experiences, such as a visit to the Colombo Zoo and elephant riding.

A visit to the Zoo



























Elephant Rider


























Proud Grand-Father and Dad




















Gift to Ed from his God Father, Francis Rodriguesz.


Baby Ed Rowlands


Gift from Ed's God Father on his second birthday