Loading Bullock Carts, Dambatenne Factory, Ceylon

Dambatenne (often spelled “Dambatenne Tea Factory/Estate”) is a major historic tea property in the Haputale highlands of Sri Lanka (then Ceylon) closely associated with Sir Thomas Lipton’s expansion of Ceylon tea in the late 19th century. it’s still operational and tours typically explain the orthodox black-tea process (withering/rolling/fermentation/drying/grading) and end with tastings.

Lipton's was a prolific publisher of postcards advertising every step of the tea growing, curing and export business, as if wanting to draw their customers into the story of the product's arrival on distant shores.