Dutch and British Colonial Intervention in Sri Lanka, 1780-1815

Mobility, Gender and Empire in Maria Graham's Journal of a Residence in India (1812)

“…33 This 'annexation' was consolidated in 1802 as part of the Treaty of Amiens and, as Alicia Shrikker notes, was of very questionable benefit to the Sinhalese population. 34 Later, however, Graham contradicted her own assertion by stating that, 'the dressing of the road for persons of consequence in the government, is a tribute from the fishermen of this coast, and so is the providing lights at night'. 35 She further undermined this claim by minimising the extent of the labour required to convey her and her party, stating that 'the dressing [of] the road and rest-houses, as it is seldom required, and is performed chiefly by the women and children, is no heavy burden, and is merely exacted as a mark of respect to the officers of government'.…”

“…34 Later, however, Graham contradicted her own assertion by stating that, 'the dressing of the road for persons of consequence in the government, is a tribute from the fishermen of this coast, and so is the providing lights at night'. 35 She further undermined this claim by minimising the extent of the labour required to convey her and her party, stating that 'the dressing [of] the road and rest-houses, as it is seldom required, and is performed chiefly by the women and children, is no heavy burden, and is merely exacted as a mark of respect to the officers of government'. 36 Reinforcing patriarchal notions of what and whose labour can be considered meaningful, Graham dismissed the significance of the labour of 'dressing' the roads for her party's benefit.…”

The Portuguese land policies in Ceylon: on the possibilities and limits of a process of territorial occupation

“…Nor did they wish to develop a plantation economy there like it was being or would be done in their Atlantic colonies, or like it would later be done in Ceylon itself by the Dutch and especially by the British (Schrikker 2007;Bandarage 2005). The Portuguese only sought more favourable conditions to exploit those of the island's economic resources that could be taken to the international markets, namely pearls, elephants, areca nuts and especially cinnamon, which was considered the best in all Asia.…”

Digital thombos: A new source for 18th century Sri Lankan family history. Research note

“…During the nineteenth century, fundamental changes in the social, economic and political conditions of the island took place. Recent research, using among others the aforementioned thombos, convincingly demonstrates the roots of many of these changes lie in the Dutch Period (Dewasiri, 2007;Schrikker, 2007). In 1948, when the island became independent, it could look back on three distinct periods of western influence of almost one hundred and fifty years each.…”