Message from Haydn Everitt - London UK

Subject: Re: Oorgaum/Kolar Gold Fields
From: Haydn Everitt (haydn@haeveritt.co.uk)
To: bridgetkumar@yahoo.com;
Date: Saturday, December 8, 2012 11:05 PM

Subject: Re: Oorgaum/Kolar Gold Fields


Dear Bridget
Better late than never!  I'm finally getting round to saying 'thank you' for the privilege of reading your thoroughly interesting book on my (and your) birthplace.  I found the whole history fascinating.  It opened up what had, until now, been a closed book to me, as my father was a quiet man who talked little about his experiences.  Now, I would like to push him to talk more, but too late, his death put an end to that possibility.  Such a shame that he didn't live long enough to read your book for himself, as I think it would have opened him up quite a bit.
However, by your standards he was not really a member of the KGF community you describe.  He must have been on a contract of two years at most, and my mother was out there with him for probably not much more than a year, so they were merely passing visitors in reality.  One of the few things I know for certain is that he played rugby while there - he always blamed the hard grounds for the later trouble he had with his knees!  However, my mother - who died over forty years ago - remembered life there with some affection, often comparing life in post-war Malaya unfavourably with KGF.  But then, we did have 'the Emergency' in Malaya to cope with by then - the threat of terrorists on your doorstep does tend to affect your view of things!  No doubt people you and your daughter will have met in Singapore will have told you tales of those times.
So this is just to pass on my thanks for the pleasure your book has given me, and for the new insights into my parents' lives.  Such opportunities become less and less common after peoples' deaths, and it's important to make the most of them.  Thank you!  May you continue to enjoy life yourself - and make many more visits to Singapore.  We'll be there again ourselves in February, on our way to Oz  - we always stay at the Marina Mandarin.  Love that Bay area.
Very best wishes
Haydn Everitt

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