By 1929 they opened up some 200 acres of tea with a further 50 acres due for planting, and all the leaf was being transported up to Luckyland for manufature. One day whilst in Colombo he happened to meet an American businessman and invited him to visit him at Luckyland and see the attractiveness of the estate and spectacular views. Whilst there he took him round the new clearings and showed him the young tea, and discussed the business aspects. The American was really forthright and said ,
“ Look here Fred, you are in business, and in business you look ahead and get moving. Now you have got to get a factory built immediately so that you are in total control of the situation and are not dependant on anyone else. Borrow the money and get started now is my firm advice.”
So without any more ado ,after a chat with Hugh Gordon, a further huge loan was obtained from Fred Whittall and with help from the bank a few months later, erection of the new Chardon Tea Company’s factory was started and six month’s later it was in operation. Whilst the factory was being built and nearing completion Father was one day in Colombo at George Steuarts and whilst chatting with it’s head, a blunt Scott named “Jock” Kerr, he happened to use the term “ my estate”.
Jock glowered at him ,
“ Your Estate, come off it Fred you haven’t got one. You are completely and utterly in debt to the bank and Fred Whittall and we could call your loan in anytime we like and there is nothing you can do about it. It is not your estate until you own it”.
Father was furious, and when he got home he stormed the place threatening to change agencies, and eventually he listened to Mother’s quiet advice.” What he said unfortunately is true wherever you go. The only way to answer him quickly is to work hard and get out of debt. Nobody will ever speak roughly to you if you don’t owe money. This is the harsh truth of life so you had better come to terms with harsh reality!”
It was some months later in 1930 that to compound the situation, that the “Great Depression” from Wall St. suddenly hit the Tea Industry, and for the first time tea was rejected as unsaleable, and had to be returned to the soil to be forked in as fertiliser. He then decided that the only way to compete, was to perfect in every minute way the very best means of manufacture, by watching closely to every single minor detail from the time of harvest, to the point of dispatch. Hours and hours of laborious detailed work all round the clock was put in, to have the most precise system imaginable. The work paid off, and the markets responded at auction ,to the hours spent all night in the factory, and for little extra cost of manufacture his prices climbed higher and higher turning a loss making situation into a profitable one. It was an outstanding example of Father’s grit and stamina and brilliant management , that faced with unbelievable bad odds and loaded with debt at the very worst time of the century, he was able to pull the business round successfully through sheer willpower and an iron determination.