Memorial of Henry John St. John (Hambantota)

Memorial of Henry John St. John (Hambantota)

Memorial of Henry John St. John (Sinhala: හෙන්රි ජෝන් ශාන්ත ජෝන් ස්මාරකය) is a monument in Hambantota District, Sri Lanka, erected for the remembrance of Henry John St. John attached to the Royal Ceylon Civil Service. He died of a fever on 7 August 1821 at the age of 23 while he was in the Palatupana area. This monument was built by friends and relatives of Henry to show their sorrow upon his unfortunate death. Henry had been travelling on hunting by shooting as a hobby. He arrived in Sri Lanka just before a close time period to his death. He also had been appointed as the assistant to the tax collecting officer on 1 February 1821 (Lewis, 1913). A note about him appeared in the Gazette paper published on 14 August 1821 with the following short description; "The many amiable traits in his character and disposition had already acquired him the goodwill and regard of all who knew him and the friendship and attachment of his more immediate intimates. He can be remembered by the fo…