Veteran Radio Ceylon and BBC broadcaster,
Vernon Corea (who was placed in the top 5 greatest broadcasters of the world by 'The Hindu' alongside his friend Ameen Sayani
of 'Binaca Geet Mala' fame) was born on the island of Ceylon on September 11th 1927 in a village called Kurana near Katunayake (now famous for its
international airport.) Vernon's father Rev. Ivan Corea was a curate at St.Philip's Church in Kurana. Vernon and his brother
Ernest were born in Kurana.
Ceylon
in the 1920s was in a process of change – the British began introducing limited electoral reforms and the ‘freedom
movement’ pushed for total independence from the colonial masters. The Ceylonese were calling for freedom and Mahatma
Gandhi backed that call.
That very year in November, Gandhi arrived
in Ceylon on his first and last visit to the island. Gandhi travelled from India to Ceylon arriving in Colombo, the capital city on November 12,
1927. He accompanied by his wife Kasturba, C. Rajagopalachari, and the latter's daughter, Lakshmi.
Also accompanying
Mahatma Gandhi on his visit to Ceylon were his secretaries, Mahadev Desai and Pyarelal. Gandhi stayed in Ceylon for three
weeks.He visited the length and breadth of the island and even stayed in ‘Sigiriya’ in Chilaw with Vernon’s
relatives. C.E.Corea and Victor Corea were the fearless freedom fighters from Chilaw. C.E.Corea was President of the Ceylon
National Congress for the term - 1924-1925.
The cry for freedom and independence
grew stronger in the 1930s and the Ceylon National Congress were calling for responsible government for the people of Ceylon,
others followed the Gandhian ideal of 'swaraj,' advocating more forceful expressions of opposition to British rule.
D.B.Jayatilake, D.S.Senanayake, Ponnambalam
Arunachalem, Ponnambalam Ramanathan, A.E.Goonesingha, C.E.Corea, Victor Corea, E.W.Perera, and the 'younger generation' of
Ceylonese politicians -G.G.Ponnambalam, S.W.R.D.Bandaranaike, Dudley Senanayake, J.R.Jayewardene were among those who
were deeply involved in the political struggle at the time.
The introduction of universal suffrage
in 1931 with the general elections on the island in 1931 led to the formation of the first State Council
in Ceylon from 1931-1935 - the new State Council of Ceylon had fifty seats. Vernon was 5 years old when the first State
Council was formed and Sir Francis Molamure was selected as the first Speaker.
The Ministers in the first State Council
were - Sir Don Baron Jayatilaka - Minister of Home Affairs, Don Stephen Senanayake - Minister of Agriculture and Lands, Tikri
Banda Panaboke - Minister of Health, Charles Batuwantudawe - Minister of Local Administration, Sir Haji Mohamed Macan Markar
- Minister of Communications and Works, C W Kannangara - Minister of Education, and Perannan Sundaram - Minister of Labor,
Industry and Commerce.
King George V (1910-36) of
England sent a message to the people of Ceylon - the King's message was read to the council at the opening ceremony on
10th July 1931. "On the occasion of the opening of the State Council, I desire to convey to my people in Ceylon through their
elected representatives,an assurance of the interest with which I shall watch the inauguration of the Constitution which on
the recommendations of the Special Commission over which Lord Donoughmore presided, it has been my pleasure to grant them."
"The constitution, which accorded to the island a large measure of self-government, embodies many novel features,
for which there is no exact parallel in any dominion. I am confident that the people of the island will approach their new
duties with a full sense of grave responsibility which is being laid upon them, so that the establishment of the constitution
may conduce to the best interests of the island and of my people."
Vernon grew up in Kurana in 1920s - according
to Donovan Moldrich of the Times of Ceylon, ' In 1923 big business had still not fully recovered from the debilitating effects
of World War I and prices dipped very much lower later in the twenties and thirties. In 1923 whisky was Rs 72 of one dozen
bottles. The best beers that England and Europe could provide were Rs.24 per case of four dozen bottles.'
Some idea of textile prices can be gleaned from an advertisement by Whiteaways
who occupied the premises in the Fort now owned by the C.W.E. Cretonne Rs.
1 a yard. Curtain muslin Rs. 1.25 a yard. Casement Rs. 1.35, Turkish towels Rs. 1.
A Peperill drill suit, made to measure, was Rs.7.50. A Tropical Linen suit
was Rs. 11.75. The charge for Gaberdine suits was Rs.16.50 and tweeds costRs.35.
A Ford car in 1923 in Ceylon cost Rs.2,025. The Indian Scout motor bike sold
at Rs.1,000. Moutrie pianos which were among the most popular were sold at Rs.995. The passage fare in 1923 from Ceylon to
Australia was Rs.285 while the sea journey from Ceylon to Great Britain was Rs.435. One of the cheapest sea journeys from
Colombo to Penang in 1923 was quoted at £10.
Cargills and Millers published full page advertisements of delicacies to satisfy
the most exacting gourmets. Russian caviare,cherries in Maraschino, Gorgonzola and Grueyre cheeses, cumquats, greengages,
loganberries, truffles, mushrooms, champignons, asparagus, horseradish, Indian relish, British soups, nuts from Barcelona
and Brazil.
In the world of entertainment in 1920s Ceylon cinema shows were held twice
nightly at 6 pm and 9.15 pm at the Olympia, Palace, the Empire and the Public Hall which was owned by Madan Theatres Ltd.
Mary Pickford, Gloria Swanson and Douglas Fairbanks were the idols of the silver
screen in Colombo while Harold Lloyd was the King of Comedy in Ceylon.
Motorists were regarded as a 'menace' in Ceylon in 1923. The Sunday Times cartoonist
suggested 'wings' for pedestrians in Ceylon.
The Europeans and the Ceylonese elite and the Grand Oriental Hotel(Taprobane)
in Colombo regularly held fancy dress balls in 1923. Vernon's world was a far cry from the grand balls at the Galle Face Hotel
and the Grand Oriental Hotel.
Vernon's family moved to Borella when his father Revernd Ivan Corea was
appointed Vicar of St.Luke's Church. Reverend Canon Ivan and Ouida Corea were hugely involved in the life of the local community.His
parents, Reverend Ivan and Ouida Corea led a very simple life at St.Luke's Church. They began an important ministry with
the Rodi Colony - they were Ceylon's 'Untouchables' and people did not have the time of day for the Rodiyas who struggled
on a day to day basis.( This community service to the Rodi Colony carried on until Canon Ivan Corea's death in 1968)
Vernon was 15 years old when the Japanese bombed Colombo and other parts of Ceylon
on Easter Sunday 5th April 1942. Vernon's Father Rev.Ivan Corea was Vicar of St.Luke's Church, Borella. The Easter Sunday
Service was in progress and Vernon used to hark back to that day when 180 Japanese aircraft from five aircaft carriers attacked
Ceylon. Vernon recalled the dog fights between the Japanese zero aircraft and the Royal Air Force over St.Luke's Church.Vernon's
father, Canon Ivan Corea was preaching in St.Luke's Church, Borella at the time and the parishoners could hear the Spitfires
and Hurricanes doing battle with the Japanese Zero aircraft above in the skies as the RAF fought off a forerunner to
a possible invasion of Ceylon. According to Vernon the Japanese even bombed the Mental Hospital in Colombo.
The writer Aryadasa Ratnasinghe recalled the raid on Colombo
on 5th April 1942 -
'The first air raid on Colombo took place
on Easter Sunday (April 5, 1942) at 7.30 a.m., when Japanese aircraft flew in close formation over Colombo and dropped bombs
at different places. The air battle lasted for nearly half an hour. The Allied forces, warned of the danger, were able to
shoot down some of the enemy aircraft which fell on land and sea.
Among those shot down, one fell
near St. Thomas' College, Mount Lavinia, one closer to the Bellanwila paddy fields, one near Pita Kotte, one on the race-course,
one near Horana and one on the Galle Face Green. One bomb fell off the target and damaged the Mulleriyawa Mental Hospital
killing some inmates. It appears that the pilot had mistaken the buildings to be Echelon barracks sheltering the Allied troops.
One fell near the Maradana railway station partly damaging it. There were many deaths and more casualties and most of them
were civilians. To prevent bombs falling on hospitals, it was decided to have a large red cross painted on the roofs for the
guidance of the pilots. '
