Darling we aren't too old, though we pass the Jubilee Gold:

Mischievous Baron and his tolerant Augusta

by Lakmal Welabada

"Spouses get attracted to each other in the early years, and they need each other back in their late years. So the middle years of marriage are the most crucial," says Baron de Livera, the surfing clown and a top marketeer who celebrates his 'Jubilee gold wedding anniversay this year.

Trixie Augusta Gertrude Weerasuriya de Livera, wife of Baron takes a long time to make up her mind if she should sit with me for the interview. Finally this dynamic kind hearted and extremely good natured lady agrees to talk...talk about her love-bird-hubby and the 50 years of her married life with him....

On an evening in 1952, Augusta, a pupil nurse entered Ward 24 of the General Hospital to assist her friends in their work. The newly warded handsome young patient who seemed to pretend to be more ill than he really was each time a young nurse came close to him was the main talking point among the nurses. Augusta too raised her head and saw him, whose eyes were focused on her from his so called 'sick' bed at the corner of the ward.

Other than a slight nausea due to a minor food poisoning he had no other problem. And soon he introduced himself to her. "I am Baron," he grinned. Augusta nodded with a sweet smile and went out after wishing him 'good night'... But the sudden vision of this nightingale engraved a strong imprint in his heart. "Sweet dreams," he uttered not knowing whether she heard it or not.

Soon Augusta too got friendly with him like all the other nurses. The sweet natured happy-go-lucky Baron was always welcomed by the fair sex, and was an extremely popular character among everybody who knew him. Though he would have gone home within three days, this 'scamp' had no idea of going back home. When the ward doctor went on his rounds Baron slowly scooted away and waited in the verandah until the doctor went off. In this way he dragged his stay in the ward for two weeks.

During this time he managed to get on with the entire medical staff including the batch of pupil nurses and even difficult characters like the ward matrons, an Irish nun who was so strict with her staff, patients and even the visitors. Nobody fell out with Baron, the love sick patient.

However, after he was discharged by force, the 'sick man' never stopped visiting the ward. He had many excuses for doing so. Once he came for a Barium meal examination in the stomach. And next for some other test.

And after these so called tests he could have easily gone home. But instead this 'patient' was coming to the ward with bouquets of flowers. Surprisingly, each time he came with the flowers the nun called Augusta to arrange them in the vases. Why she picked Augusta to do this task out of so many pupil nurses is still a secret.

Now Baron had already become a bosom friend of the whole nursing pupil staff. Gradually he became a frequent visitor to their hostel as well. But to the surprise of many, this 'visitor' always came when Augusta was off duty. What was he up to? He had checked the nurses' registration book at the ward and found out her off hours.

The time passed.

After a few weeks Baron caught Augusta alone at the hostel lounge. Using the opportunity he invited her to go out for an ice cream. Augusta though, coming from an orthodox background had already known Baron for sometime now.

So without a second thought she agreed. For the first time in her life she sat beside a guy in a car. She didn't mind for, after all he was her friend. His Bug Fiat flew to the famous Fountain Cafe run by the Elephant House at Union Place. At the cafe, though he spoke hundred words a minute she was quiet as she tasted the famous deli 'Sundae' ice cream. "All these days I came to see you. But couldn't talk to you as the others were around. I like you best out of the lot," he told her.

Soon the soft corner he was having towards the nightingale Augusta became a well known secret. Pastor Charles Edward Weerasuriya who was in-charge-of the Anglican Church, Marawila and Linnie Caroline Mendis were the parents of Augusta who was born to them on August 11 in 1932 as the second of seven children.

After studying up to Senior School Certificate (SSC) at the Holy Family Convent, Marawila Augusta joined the Nursing Training School attached to the General Hospital, Colombo (today the National Hospital of Colombo) to fulfil her natural desire to help patients. Following her mother's footsteps Augusta has been helping her sick relatives and friends throughout her life.

When Augusta's Pastor father and mother came to conduct a three-hour service at St.Steven Church at Rajagiriya, Augusta introduced Baron to them as a very good friend. Baron took the three for tea at the famous Pagoda at Fort. Soon the to-be-in-laws were in his pocket. For, none could resist the charms of the Baron.

Galle Face green and Torrinton Square were the two famous love corners for them. The popular short eat outlets Fountain Cafe and Gall Buck, and the famous Chinese outlets Nang King and Great Wall imprinted their love with great memories.

"A million Dollar kiss was my first ever gift to her," he says winking like a 16-year-old."On his birthday I presented him with a light blue shirt of 'Arrow' brand, dark blue tie and a silver tie pin," she reminisces. "Mine was a Christian Dior, the best perfume I could find at that time. Please state that too," he laughs.

In 1956 June 21, Baron and Augusta vowed to be together until death parts them at St.Paul's Church at Kingsey Road. The wedding service held in the evening was taken by the Bishop of Kurunegala, Rt. Rev. Lakdasa de Mel. Srirkotha Hall was hired for their reception in which more than 400 guests took part. Augusta's jewellery was made by Punchi Singho Brothers in Pettah, and she was clad in a glass nylex bridal. Thus Augusta gave up her nursing career and became a faithful housewife.

Little imp Baron de Livera was born on April 20 in 1930 to landed proprietor Baron Peter de Livera and Doris de Haan. Baron's grand father Baron de Livera senior was a wealthy businessman who owned the biggest cargo board dispatch company, and many estates and property in Colombo. "He was featured in the prestigious 20th Century Impressions of Ceylon," says Baron proudly.

The mischievous Baron was the eldest boy of the family with four younger sisters. He learnt the alphabet at Lindsay Girls' School, Colombo. Baron was the first batch of boys of the St.Thomas Prep School, Kollupitiya and did SSC at Christian College, Kotte.

Christian College was next to Diyawanna Lake and the English school masters there introduced water sports to the school. This was a great turning point in Baron's life. Later Baron was a founder member of the Mount Lavinia Surf Club.

He pioneered water skiing, water surfing, yachting and power boat racing in Sri Lanka. He was involved in organising many water sports championships both in the east coast and in the west of Sri Lanka. He was a fund of information in water sport and held many topmost posts in associations connected with them. Baron was once the executive of advertising and printing of the Associated Newspapers of Ceylon at Lake House.

He has the distinction of having pioneered the printing of cheques in Sri Lanka. Both cheques and currency were printed in Britain then, and Baron's ability to persuade the Bank of Ceylon to order the printing of cheques in Sri Lanka in the 1960s is a landmark in banking history.

That first printing order which he obtained from the Bank of Ceylon for Lake House printing department, was the forerunner to the printing of all cheques in Sri Lanka of other local and foreign banks, which apparently saved millions and trillions of foreign exchange for the country.

At present he is a Director of Ranliya Garments and Group of Companies, Director of Amrita Apparels, President of the Wind Surfing Association of Sri Lanka, Vice President of Family Planning Association of Sri Lanka and the Council member of the National Stroke Association of Sri Lanka.

These are some of the main titles written on his visiting card. I may have to have all the pages in the whole paper if I am to jot down everything about his activities. "Everything I have to do, I do with great enthusiasm. Every moment of life should never be wasted and should be used for happiness either mine or somebody elses," he smiles.

However being shackled together for a half a century is no ordinary achievement. The abundance of patience of Augusta to tolerate her 'beloved hubby' has finally rewarded her immensely. They celebrated their golden jubilee anniversary this year at the Capri Club, Colombo with about 300 guests.

Ranjith Wijewardane, a well known business magnet and publisher who was also a close family friend of Baron and Augusta proposing the toast at the golden jubilee recalled the flutter in the Baronial love nest fourty years ago. "Instead of being slapped with a contempt of court charge the story had a happy ending," said Mr. Wijewardane recollecting the mischievousness of Baron the cupid and tolerance of Augusta the nightingale.

The Liveras today spend a quite contended life doing abundance of charity work.

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