Part Of The History Of The Town Demolition Of Covington House In Batticaloa

by Shirley. W. Somanader

I was sad to read about the demolition of one of the historical buildings in Batticaloa, namely Covington House. The street on which this colonial Mansion stood was named after this House and its famous owner Dr Morgan Covington.

THE FIRST CEYLONESE COLONIAL SURGEON

Dr Covington was a brilliant Medical Practitioner and the first Ceylonese to be appointed a Colonial Surgeon. A position until then, reserved for the British during the British Rule in Ceylon. He was first appointed as Colonial Surgeon of Southern Province and later transferred to the Eastern Province, where he functioned as Colonial Surgeon for long years and identified himself as from Batticaloa through marriage. He married the daughter of Philip Thambimuttu, a member famous Thambimuttu family. Everyone knows the illustrious E. R. Thambimuttu who was State Councillor for Eastern Province. Dr Covington was also closely connected to the Ollegasegrems from Batticaloa.

DISTINGUISHED STUDENT

The Souvenir of Jaffna Central College names six students as being “eminent students” of the school during the period 1834 to 1934. Dr Covington was one of them, along with the famous scholar Arumuga Navalar and DR. W.G. Rockwood, another eminent Surgeon. Dr Covington was a brilliant student who won several gold medals at the Calcutta University Medical College.

BRILLIANT SURGEON

Dr. Covington’s name was mentioned in a medical journal as having contributed significantly to the research and subsequent delivery of DDT, which helped to eradicate the dreaded Malaria fever in Ceylon

While serving as Provincial Surgeon of Southern Province (prior to his transfer to the Eastern Province), he observed a strange looking mosquito found in the puddles of water near the homes of the highly infected areas. He concluded that these mosquitos would have been the cause of spreading the malaria and suggested that specimens of this type of mosquito be analysed. The research team confirmed his suspicion and DDT was developed to attack these mosquitos.

Once a Mrs. Vanderhaven’s baby was saved by his skill. It was a complicated case and Dr Covington was requested to save the mother. Apparently, the midwife having delivered a baby had thrown a section of the placenta as garbage. When she mentioned this to Dr. Covington, he immediately ordered the midwife to bring this placenta from the garbage and found another baby (being a twin) and saved his life.

AN ASTUTE INVESTOR

Dr Covington was also an astute investor in real estate owning many properties in the Batticaloa town and elsewhere in the province. A big coconut estate in Kalmunai stretching from the beach to the centre of the town on Rest House Road was then owned by a Planter called Fisher. Dr. Covington purchased the property and developed it.