{"id":96634,"date":"2022-07-30T15:18:38","date_gmt":"2022-07-30T15:18:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/?p=96634"},"modified":"2022-07-30T15:18:38","modified_gmt":"2022-07-30T15:18:38","slug":"memories-are-made-of-this-by-charles-schokman-3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/memories-are-made-of-this-by-charles-schokman-3\/","title":{"rendered":"MEMORIES ARE MADE OF THIS – By Charles Schokman"},"content":{"rendered":"

MEMORIES ARE MADE OF THIS – By Charles Schokman<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/h1>\n

\u201cThose friends thou hast, and their adoption tried, Grapple them to thy soul with hoops of steel,\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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\"MEMORIESIt was in the early 1950s that I met Lylie, and it didn\u2019t take us long to build a friendship that grew into a warm and deep rooted affection for each other. Lylie, with his parents, brother and sister lived in a modest home at Kotahena and I often visited him on my bicycle for a friendly chat. I lived at Dematagoda and although it was quite a distance to ride, it was worth the effort.<\/span><\/p>\n

During our youth we took an interest in worship at church and participated in its activities. The Anglican Church\u2019s youth organisation was known as the \u201cThe Church of Ceylon Youth Movement\u201d (CCYM).<\/span><\/p>\n

Lylie was a parishioner of \u201cThe Old Cathedral\u201d, Kotahena (also known as \u2018The Gal Palliya\u2019 or Stone Church) and was the choirmaster and a member of CCYM. I was involved in this movement at St Paul\u2019s Church, Kynsley Rd.<\/span><\/p>\n

Once a year the CCYM held a conference at different venues in the country where members from various churches met for a time of devotion, study and comradeship.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"MEMORIESOn one such Conference, held in Kandy I volunteered to give Lylie a ride on my LE Velocette Motorcycle. We left in the morning, it was a pleasant journey all the way, enjoying the fresh breeze and scenery. At Kadugannawa, as we approached the climb to the hill country, the motorcycle stalled and stopped. Fortunately, there was a spout gushing with fresh water, which helped us to refill and cool the radiator and get the bike going once again. However, to reduce the weight, Lylie had to walk a short distance up the incline and thereafter we continued our journey, reaching our destination in late afternoon, welcomed with a loud hooray! After a well spent 3 days of fun and fellowship we rode back home with no problems at all.<\/span><\/p>\n

I well remember the time when Lylie met Ima De La Motte who worshipped at the Baptist Church, and although there were denominational differences, their relationship blossomed, ending in marriage. I was privileged to attend their wedding and happy to keep my camera clicking to get the best shots.<\/span><\/p>\n

They were blessed with two sons Willie and Christopher. Sadly, Ima passed away on the 25th July, 2017.<\/span><\/p>\n

Lylie needs no introduction. He is well known as a renowned baritone singer (trained by Mrs. R.A. Spencer Shepherd) and much has been said and written about him. In 1947 he formed \u201cThe Crochets\u201d with Bede de Zilva, Joy Ferdinando and Mrs. Spencer Shepherd as pianist.<\/span><\/p>\n

In 1960 he was the choirmaster for the YMCA, and then left this in 1962 to start his own singing group known as the \u201cLylie Godridge Singers\u201d (LG Singers).<\/span><\/p>\n

\"MEMORIES
<\/span> This year the LG Singers celebrates their 60th Anniversary and continues to perform under the leadership of his son Willie.<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n