Sri Lanka
Genealogy Website - Sinhalese Family Genealogy
de Soysa
of Moratuwa - Family #3073
A Bean
& Two Leaves (Chapter 12) by Ed Rowlands
The cascade of the Soysa
family
Cabbages,
kings & things by PADMA EDIRISINGHE - DN Monday Mar 8 2004
Subsequent to
the publication of the article on "Colombo's coconut grove" of the
19th Century (Sunday Observer 18.01.04) a few queries have been received on the
present fortunes of this family and about details of the descendants of the
owner of this vast coconut estate of 150 acres right in the heart of our
capital that later turned into the springboard of many a stately mansion on
partitioned land.
Actually
there are books written on this remarkable family but many now are not disposed
to read lengthy books on a subject and would like to get it as tersely as
possible. Frankly I myself have done no research on the subject but an
acquaintance, Vinodh Wickremaratne,
who can be described as a colonial history researcher cum a student of
genealogy has given me a welter of information.
He has traced
this family down to its sixth generation beginning with the union of Charles
Henry De Soysa (1836-1890) and Catherine De Silva (d
1914) and going by the ages of those of the sixth generation may be there are
kids and infants of the seventh generation of this family too.
According to Vinodh's study the famous philanthropist who gifted parts
of his sprawling estate at times running all the way from Moratuwa
to Colombo to put up schools, hospitals and University buildings had begotten
15 children in all. In my earlier article I have left out the son who died
young. All other children in turn have gone on to spawn very large families at
a period when family planning was unheard of.
Eloquence
Famous names
stud the cascade, not only famous grandsons, but famous sons-in-law and
daughters-in-law. Right at the start is Dr. Solomon Fernando (1850-1915) who
married the eldest daughter of CH de Soysa i.e. Fancy
Georgina Catherine. One of the very few doctors of Western medicine at the time
perhaps he has cut a niche in world history by becoming a martyr to the cause
of another religion.
At the famous
meeting held in Colombo in 1915 to help the Buddhist cause during the infamous Gampola riots, this doctor, Roman Catholic by faith got
carried away by his own eloquence as he heaped a verbal tirade on the White
rulers for imprisoning Buddhist leaders and died on the stage by developing a
sudden heart attack. In these days when some plot and plan to ferment another
feud to destabilize the country further this death is food for thought.
Another
famous name peeps through, that of Dr. Marcus Fernando after whom a whole
street runs in the capital today in gratitude for his services. He is the
husband of the third daughter, Margaret Mary (1864-1936). The fourth son of CH Soysa, Thomas Henry who had been the Chilean Consul is very
much alive today via College House or Regna Walavva.
It is the administrative building of the Colombo University today.
"Colombo heritage", a Stanford Lake publication
inform that T.H.A. DE Soysa built it to
commemorate his wife's name Regina.
"With
its turrets, towers, conical roofs, hidden passage ways and balconies it was to
be the perfect family home "for his lovely wife and children but tragedy
struck and the wife died young. In 1920 the house was purchased for the
University. A familiar name occurs in the group of 8 children born to the 7th
son. He is E. L. F. Soysa, the famous racing magnate
and also the first Sinhala owner of a motor car.
The dim
recess when his great grand uncle Jeronis De Soysa ran behind bullock carts to end up the most
successful Lankan entrepreneur now was almost obliterated by the long shadow of
Time. The ebullient ELF rode pell-mell in his motor car thanking the champagne
that flowed into his "Foetus" during the
royal visit and extravagant reception at Bagatalle walavva.
Heir
Loranee Senaratne, our first woman ambassador
and author of "Heirs to history' also figures in the cascade as the
daughter of the 12th daughter of C. H. De Soysa.
Charles Harold the 14th son has fathered 9 children out of whom the eldest,
Charles Harold rose to be the second Sinhala Bishop of the island.
Another
familiar name that I came across in Vinodh's
genealogy chart is that of Ismeth Raheem,
the famous and indefatigable collector of drawings and photographs of Old
Colombo. He has married a grand-daughter of the 11th child of C. H. De Soysa. Incidentally it seems to be the only racially mixed
marriage in the family. Vinodh hastens to add that
his genealogy chart of the Soysa family is still
"in the making' and has yet to be checked for accuracy and chronology. But
certainly it is an earnest attempt and very rich in sociological and historical
value.
According to
'Colombo Heritage' as time ran on the Soysa ran into
financial difficulties and various properties were sold off. One of the most
magnificent houses to be lost in mortgage was Laksmigiri
that was acquired by the Lukmanjee family. The
mansion yet looms today in majestic grandeur in the vicinity of Thunmulla junction replete with it Buckingham Palace style
gates. But the statement in the book that the famous reception was held at Lakshmigiri and not at Bagatalle Walavva seems questionable since the fact that Bagtalle walavva was the venue is
almost an accepted matter.
In fact the
Stanford essay on Laksmigiri begins by stating that
it was built in the early part of this century (the 20th C) and in the second
passage it states "For here in 1870 ... Duke of Edinburgh was entertained
at a banquet" where cutlery hewn of gold and set with rubies, emeralds and
pearls were used! Such was the ultimate height in affluence of the C. H. De Soysa family that seems to have dwindled to a marked extent
as time took its toll. The very maintenance of the gigantic abodes put up seem to have drained the Soysa
treasury.
"Impermanence
and change are the ways of all worldly things" intoned the Buddha, voicing
the ultimate truth. Incidentally the whole CH Soysa
clan was majority Anglican by faith and almost all carried Anglicised
names.
1 Joseph Soysa + Hannadige
Fransisca Pieris [3078]
...2
Gate Mudaliyar Warusahennedige
Jeronis de Soysa, educated at Palliyagodella Temple, medical practitioner 1814., merchant
Kandy 1825, planter Hanguranketa 1837, built Holy
Emmanuel Church 1860, b:19-Apr-1797, d:20-Feb-1862 + Mututantirige
Fransesca Cooray
......3 Charles
Henry de Soysa, b:3-Mar-1836, d:29-Sep-1890,
educated at Palliyagodella Temple, John Garth's
English School, St Thomas' College Mount Lavinia. Trained in Estate Management at Hanguranketa
(1856-1861). Joined father's business + Lady Catherine de Silva
(d/o Lindamuluge Janey de
Silva & Ana Fernando of Moratuwa, she was granted
the title of Lady after the demise of Charles henry on
22 Jan 1892), m:1863 [3080]
.........4 Margaret Frances Mary de
Soysa + Dr. Hilary Clarus
Marcus Fernando, MBMS, MD, BSc, b:21-Oct-1864, d:18-Dec-1936
.........4 Jeronis William Charles
de Soysa
.........4 Alfred Joseph Richard de
Soysa
.........4 Edwin Lionel Frederick
de Soysa + Caroline Pieris m:1898 [3078]
.........4 Thomas Henry Arthur de Soysa
.........4 Walter de Soysa
.........4 Lambert Wilfred
Alexander de Soysa
.........4 Selina
de Soysa + Louis H Pieris, nephew of Jeronis Pieris [3078]
...2 Susew
de Soysa + Engeltina
Pieris m:1839 [3078]
...2 ? de Soysa
......3 W.L. Peter de Soysa + Victoria Pieris [3078]
1 ? de
Soysa
...2 Caroline Fransisca
de Soysa + Hannadige
Jeronis Pieris [3078]
1 de Soysa
...2 Warusahennedige
Dharmagunawardena Vipula Jayasuriya Dissanayake de Soysa + Catherine de Soysa
......3 Sir Lambert Wilfred
Alexander de Soysa, b:20-Feb-1884, d:3-May-1968 +
Lady Evelyn Yohana Fernando, b:233-Apr-1893,
d:28-Jul-1973, m:1907
.........4 Harold de Soysa, b:1907
.........4 Ethel de Soysa, b:1910
.........4 Cecil de Soysa, b:1914
.........4 Terrence de Soysa, b:1915
.........4 Ryle de Soysa
.........4 Shelley de Soysa
.........4 Anura
de Soysa
Sir Charles Henry de Soysa
"Sir Charles Henry de Soysa (3
March 1836 – 29 September 1890) was a Ceylonese entrepreneur and
philanthropist. He was a pioneering planter, industrialist and was the
wealthiest Ceylonese of the 19th century. He was instrumental in the
establishment of the first Ceylonese bank, the Moratuwa
carpenters guild, the Ceylon Agricultural and National Associations. He is
widely regarded as the greatest philanthropist of the island for contributions
which includes the De Soysa Maternity Hospital, the
Prince and Princess of Wales Colleges, St. Matthias Church, the Model Farm
Experimental Station and many other institutions and acts of charity. He was
the country's first Knight Bachelor (posthumous)."
"De Soysa had the unique privilege of according
a reception on behalf of the people of Ceylon to Prince Alfred, Duke of
Edinburgh who was the first member of British Royalty to visit the Island. This
he did in royal style at his palatial mansion in Colombo Bagatelle walauwa, (later renamed Alfred House) which had been
specially reconstructed for the occasion in a sprawling park of 120 acres. De Soysa entertained the Prince where the crockery and cutlery
of the banquet was made of gold and studded with gems and pearls. De Soysa extended the invitation to the elites as well as the
commoners from all communities. Consequent to this event H.R.H. the Duke of
Edinburgh hosted a reception to the De Soysas (at
Queen's House, Colombo) and conferred the title of Gate (Wasala)
Mudaliyar on Susew de Soysa and of Justice of the Peace for the Island on Charles
Henry de Soysa (the latter had declined the title of Mudaliyar)"
"De Soysa was bitten by a rabid dog that strayed
into Alfred House on 2 August 1890. It was originally decided to remove him to Paris
for treatment, but he opted to remain in Ceylon and obtain native treatment. As
per his wishes, he was instead buried outside the Holy Emmanuel Church in the
graveyard next to his son who had died in his infancy. His mortal remains were
laid to rest amidst a gathering described as the largest in the nineteenth
century."
