Bogawantalawa,the final resting place of Julia Margaret Cameron

Abstract

The tombstones of Julia Margaret Cameron and her husband in the picturesque graveyard of St. Mary's Church at Bogawantalawa¹ near Glencairn in Sri Lanka are reminders of the love the Camerons had for that country, ever since Mr C. H. Cameron toured the island in his capacity as Reforms Commissioner, during his service in India. After their later years in England (1846–1875), the Camerons decided ‘to spend the last years of their lives in Ceylon and even brought their coffins with them’². They did so in 1875, and bought a large acreage of land upcountry, which is even today known as ‘Cameronwatte’³. Mrs Cameron died on 26th January 1879⁴. She was born in India on 11th June 1815⁵, the third daughter of James Pattie of the Bengal Civil Service. Mr Charles Hay Cameron was a Member of the Law Commission in India in 1838, and this is how they came to meet.