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The Golden Falcon |
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Chapter XX/7 - Noon |
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My
chief object is to prevent further attacks.
The question of damages we can discuss later but for the present Mrs
Bowman must be frightened. She
is an exceedingly stupid woman and you will find her difficult to deal
with. In
my opinion the best procedure would be for you to invite her to name her
lawyer and for you to discuss the matter with the latter before you
consider the necessity of having evidence recorded in Australia.
Correspondence with Mrs
Bowman direct will lead nowhere as I think they might ask de Saram's
to act, you would probably get the matter settled easily.
I would be glad if Mr Hale would handle this matter and if you
would advise me as early as possible as to the best and easiest action to
take. No
doubt you will bear in mind that though the letter under reference is
unsigned. Mrs Bowman knows well that many such letters exist.
It would be as well to avoid informing her of the exact nature of
the evidence available I
would add that I am not taking this matter lightly.
Before writing you I consulted a smaller firm of lawyers as to
whether any case exists as I did not wish to place a matter in your hands
that could lead to nothing. Yours
faithfully Wilfred
Eyre PS
- I would be obliged if you would keep this matter quite separate from our
business with you in connection with the Public Trustee. The extract of Mrs Bowman's letter is obviously a copy (probably in Wilfred's handwriting) from the original and reads: "Puttie
Eyre has been put on the Board to please those Underwoods.
He will be a curse to the estate and a hardship for
Edward (Bowman,
her husband or her son),
the nasty, dirty dog - Eddie told Edmund
(Winter,
Ally's brother) and Edward
(her
son) to get rid of him
before they handed over to the Public Trustee.
There is no doubt they both intentionally conspired to hasten
Allie's death." An entry in the Ceylon Directory reads: Bowman,
E. D.,
JP, UPM, planter and manager Baddegama Estate, Baddegama. Edward Deslandes Bowman senior, his son Edward Ainsworth Bowman and Edmund Winter were all experienced planters; Wilfred Eyre had never seen a plantation before Ally brought him out from England and had been a naval officer. They would have considered him a young whipper-snapper who was interefering in matters he knew nothing about. From other correspondence it would appear that Ally on his deathbed told Edward Bowman that Putty had to go. On the day of Ally's funeral, Putty had too much to drink and started shooting off one of Ally's rifles. A bitter battle was fought within the Company. There is a document detailing the proceedings of the AGM of Baddegama Estate held on 6.1.1934 which records a very heated argument between William Elphinestone Underwood junior (who had just arrived from England) and his nephew Putty on one side and Edward Ainsworth Bowman junior on the other side. The main argument was that the estate was relying on bought leaf which was much less profitable than estate leaf. Mr
E. A. Bowman:
"The owita crop is only a very small proportion.
The rest of the land is rocky and has been under sugar and
citronella and everything else". Mr
Underwood:
"I know of estates that have been under rubber and then tea and then
rubber again and are now under tea and give a much higher crop.
Your V. A.
(Visiting Agent)
will tell you that you only want manuring." Mr
Bowman: "In
your speech you said that the Superintendent of Baddegama is looking after
other properties beside Baddegama". Mr
Underwood: "That
is quite so, you are looking after your own." Mr
Bowman:
"That is not "properties".
I
go to my own property only once a week for one hour." There was correspondence between Putty Eyre and the Colombo Commercial Company, the agents who dealt with Baddegama and Pillagoda. Colombo
Commercial Company Ltd., P
O Box No. 33, Colombo
1. 15.2.1934. My
dear Eyre We
duly received your official letter of the 14th instant but I do not think
any good purpose can be served by passing this round to the directors or
taking the matter up with the superintendent.
Baddegama prices over the whole year including all grades a average
44 cents nett after deducting all Colombo charges and from your records
you will see how Pillagoda prices compare.
Personally I should think there is not more than a few cents
difference in it, in any case, not enough for serious criticism. One is always glad to see a little healthy rivalry between
neighbouring estates and we shall be able to watch the position as time
goes on and to see which estate tops the list but I do not think anything
is to be gained by going into past results and unless you disagree with
me, we do not propose at this stage, following the matter further Yours
sincerely. 16.2.1934 My
dear Sirs Private
and without prejudice Thanks
for your letter. I think that
my letter of yesterday to the Company explains things including the fact
that I do not wish to proceed with the matter of my own tea prices. Do
you really think that I take the trouble to come to Colombo for these
comic meetings for my own amusement?
I have plenty of trouble of my own and it does not amuse me at all
to deal with four people who I know to be lunatics when compared with
ordinary people. In my life I
have always dealt with people whose actions and intercourse were logical
and reasonable and these odd people from Baddegama are a new kind to me. Please
understand my point of view. To
my certain knowledge the superintendent is incompetent, the so-called
advisory superintendent and her brother are incompetent as tea and rubber
planters. I quite admit that
some of these people are going to die soon but the same applies to some
shareholders whom I represent. You
say in your letter that "personally I should think
that there is no more that a few cents difference it it".
You are a man who buys and sells tea for the largest company in the
island. Considering 1933 is
it not obvious that "even
difference between the prices obtained for the tea produced by a Low
Country Company Estate and the average for the
Low Country is enough for serious criticism".
It is most serious and I
know that the reason is attributable to the general incompetence of the
superintendent who is in charge of a considerable acreage of land, rather
out of the way and seldom visited by his co-patriots. There
is no question of healthy rivalry between any estate of which I am in
charge and Baddegama. The
whole atmosphere of these "verandah
creepers" is
unhealthy. However
I agree with you that the past results have been gone into sufficiently
and the culprit exposed. I
still am not happy about the future as you and I may not always be here
and then the deluge occurs. Yours
sincerely Wilfred
Eyre. The writer of the following letter (addressed to Edward Ainsworth Bowman) is unidentified perhaps Stuart Curtis (who married one of the Bowmans) or Wilfred's sister S.C.S. (Christobel) Eyre later Mrs Nicholson, a doctor of medicine, who was imprisoned in Holloway jail during World War II under the Official Secrets Act for revealing that Churchill and Roosveldt knew in advance of the Japanese intention of bombing Pearl Harbour. Tuesday
17.4.1934 Dear
E. A. B. I
am off today so shall not see you again.
I have very greatly enjoyed my stay here as everyone has been so
wonderfully kind. I must
write I could feel that I was taking Cresse and others in England a less
discreditable report of any things I have discussed out here but it cannot
be helped. On
thinking carefully over what you said to me in Galle the other day about
Shelagh's untruthfulness (I personally have never found her anything but
strictly truthful). As I told
you I don't blame you - or anyone - for trying to save their own skin if
possible and of course I fully realise your difficulties of temperament
and surrounding - but it is always well to remember that for "those
who throw soot - most of it clings to their own hands and the rest blows
back on themselves".
We shall be back in January probably when I suppose shall find you
still "dry
nursing" - poor
Edward! - if still alive! I
enclose you particulars of the case of Allie's son I promised you, the
police in England warned by the CID in Colombo of the man's arrival - I
believe - and the police in Galle have his letter to Allie and all
particulars. As
your cousin and old friend, let me give you one word of advice.
Don't keep on saying "I
don't believe it!"
to all and everything. You
don't want to believe! There
is always so much one does not know!
You and I, my dear boy, better pass these few years left us
believing the best and not the worst.
Cheerio. We will may
meet in London town. Yours,
signed S. C. Ally's son mentioned in this letter was an elder half-brother called Willie (one of the "casuals" as Shelagh called them), the black sheep of the family. Norman had finished his course at Seale Hayne (he was the only one to approve of Shelagh's marriage to his father), Sydney and Rioty were still teenagers in school in England and Aslin's children were too young to have been involved. The Bowman-Eyre feud was carried on at the Annual General Meetings of the Baddegama Company Estate. Wilfred Eyre was appointed director of the Company at the end of 1932 at the bequest of some English shareholders (Eyres and Underwoods) who were concerned the Company was being badly run. By 1937 Wilfred had obtained 618 shares out of 25,001 of the Company. These or most of them (perhaps 538) were presumably inherited from his mother Sarah Jessie Eyre nee Underwood who died on 24.12.1935). The Public Trustee held shares in trust for Mrs Eyre and her son Alfred Anthony Winter, the other trustees were Wilfred's brother Arthur Charles Benedict Eyre and the Royal Exchange Assurance Company. In a letter to the Public Trustee, Wilfred explained that his disagreement with E. D. Bowman initially arose because "he had removed from his control property in which he had no interest beyond a desire to acquire it." Wilfred made allegations of trade between Baddegama estate and Bowman's own estates and also formerly with Ally's estate at under-market values. In 1933 E. D. Bowman had gathered evidence of alleged adultery by Mrs Eyre (then Mrs Winter). E. D. Bowman attempted to remove Wilfred as a director but then waited until the time of the re-appointment by rotation to avoid a special resolution. Wilfred's suicide occurred soon after the final resolution was passed.
The following documents show a bitter battle for power was fought in the board room. Baddegama
Estate Co. of Ceylon Ltd. Agenda
for twenty fifth Annual General Meeting of Shareholders to be held at the
office of the Colombo Commercial Company Ltd., Slave Island, Colombo on
Friday 12th March 1937 at 11.30 am. PRESENT: By
Mr W(ilfred)
R. P. Eyre, attorney, M. W. H. Underwood, D. A(rthur)
C(resse)
Underwood, A(rthur).
C(resse)
B(enedict)
Eyre. Mr
E(dward)
A(insworth).
Bowman, attorney, Mr E(dward)
D(eslandes)
Bowman, Mrs H. E. R(uth)
Shortland, Miss L.(ydia)
M(argaret)
Bowman, Miss M. A. Curtis, Miss. E. M.Curtis. By
proxy W. R. P. Eyre - Royal Assurance, Public Trustee of Ceylon, Mrs S. C(hristabel).
S. Nicholson, Mr A. S. Long Price, N. I. Lee, Mr V. D. de Vos. By
Mr E. A. Bowman, proxy, Miss K. D(orothea)
Winter, Mrs. M. K. Bowman Business 1.
Notice convening the meeting to be read and the minutes of the twenty
fourth Annual General Meeting held on 15th February 1936 to be read and
confirmed. 2.
To receive the report of the Directors and Statement of Accounts for the
year ended 31st December 1936. 3.
To declare a dividend (a final dividend of 10% making 15% for the year is
recommended). 4.
To appoint auditors (Messrs. Ford, Rhodes, Thornton & Co., may be
re-appointed). 5.
To appoint a Director (Mr W. R. P. Eyre retires by rotation). 6.
To consider and if thought fit, to pass the following resolution submitted
under Article No. 63 of the Company's Articles of Association: "That
the number of Directors be reduced from 5 to 4." 7.
To transact any other business that may be duly brought before the
Meeting. Baddegama
Estate Company of Ceylon Ltd. Minutes
of the twenty fifth Annual General Meeting of Shareholders held at the
office of the Colombo Commercial Co., Ltd., Slave Island, Colombo on
Friday 12th March, 1937 at 11.30 o'clock am. PRESENT: Director
in the Chair: Lt. Com. W. R. P. Eyre Directors:
Lt. Col. K. D. H. Gwynn, Mr E(dmund).
Winter, Mr J. K. Bleakley. By
Attorney: Mr E. A. Bowman, Mrs S(helagh)
B(asile)
F(an)
Eyre, Mr T. K. Irvine, Mr W(illiam)
E(lphinstone)
Underwood, Dr. A(rthur)
C(resse)
Underwood, Mr A(rthur).
C(resse)
B(enedict)
Eyre, Mr E(dward)
D(eslandes)
Bowman, Mrs H. E. R(uth)
Shortland, Miss L(ydia)
M(argaret)
Bowman, Miss M. A. Curtis, Miss E. M. Curtis. By
Proxy Royal Exchange Assurance, Public Trustee of Ceylon Mrs C(hristsbel).
S. C. Nicholson, Mr. A. S. Long Price, Mr N. I. Lee, Mr V. D. de Vos, Miss
K. D(orothea)
Winter, Mrs M. K. Bowman. Mr
P. S. Martensz was present by invitation representing the Company's
solicitor and the agents and secretaries were represented by Mr B. D.
Scott. The
notice convening the meeting was read and the minutes of the twenty fourth
Annual Genertal Meeting held on 15th February, 1936 were confirmed and
signed by the chariman. In
proposing the adoption of the Directors' Report and accounts for the year
ended 31st December 1936 the Chariman made the following remarks:- Gentlemen With
your permission I propose, as usual, to take the Directors' Report and
Accounts as read. You
will see from the report that the tea crop secured during the 1936 season
is just about the same as for 1935, while the average sale for our
couponed crop shows an increased of over 4 ¾ cents per lb.
Rubber has also yielded higher profits as not only had we a larger
crop for disposal but couponed rubber sold realised an average of 40 cts
per lb. a against 26.39 cents per lb. in 1935. 1937
has opened with a further considerable increase in selling prices of both
tea and rubber. The
exportable allowance for tea remains at the same figure as for 1936 but we
hope for a con --- ---
to be approved and adopted subject to the payment of a donation of Rs. 200
to the Planters Benevolent Fund and Rs. 50/- to the Hospital for Tropical
Diseases, these sums to be deducted from the balance carried forward to
1937. On
the proposal of Mr E. A. Bowman,
seconded by Lt. Col. K. D. H. Gwynn, it was unanimously carried that a
final dividend of 10% less income tax making 16% for the year be declared
and paid forthwith. Mrs
S. B. F. Eyre moved
that the retiring auditors Messrs Ford, Rhodes, Thornton & Co., be
re-appointed for the current year at the same fee as formerly.
This was seconded by Lt. Col. K. D. H. Gwynn and unanimously
carried. It
was proposed by Mr A. C. B. Eyre
attorney and seconded by Mrs S. B.
F. Eyre that Lt. Commander. W.
R. P. Eyre, the retiring director be re-elected.
The Chairman then put the motion to the meeting.
On a show of hands, the result was an equality of votes and the
Chairman on his casting vote declared the motion to be carried.
Mr E. A. Bowman thereupon demanded a poll in terms of Article No. 73
of the Company's Articles of Association.
The Chairman after stating his reasons directed that the poll
demanded be held at the offices of the Colombo Commercial Co. Ltd on
Friday 10th September 1937 at between 11.30 a.m. and 11.45 a.m. in a
manner to be arranged by the Agents and Secretaries. Proceeding
with the business of the meeting Mr
E. A. Bowman, seconded by Mr E.
Winter, proposed the following resolution: "That
the number of Directors be reduced from 5 to 4." The
Chairman opposed the motion and was seconded by Mrs S. B. F. Eyre. The
resolution was then put to the meeting and on a show of hands an equality
of votes resulted. The
Chairman, on his casting vote, declared the resolution to be lost. Mr E. A. Bowman
thereupon demanded a poll and delivered to the Chairman a demand in
writing under Article No. 73 of the Company' Articles of Association.
The Chairman then directed that the poll demanded be taken
immediately after the poll demanded on the resolution under item No. 4 of
the Agenda previously referred to. There
being no other business the meeting was then adjourned. Baddegama
Estate Co. of Ceylon. - Extract of Chairman's speech (Mr
W. R. P. Eyre) on 12.3.1937. "Before
we finally set fire to our boats I will ask you to bear with me while I
say a few words on this subject. I
represent here nearly 9,000 shared in this company. Mr E. D. Bowman
holds a very similar number in his own name. The
bulk of the remainder are held by seven people whom, with two exceptions,
I have never seen and they have never seen me.
The two exceptions I have met on one occasion each and on those
occasions we had no reason to notice each other particularly. In
view of my work for this company no responsible person present here can
possibly suggest that I am not a suitable person to represent these 9,000
shared on the Board of Directors. The
gentleman who is demanding a poll is very fully aware that Mr E. D. Bowman has deliberately obtained the votes of these seven
shareholders by unfair means to satisfy a personal spite against me
personally. That spite has
arisen through my protection of certain very small children's property
amongst other reasons. Such
personal quarrel as there is between him and me should be of no
consequence in business matters. Conversely
there is no need whatsoever for business quarrels to be contained beyond
that door. But in this case,
a personal grievance has caused Mr
E. D. Bowman to mix up business and private life.
If he is allowed to throw this spanner into the wheels just when
they are beginning to work smoothly, he is doing one of the most damnable
things possible - he is handing down his grievance and quarrel to
succeeding generations. This
election question has unfortunately become a key point.
If this poll is taken, it will mean a definite and irreparable
quarrel between a number of people of our generation and between an
increasing number of the succeeding generations.
As the old wounds were almost healed and you are going to tear them
apart again. If
this business is passed, as it must be at a poll, I do not see how any
reasonable person can sit on your board.
They are liable at any time to be unceremoniously removed by Mr
E. D. Bowman. I am fully
aware that the Agents and Secretaries have refused to act for Mr
Bowman on this matter. That
was a strong step to take and the next thing may well be that they will
refuse to act for the Company at all.
Their work involved by Mr
Bowman's actions, all requiring attention by senior members of their
staff, must outweigh any profits they can make from the connection. It
is, quite honestly, of little interest to me personally whether or not I
am a member of the Board beyond the fact that I wish to be in a position
to look after the interests of certain shareholders.
There is little honour to be gained, I only ask you to consider,
before it is too late, whether it is worthwhile and also whether you
really think that you are acting in the best interest of the Company
shareholders as a whole. There
are other very practical reasons why you should not alienate the good
feeling of more than one quarter of the voters.
I am not touching on those but am holding out an olive branch
which, if refused, will cause the company and all connected with it, great
trouble, in the future. To
be minuted. A
poll having been properly demanded on the question of my re-election as a
Director it is my duty to fix the date, time and method of the poll. I
think you will agree that this is not an urgent matter but rather one
which is far better, in the interest of the Company, delayed. I
fix the date of the poll as the 10th of September 1937.
The time as between eleven thirty a.m. and eleven forty five a.m.
The place, the Colombo Commercial Company.
The method, a ballot as usually arranged by the Secretaries in
similar circumstances. I
give my reason for a delay in holding the poll. (1)
No possible damage can accrue to the Company. (2)
On the contrary it may benefit the Company. (3)
I represent at the meeting some 8,760 shares in this Company out of a
total of 23,010. Most of
these shares I represent by proxies or powers of attorney made in my
favour by people who know me well and have complete confidence in me. (4)
Many of the votes, which could at the present be given against me, are by
proxies or power of attorney by shareholders who have never seen me.
I consider that were such shareholders informed in the fullest
manner as to my value on the Board of Directors, they would not allow
their proxies or powers of attorney to be used against me. (5)
Mr E. D. Bowman has a personal
quarrel with me which originated in his own behaviour.
I consider that he is causing to be used against me power given him
in good faith to further this quarrel at the expense of the well-being of
the Company. (6)
I am apprehensive as to the future of the Company if I am unable to watch
events on the Board. I had
occasion, as reference to past minutes will show, when I came on the
Board, to express dissatisfaction with the management of the Company in
the past. and was proved fully justified and improvements were made.
I apprehend that Mr Bowman
will pack the board and negate these improvements which he considers a
reflection on his own management during the period when he held power for
practically the whole Company. He
is an old man and cares little for the future provided he can gain what he
considers a personal advantage over myself and those shareholders who
thought it wise to transfer their powers from him to me.
I emphasise that those latter shareholders have known both Mr Bowman and myself all our lives. (7)
I think I may be safe in saying that, with one exception, there is no-one
present in person in this room, who considers this action by Mr
Bowman in the best interest of the Company.
Mr Bowman informed shareholders in England that he had instructed
the Colombo Commercial Co. to act against me and it would be of interest
to know why they did not do so. (8)
Mr E. D. Bowman has been out of
the island for very nearly a year. He
is quite out of touch with the Company and was last heard of in America.
He should be given time to return and state his grievance in person
instead of forcing Mr E. A. Bowman,
with whom we have no quarrel that matters, to act for him. (9)
I have no desire to be on the Board beyond the natural wish to protect the
interest of those shareholders who give me their confidence and the
interest of some very young minors whose future is concerned with this
Company to the extent of some 4,000 shares. (10)
I am going to England shortly and an opportunity may present itself for me
to lay my views before shareholders not in touch with the Company. (11)
In my opinion each shareholder should be circularised personally by the
Agents explaining the actions which I have taken since I have been on the
Board pointing out that the management has by no means suffered by my
presence. (12)
I am acting in this matter in good faith and with the interest of the
whole Company at heart. Baddegama
Estate Co. of Ceylon Ltd - List of Shareholders (1)
Edward Deslandes Bowman
8,5012 shares Mercantile
Bank of India Ltd., 15,
Gracechurch Street, EC3 (4)
Mrs E. H. R(uth) Shortland
1,472 share 3,
Maple Road, The Circle Southsea,
Hants. (7)
William Elphinestone Underwood
1,536 shares c/o
Mrs North, 5, Richmond Gardens Hendon,
London NW 4 (11)
Rev. Charles Henry Winter
1,212 shares Northrepps
Rectory, Cromer,
Norfolk (13)
Estate of Miss C. H. Bowman (de)
392 shares (14)
Miss Lydia Margaret Bowman
392 shares c/o
Williams Deacons Bank Ltd., Coleborne
Court, Old Brompton Road London
SW (18)
Mrs Evelyn Gertrude Bowman
598 shares Mercantile
Bank of India Ltd., 15,
Gracechurch Street London
EC3 / (21)
Edmund Winter
100 shares St.
George Estate Galagedara,
Ceylon (22)
Dr. Arthur Cresse Underwood
1,586 shares Algores,
Felstead, Essex (23)
Miss M. A. Curtis
210 shares Beaumont,
Emmer Green, Reading,
Berkshire (24)
Miss E. M. Curtis
210 shares 169,
Peppard Road Reading,
Berkshire (28)
T. K. Irvine
1 share Colombo,
Ceylon (30)
Mrs A. J. Winter
45 shares Braintree,
Essex (31)
J. K. Bleakley,
100 shares Colombo (32)
Miss K. Dorothea Winter
982 shares Compton
Road Wolverhampton,
Stsaffs (34)
Royal Exchange Assurance
1,130 shares &
William Elphinestone Underwood P
O Box 436, Royal Exchange EC3 (35)
Miss Christobel S. Eyre
16 shares The
Old Rectory, Hartwell Nr
Aylesbury, Bucks. (36)
A. C. Benedict Eyre
538 shares 486
Salisbury House London Wall EC |