Davey Lamont.
Davey passed away peacefully at the Parklands Residential Care Centre in Townville,
North Queensland, Australia.
He had fought a long illness and had little resistance left to fight off the Covid he and his
Wife Lana had contracted. He was 88 years old and well on his way to 89. Rest in Peace Davey.
He was from Braemar and started his Tea career in the 1950’s with Macneil & Barry in Cachar on Balladun, the
Outgarden of the Tarrapore Tea Company’s Burtoll Divn.. Davey told me that this was the first tea garden where Elephant Bill
Williams stopped off with his Elephants after the trek from Burma, Bill spent some well earned rest and company
while staying with the Garden’s Manager (H W Anderson)) .
The surrounding jungle at Balladun was teeming with Wildlife in the 1950’s and Davey had his work cut out hunting
the many marauding leopards that were preying on his Workers domestic animals.
The Garden had working elephants used to increase the areas for planting and Davey soon picked up the rudiments
Of working the elephants with his local handlers, He said it was a great and satisfying part of his daily workload.
After Cachar it was firstly off to Kotalgoorie in the Mariani District and then later to Upper Assam’s Doom Dooma
district to Digulturrung Tea Estate. He had many friends and enjoyed the working and social life there.
A fair number of fellow planters in the Doom Dooma and Surrounding areas were Scots and Davey as an accomplished
Piper in his Kilt and full Regalia was front and centre during Hogmanay!
Many left Tea after the Rupee was devalued and Davey was no exception and he went to New Zealand and worked
there for some time. His bonus was that he met and Married his wife Lana!
PNG beckoned and they left New Zealand. Davey had a number of different jobs: He was with Jim Leahy’s Coffee
Plantation, Erinmore, in Goroka (The Leahy family were the first “outsiders” to make the first contact with the Highland
People of New Guinea)
He later worked with a Transport Company in Goroka then later with the Lae Ports Authority Supervisor
of the Loading and unloading of Ships. Davey told me that occasionally a Russian Ship would call and Lana (Russian born)
would be called on as a translator and was greatly appreciated by the Port’s Harbour Master and
was a hit with the visiting Russians and there would be many invitations to on board dinners- and
there was Single Malt for Davey!
Most of the earlier Tea Planters came from India but there were a few from Ceylon and the African Countries. Some returned to
their homelands but most went on to live and work in Australia or New Zealand. Davey worked in many jobs in New Guinea
but never joined any of the Tea Companies there and instead decided to head to Australia but prior to this
Davy and Lana went to Braemar,. Davey wrote a book “Braemar-as it was” and took up his hobby of leatherwork –and----
Sporran Making!! Two were made for gentlemen of different tastes, One to the then Prince Charles and one to Billy Connolly!!
Davey and Lana were invited to Afternoon Tea at Birkhall at Ballater on the Blalmoral Estate by Prince Charles and by Billy
Who was attending the Braemar Games. Lana told me of the visit to Birkhall. Davey and Charles got on like a house on fire
And when Charles showed some Sporrans he had there was a tiny wee one and Charles didn’t know anything about it.
Davey told him: “Och yer Majesty I cannae tell you who made it but was for a tight fisted Aberdonian so’s he could’nae get
his han’ in! Charles burst out laughing!
Lana then told me when the Butler came in and was serving Coffee and Biscuits to the visitors and when he approached Davey who was still chatting
With Charles about Sporrans and said “Here’s your Coffee and Biscuits Sir” and Davey replied “I’ll tak the Biscuits but I’m not fessed fer Coffee,
I’d like Tae instead” Charles laughed and said “I’ll have the tae too”
Davey and Lana finally decided to settle in Australia. They had two growing boys Shaun and Sasha. They first lived near Tweed Heads
for some years and I was able to visit them a number of times and then they went to Townsville in North Queensland.to be closer to one of their boys.
I may have got some of the chronology wrong but irrespective of this it has been a privilege to have known Davey and Lana,
I have enjoyed their company and listened to their stories and had laughs and on one occasion when a mutual friend, Sandy Fraser, aka “Mr Tea”
like Davey a great raconteur was there, Davey opened a bottle of the finest 20 year old Single Malt and threw away the Cork. Great times.
Once again Davey, Rest in Peace. |