Larry Brown lives South of Brisbane on the Gold Coast
Name: Larry Brown.
Born: Belfast,N.Ireland. in 1937.
Married with 4 daughters all of whom speak fluent Hindi and Khasi and Melanesian Pidgin.
Work Experience:
Davidson & Company, Sirocco Engineering Works, Belfast. 1952 to 1960.
Namdang Tea Company. Namdang TE and Bogapani TE 1960 to 1967
Gillanders Arbuthnot, Manufacturing Adviser. 1967 to 1971
Mt Hagen Tea Growers, Warrawau TE Western Highlands PNG 1971 to 1975
Bali Corporation, Londolovit Pltn, Lihir Island, New Ireland Province.
(Copra, Cocoa, Cattle) - Tobera Pltn. East New Britain Province. 1975 to 1980
Education Dept., Vunmami Farmer Training Centre, ENBP. 1980 to 1988
Madura Tea Estates (part owner) Northern NSW, Australia. 1988 to 2004
(ongoing tea project 25 Ha at Eastern Creek, Sydney, NSW.) 2018-
Have visited tea districts in Sri Lanka, Indonesia, East Africa, the Nilgiris and Munnar in S.India
Visited Namdang TE in 2014 - a lapse of 54 years!
Visit India regularly and keep in touch with many old tea friends.
The above photos are from the early days in 1960 at Namdang - the Tirap was "our River" and many of us made the trip to the still deep waters and high granite sides of "The Gorge" manhandling the Dugout canoes in rapids, The sights were marvellous-monkeys swimming across the river,packs of wild dogs,the magnificent birdlife and panic when elephants were crossing the river just around the bend. In spate the Tirap was unforgiving and it took the lives of good friends,Sonny SenGupta and his wife, from Daisajan TE. What a tragedy.
After Assam it was the Dooars -many good friends. The flood of 1968 was disastrous with the Teesta and Jaldhaka causing great loss of lives. Interesting stories of jousts with the CPI(M)
To the Highlands of New Guinea and then to Coastal Copra and Cocoa Plantations and the Education Department.
David Billingham's Wedding in Mount Hagen saw a collection of some 15 or so ex India tea planters who had been in South India,the Dooars,Darjeeling and Assam.
To Australia and back into tea at Madura Tea Estate - I don't think I will ever leave Tea!
Regular travels to Shillong and to friends in Kolkata and Delhi. My wife Joan and I are very proud that our daughters all love India and pay visits with their children to family and friends.
And my pilgrimage after 54 years to pay a visit to Namdang, I was looked after by Ann Poyser at her lovely guest house and Sandeep Nagalia looked after me on my visit. I went to the Factory Bungalow where the resident ghost,a young man who died of Blackwater Fever,used to terrify me in the evening until I plucked up courage and spoke to him!
I do a bit of fishing in County Mayo when I visit Ireland and my Wife,Joan, and I, visit Hong Kong to see our friends who were expelled from Makum in the aftermath of 1962 - Indo-China War. - some history here
Currently residing in Southport, Queensland. 2019
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