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Number 56 December 2010 Two Wodehouse Letters – via Sri Lanka by Mahendra Gonsalkorale he Editor writes: With the publication next year of a new book of Wodehouse letters, edited by Sophie Ratcliffe, it seems particularly fitting that we should receive word of two previously unknown letters that PTGW wrote to Captain Dennis P. Cooray, a naval officer who is now retired and lives in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Though the letters shed no earth-shattering light on Wodehouse’s life and work, they are nonetheless of great interest, particularly given the time they were written. On the next page, Captain Cooray’s friend, Mahendra Gonsalkorale, tells the story of how the letters came to his – and the Society’s – attention. Wooster Sauce – December 2010 eaders of Wooster Sauce are familiar wRith Plum’s worldwide appeal and won’t be unduly surprised by the story that I am about to relate. It begins some years ago, when I was fortunate enough to be given a splendid collection of Wodehouse books by This page and next: extracts from the first letter of September 21, 1945 Dammi Kottegoda, the widow of my old professor in Sri Lanka. Prof Kotte (as have the letters photocopied . They met at the Captain’s we fondly called him) had wanted them to go to a Colombo residence , where he handed over the letters and genuine fan, and Dammi (my brother Raj’s mother-in- his press cuttings for photocopying . law), learned that I was an incurable Plum addict. To this Wodehouse was based in France at the time he wrote day, I regard this gift as the strongest evidence of the to Captain Cooray . In the first letter , dated September 21, existence of someone up there who considers me in a 1946, he refers to the fact that he would be back in the favourable light. USA were it not for the shipping strike there . He also makes some amusing observations about his books and characters: “A thing that has relieved me greatly is that both Money In The Bank and Joy In The Morning have sold a good many thousands better than To add to my good fortune, Dammi revealed that anything I have ever had published in spite of the fact their family friend, Captain Dennis Cooray, was also a that the world they deal with has absolutely PGW fan and that he was the proud possessor of some disappeared .” A full 64 years later, they are still selling letters he had received from Plum in the post-war years . well , testimony to the timeless appeal of the Wodehouse Captain Cooray was only too pleased to meet a fellow style of humour. addict and very proudly showed me the letters and also On Lord Emsworth, he wrote, “As for Blandings some related newspaper cuttings he had kept. Castle, Lord Emsworth has probably had to sell it and Captain Cooray is a retired naval officer who had the live in a cottage.” good fortune to come across a PGW book in the 1940s In his next letter , a month later – written on October and instantly caught the Wodehouse bug. He had the 31 – Wodehouse makes some revealing statements about boldness to write to Wodehouse directly and was the overlap of Jeeves stories in various published books . rewarded with two replies. He treasures these letters so He also notes that he and his wife have moved from Paris much that anything else pales by comparison . Captain to the countryside , and expresses his need for peace and Cooray now leads a quiet life with his beloved wife in solitude while writing , describing the move as “a Colombo. He is immensely proud of his Charity Work, stupendous success.” Yet in his earlier letter, he had being a member of the Board of Trustees of the Sir James demonstrated his ability to adapt by describing how he and Lady Peiris Cheshire Home founded in 1966 ( part of wrote Money in the Book while an internee in Germany the Leonard Cheshire Disability “in a room containing International based in the UK with never less than fifty men Her Majesty the Queen as Patron ). singing and playing darts I decided to meet Captain and ping-pong.” Cooray during one of my visits to In both letters, Sri Lanka so that I could see the Wodehouse talks about his letters. However , he couldn’t new Jeeves book. At the make photocopies in time for me time he wrote his second to take them back with me to letter, he was halfway Manchester. He wrote to The P G through it and had yet to Wodehouse Society about them , find a title for it. No doubt and Christine Hewitt sought my this was The Mating assistance to get them Season , published in 1949. photocopied. Eventually I arranged When I shared these for my brother , who lives in letters with Sir Edward Sydney, to meet Captain Cooray Captain Cooray (right) hands over his letters and press Cazalet, he commented during a visit to Sri Lanka and cuttings to Raj Gonsalkorale in Colombo, Sri Lanka. thus : “ I have enjoyed Page 2 8 Wooster Sauce – December 20XX reading Plum’s two letters. They are written in his normal chatty vogue. I liked his comments on what he thought of his early school stories and of how he was still churning out the work in those difficult years for him in the mid- 1940s. Also his comments about Lord Emsworth living in a cottage are amusing.” While there is nothing startling or new in these two letters, I believe they offer a fascinating glimpse into Plum’s life and character. His readiness to reply to fan mail from any part of the world, his love of peace and tranquillity, and his amazing ability to absorb himself in his writing are just some of the characteristics that distinguish him from other writers. Dinner 2010! On October 28, the Society enjoyed its seventh biennial dinner in the glorious surroundings of Gray’s Inn. It was joy in the evening as we browsed, sluiced, and laughed the hours away, revelling in delicious food and drink, sparkling conversation, and a superb entertainment. For a full report by Peter Martin and more photos, see pages 12 and 13. For even more pictures and another report, see the Society’s website at http://www.pgwodehousesociety.org.uk. (Photo by Ginni Beard) George, from the shaded seclusion of a gallery, looked down upon the brilliant throng with impatience. It seemed to him that he had been doing this all his life. It was all just like the second act of an old-fashioned musical comedy (Act Two: The Ballroom, Grantchester Towers: One Week Later) . (From A Damsel in Distress , 1919) Page 3 Wooster Sauce – December 2010 Society News Out with the Old, In with the New form. Sorry, but the pdf is only available via email. With this issue of Wooster Sauce , eligible members will be receiving the final instalments of The Swoop , the February Meeting serialised Wodehouse novel that has been a Christmas Our November AGM having been a huge success – a bonus for renewing subscribers since 2006. As noted in report will be in the March issue – we will return to The the March issue, we decided to cease producing the George at 213 Strand for our next gathering, on February Christmas bonus and, instead, have a special By The Way 15, 2011, starting from 6 p.m. Our speaker will be – well, featuring an original Wodehouse work that all members it’s rather a mystery who our speaker will be, so the best can enjoy. For those expecting the final Swoop s with the thing to do is just come along and find out! September issue – our apologies, but we were unable to A Tribute to Our Printer prepare them in time. For those who have no Swoop s at Periodically we offer thanks to Baines Design and Print all – we do have quantities of all seven instalments left, of Cuffley, Hertfordshire – the good folks who print and they can be obtained for £10 per set. Wooster Sauce and By The Way for us and have also provided other printing services. This year they have been even more helpful than usual, and so it seems only Two More Wodehouse Walks right to express our heartfelt gratitude for all they have Richard Burnip reports that in spite of heavy rain on done for the Society since 1997 – and will continue to do October 3rd, three hardy souls attended London Walks’ for some time to come if we have anything to say about Wodehouse Walk that day, taking advantage of the it! Many thanks to Stuart Bennett, Wynter Blathwayt, special discount to Society members (£6 instead of the Sandie Howard-Smith, and all those at Baines who have usual £8). The good news is that Richard will lead two made your Editor’s life a whole lot easier than it would more Walks, on December 11 (start time 10.45 a.m.) and be otherwise. on January 2 (start time 2.30 p.m.). See Future Events on page 24 for further details. Where’s My Article? As I reported at November’s AGM, Wooster Sauce is in Dinner Photos for Sale great shape, primarily because I am swamped with If you were at the Society’s dinner in October and like material. This is good news for me as I don’t have to the pictures of the event on pages 3, 12, 13, and below, worry about having enough to print – but bad news for then you might like to see even more – and perhaps even those contributors who have to take their place in the order prints.