‘Ceylon in 1907’ brings Sri Lanka’s past back to life
View(s):- Jetwing Hotels publishes and launches ‘Ceylon in 1907’
A rare glimpse into Sri Lanka’s past came to life last week with the launch of ‘Ceylon in 1907’, a striking visual record that brings together photographs captured more than a century ago.
The book, authored by Pali Wijeratne in collaboration with Dr. Antonia Laurance Allen, was unveiled during a special event hosted by Jetwing Hotels at Jetwing Colombo Seven.
Pali Wijeratne with Hiran Cooray
The publication offers readers a fascinating journey into early 20th-century Sri Lanka, capturing landscapes, people and everyday life from a time, when the island was still known as Ceylon. Carefully restored and thoughtfully presented, the photographs provide a rare opportunity to see how towns, traditions and lifestyles have evolved over the decades.
At the heart of the publication is a collection of photographs taken in 1907 by Scottish artist Edward Atkinson Hornel during his seven month journey across then Ceylon. Travelling through Mannar, Galle and Kandy with his sister Elisabeth, Hornel captured scenes of everyday life, labour, ritual and landscapes. While the images were originally created to support his Western art practice, ‘Ceylon in 1907’ reframes them as valuable visual records of Sri Lanka’s social, cultural and economic life at the turn of the 20th century.
Published by Jetwing Hotels, the book reflects the group’s longstanding role as a cultural patron committed to safeguarding Sri Lanka’s heritage. By supporting research-led publications such as ‘Ceylon in 1907’, Jetwing Hotels continues to extend its engagement beyond hospitality, enabling meaningful contributions to national conversations around history, culture, and preservation.
The publication is authored by Pali Wijeratne, architect, town planner, and conservator of historic monuments, in collaboration with Dr. Antonia Laurance Allen, an art historian, educator, curator, and specialist in the history of photography. The book also features research and essays by leading Sri Lankan scholars, including the late Somasiri Devendra, Manuka Wijesinghe, Emeritus Prof. J. B. Dissanayake, Anura Gunasekera, Kowshika Gunasena, L. W. G. Kawshalya and Udeshi Amarasinghe, bringing multiple disciplinary perspectives to the material.
‘To preserve our history is to preserve our identity’ said Hiran Cooray, Chairman of Jetwing Symphony PLC. ‘At Jetwing Hotels, heritage stewardship is integral to our hospitality, with each property telling a story that’s rooted in place, especially our restored hotels in Jaffna, Rambukkana, Galle and the hill country. Supporting this publication continues our commitment to presenting Sri Lanka as a living heritage, not merely a destination’.
Author Pali Wijeratne
‘By examining early photographs alongside paintings and archival material, this book highlights the shared heritage of Sri Lanka and Britain, while documenting the realities of life on the island at the dawn of the 20th century’ said Pali Wijeratne. ‘It is both a historical record and a prompt to consider how we carry forward cultural and environmental legacies today’.
‘Ceylon in 1907’ stands as both a historical document and a visual tribute, inviting readers to rediscover Sri Lanka through the lens of another era. It speaks directly to contemporary conversations around heritage, identity, and representation. By revisiting colonialera visual records through presentday scholarship, the book encourages readers to engage critically with the past and to recognise history as a living force, one that continues to inform how Sri Lanka understands itself and tells its story.
Ceylon in 1907 is available for purchase through selected Jetwing properties and designated
bookstores.
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