h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

hi
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ive tryed the free options for searches but only british sem to be free.
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but i have an ex neibour, ive contacted him on the email, and ask him to see if he can find anything on the date of birth.
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but what i found, i dont know if you know or not is your relation was and still his a famous writer, well published in sri lanka, which would explain the queen visit and the first pm of sri lanka.
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if you put all three names in the google search you only get the link to virginia woolf.
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if you put the first and surname in google you get more.
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just the surname and you open pandoras book, his books are still on sale in places like amazon.
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if and when i friend gets the main birth and death info i will send on by email or url link
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<dragon. jim

Hi Jim,

Thanks very much.

I can let you know his date of birth in the near future.

My idea is to verify his connection to the Historical Society, A full list of books authored by him, and details of the OBE.

I have tried Yahoo and browsed Amazon, but, must try Google as advised.

Regards,
DS

hi sd
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i found many books he had written, and when just by the last name in google.
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i will look on the local papers for the obe details, can you tell me the year it was. as it also circa 1948 or much later.
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there should be a paper on the date with all the info on who and for what the awards for the year in question would be, jim

hi sd
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ive just rang the maon h sociaty in london, he isnt on the fellowship there. could be local to you the lady said.
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she gave me two sites i can check, and one you can look into
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british library catalogue
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you should be able to find the list of his books here, if you find phone number, send it to me
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i can ring anywhere in england on a set call charge.
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im looking into the obe on the newspaper side, for the queen pic ref you sent for 1984, could be here or in sri lanka the pic was taken. jim

nearly forgot i will check the main libaray here to see what books they have of his,with luck it will give details of when and where he was born and so on
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jim

Hi Jim,

My mother says both pictures were taken in 1948.

Picture with the Queen Consort (later The Queen Mother) was in England.

The other picture, with our country's PM was taken in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka).

Jim, maybe he was a Fellow of The Royal Asiatic Society because I've seen a simalar acronym next to his name in several of the books he authored. I should be able to get more datails on this matter locally also.

Sorry, not sure if OBE granted by HM Queen Elizabeth II, could be HM King George VI, date is between 1950 - 53.

I'll get his date of birth soon.

Once again a big thank you.

Regards,
DS

Hi Jim,

I just stumbled upon the gazetted Honours List of 1954 - and the old man's name is there !!!!

Following is the url:

http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/40191/supplements/3304

Also, I noted his preferred spelling of surname is "Senaveratna".

Regards,
Dhammita

Hi Jim (again !!!),

Hope I am not being annoying - you really got me going on the old man's trail.

Looks like he got an MBE (2/January/50) before the OBE (10/June/54); again the London Gazette url:

http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/38800/supplements/42

hi sd
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you stay on what you are winning with.
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ive a number to ring tomorrow for a newspaper library, to see if i can locate the england pic and the text to go with it.
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and the president one, that should have been in a natioal paper.
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if you know what honour he got,
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try this in google,using the image option
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people awarded with the mbe in 1950
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if a photo was taken you might find it.
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remeber till 1952 it would be king george, then queen eleizabeth from 1552
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your getting there, i said im good lol
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jim

You're absolutely great !!!!

Located 15 of his books catalogued in The British Library, 5 in the National Australian Library and the most interesting of all - a book with a handwritten inscription by "John M", as he was popularly known in these parts, in the Library of Leonard & Virginia Woolf . This book was presented to Leonard Woolf's brother-in-law - Sir W.T.Southorn, married to his sister Bella.

http://openlibrary.org/b/OL17772438M/story-of-the-Sinhalese-from-the-most-ancient-times.

Shall continue ....

Regards.

hi sd
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if you put all three names in google, as you spelt it, you will find another ref to virgina woolf, unless thats the one you have.
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from here i cant acsess links,only h2g2 and bbc, i have to open at the cybershop, or library on a pc when they are working.
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neither bradford or leeds as any of his books. looks like he was mainly connected to sri lanka.
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hopefully the link to the pics will be forthcoming tomorrow.
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jim

Hi Jim,

You're correct - his books are mainly connected to Sri Lanka.

Something else about the man; during the WW2 he was a volunteer "air raid warden" in Colombo. I remember you had mentioned your Dad was too.

Regards.

hi sd
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yep its on the history jerno
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in 1940 my dad was in charge of the only shelter near the haydock race course, and surrounding areas,
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going offline for now, to watch the tv for a few hours till bedtime, i,ll try the number i have tomorrow,
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i will be out for 9-50am, and have to be at the doctors for 2pm
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after a few hours at the cybercafe. jim

Visit to the doctor's is routine I presume.

Shall keep you informed.

Regards.

hi sd
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for over a week ive had a cold then what could be flue, at one point i lost my voice for about a day and half.
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normally i let it run the course, but this isnt going, and my throats acting up again, so ive booked for the doctors for 2pm tody.
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in about 20 mins i will see if the place im phoning as the things we want on the pictures,
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it will be 9am, so could be it wont open till 10am, so i might ring when i get back from my day out, i have to get the 9-50am bus
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jim

hi sd
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contact this email, or write to the address, they can track the two pictures for you.
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newspapers
the britsh library
coilndale avenue
london
nw9- 5he
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email---newspaper(att)bl.uk
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if you contact them, they will be able to help find the origins and text to the pictures,
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ive also been intouch with the st pancras book library, and they have none of his books anymore
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jim

the phone number in london is
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020-7412-7353
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colindale
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jim

hi sd
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hearing on the news the war situation in your country,i hope you are well, and keeping your head down jim

Hi Jim,

Thank you my friend.

The recent news comes from the North-East of our island, Colombo, where I live, is quite a distance from this action. However, we too experience the most horrendous terrorist action on a regular basis.

We are confident the end of this crazy war is nigh.

Getting back to our work , I haven't yet pursued on your latest tips.

Regards.

hi sd
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glad to hear again from you,with it being so long from the last message i was a bit woried you had got caught up in the situation.
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you are well on the way now to finding the answrs to the person.
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my friend will be doing a search for me in the next few days to get the exact date of birth and anything else he can with luck.
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the addy and detils i sent you can now get the info with luck on the pics.even though im limite to start with, once i get my teth into a search, i get going, till i have enough to let the one i do it for take over, as they have more info than me at hand.
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you are well on the way to all the answers, stick with it.
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if or when i get the missing peice i will send it to you.
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take care, and kep me appraised jim