<A MONTHLY. I>* 
Vol. XIII.] 
COLOMBO, JUNE ist, 1894. 
No. 12, 
PIONEERS OF THE PLANTING ENTERPRISE IN CEYLON." 
WILLIAM RUDD, SBNIOR: 
PLANTING PIONEER; AND FOR MANY YEARS THE OLDEST OF CEYLON PLANTERS. 
[Failing in our attempt to get a photograph or otlier portrait of Mr. George Binl, the 
very first Planter in Ceylon, it is .some satisfaction to be able to present that of Mr. Kiuld 
who began life as Mr. Bird's assistant. The biographical notice of Mr. Riuld is written by a 
relative, with a few additions and alterations — Ed.] 
N T K O D U C T O RY.— The 
career of a Planting Pioneer 
like Mr. Wm. Rudd, whose 
first connection with coffee 
dates back into the early 
"thirties" or sixty years 
ago, could not fail to be of 
special interest, if the story 
could be related by one who had access to the 
records notes, &c., that Mr. Rudd left behind 
him. The writer has had no such advantage, 
so that the sketch here presented of the vicissi- 
tudes of the forty-five years of Wni. Rudd's life 
in Ceylon is necessarily imperfect : but it is 
believed to be correct as far a^ it goeis, 
and it will be found to afford a striking illus- 
tration of the capricious moods of Dame Fortune. 
The collotype likeness has been engraved from 
a photograph taken by Messrs. W. L. H. Skeen 
& Co., Colombo, about twelve months before 
Mr. William Rudd finally left Ceylon for England. 
The correctness of the portrait will be at once 
recognized by those who remember him. 
Early Lifk.— William Rudd was born in 
London on .June 6th, 1812. His parents were 
of the county of Norfolk, and it was his mis- 
fortune to be left an orphan almost in his 
infancy. He was tlie younger of two brothers, 
of whom the elder John, many years older 
than the subject of this sketch, ilied at the 
age of "21 . Of Wm. Kudd s early life much is 
not known. After receiving a very rudiinenury 
