George Roland Whitby

George Roland Whitby (12 February 1878 – 21 July 1966) was a British tea planter, businessman and a member of parliament.[1]

George Roland Whitby was born in Yeovil, Somerset, England on 12 February 1878, the second of six children (oldest son) to Joseph Whitby (1836-1915), a glove maker, and Maud Mary née Forster (1852-1945).[2][3] He was educated at King's School, Bruton, Somerset.[4]

In August 1896 he travelled from Liverpool on board the S.S. Staffordshire,[3] arriving in Colombo on 2 September. From 1898 to 1899 he was the manager of the Polatagama tea estate.[5]

On 8 December 1915 he married Laura Gill Julian née Windeyer (1894-1969) and they had two daughters, Georgette Aline Mary (b. 1916) and Cherise Maybeth Julian.[4]

In 1935 he was appointed as the Managing Director of British Ceylon Corporation Limited and the British Ceylon Milling Company.[4]

In 1942 he was appointed as a Justice of the Peace.[3]

Between 1943 and 1946 he served on the Rubber Research Board.[6][7]

Following Ceylon's first parliamentary elections in 1947, Whitby was appointed as a member of the Ceylon House of Representatives. He was one of six members appointed by the Governor-General, to represent important interests which were not represented or inadequately represented in the House.[8] Whitby resigned his appointment in early 1948 due to illness.

Whitby died on 21 July 1966 in Weston Turville, Buckinghamshire, England.[3]