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Charles Henry de Soysa
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Charles Henry de Soysa
Charles Henry de Soysa Dharmagunawardana Vipula Jayasuriya Karunaratna Disanayaka popularly known as Charles Henry de Soysa, JP (3 March 1836 – 29 September 1890) was a Ceylonese entrepreneur and philanthropist. He was a pioneering planter, industrialist and 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, the Model Farm Experimental Station and many other institutions and acts of charity, establishing infant-maternal healthcare and secular education for girls in the country. He would have been the island's first Knight Bachelor, but having died prior, his widow was given the rare honor of the use of the style and dignity of wife of the Knight Bachelor and was known as Catherine, Lady de Soysa.
Charles de Soysa was born at the humble abode of his maternal grandfather in Moratuwa on 3 March 1836. He was the only son of Mudliyar Jeronis de Soysa Dissanayake and Francesca de Soysa Lamaethani (née Cooray). Jeronis de Soysa, an Ayurveda doctor, was one of the most successful merchants in Ceylon and established the largest native commercial enterprise of the era. His grandfather Warusahennadige Joseph Soysa (1764-1839), an Ayurveda practitioner, great grandfather Bastian Soysa and earlier ancestors; Don Francisco, Juan and Manual Soysa Muhandiram were salt and grain merchants having interests in the transportation, boat building and the agricultural sector. Their ancestor was the lay custodian of the Devinuwara Temple Matara at the time of its destruction in 1587. Having his primary education at the Palliyagodella Buddhist Temple in Moratuwa, de Soysa went on to gain his secondary education at the Colombo Academy and then became one of the first students of S. Thomas' College, Mutwal before completing his education at home with a tutor. He became an apprentice under his father and uncle Susew de Soysa (1809–1881) in managing the large estates and trading network of the family, starting at Hanguranketha. From a young age De Soysa had displayed a benevolent nature.
De Soysa, a devout Anglican, sought the hand of Catherine (1845–1914), the daughter of Chevalier Jusey de Silva Deva Aditya (1816–1889) and Weerahennadige Weerabala Jayasuriya Patabendi Anna Fernando (1825–1877) who were staunch Catholics. De Silva hailed from the traditional nindagam land holders of Moratuwa during the Kotte Kingdom and was a successful wholesaler and exporter of arrack. A compromise was made to solemnise the marriage according to the rites of the Roman Catholic Church and the wedding was held on 4 February 1863 at the Chevalier walauwa, Moratuwa
De Soysa was a pioneering tea planter which was usually the preserve of Europeans. When the coffee crash occurred in 1869 many European planters went back home. However, De Soysas' investments were not only in coffee, which enabled him to survive the coffee crisis and expand his plantations further. De Soysa planted tea in the former coffee estates and it fetched record prices at the Colombo and London auctions. Guru Oya, Marigold, Hantana and others, established in 1870, were among the earliest tea plantations of the country.
De Soysa also cultivated citronella, coconut, cinnamon, rice, rubber, cocoa and cotton in seven of the nine provinces of the Island. His other investments included transportation, graphite mining, coffee, coir and oil mills, tea factories and the import-export trade. Built in 1870, the Wolfendhal and Diyatalawa mills were some of the earliest steam mills of Ceylon and his fibre mill was the largest in the world. C. H. de Soysa Exports was the first company registered by a Ceylon national. He constructed commercial buildings at Galle Face, Colpetty, Fort and Pettah and the De Soysa building in Slave Island, Colombo. The residential property he owned became the most sought after residential areas in latter times.
De Soysa was also the first Ceylonese banker and he was instrumental in establishing the Bank of Kandy at Dalada veediya and Pettah, Colombo in 1860. He was the first Ceylonese member of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce. De Soysa undertook measures to improve and diversify agricultural productivity in the country by experimenting with farming methods and promoting agricultural innovations. He adopted measures to compete directly in the international market and encouraged other local entrepreneurs to do so. He introduced emerging technologies and setup incentives for his employees including pensions at a time when such a system was yet to be formally adopted by governments and institutions.
De Soysa was accorded the unique privilege of being invited to hold a reception on behalf of the people of Ceylon for 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 Mudaliyar (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 initiated measures to reduce the infant mortality rate by creating a supply of trained Sinhalese midwives. He later became the first person in Asia to gift a maternity hospital; the De Soysa Lying-In-Home at Borella, which was once his childhood residence. The original buildings of the Ceylon Medical College gifted by him and his uncle Mudliyar Susew de Soysa were also declared open on the same day by the Governor Sir James Robert Longden on 9 December 1879.
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Charles Henry de Soysa
Charles Henry de Soysa Dharmagunawardana Vipula Jayasuriya Karunaratna Disanayaka popularly known as Charles Henry de Soysa, JP (3 March 1836 – 29 September 1890) was a Ceylonese entrepreneur and philanthropist. He was a pioneering planter, industrialist and 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, the Model Farm Experimental Station and many other institutions and acts of charity, establishing infant-maternal healthcare and secular education for girls in the country. He would have been the island's first Knight Bachelor, but having died prior, his widow was given the rare honor of the use of the style and dignity of wife of the Knight Bachelor and was known as Catherine, Lady de Soysa.
Charles de Soysa was born at the humble abode of his maternal grandfather in Moratuwa on 3 March 1836. He was the only son of Mudliyar Jeronis de Soysa Dissanayake and Francesca de Soysa Lamaethani (née Cooray). Jeronis de Soysa, an Ayurveda doctor, was one of the most successful merchants in Ceylon and established the largest native commercial enterprise of the era. His grandfather Warusahennadige Joseph Soysa (1764-1839), an Ayurveda practitioner, great grandfather Bastian Soysa and earlier ancestors; Don Francisco, Juan and Manual Soysa Muhandiram were salt and grain merchants having interests in the transportation, boat building and the agricultural sector. Their ancestor was the lay custodian of the Devinuwara Temple Matara at the time of its destruction in 1587. Having his primary education at the Palliyagodella Buddhist Temple in Moratuwa, de Soysa went on to gain his secondary education at the Colombo Academy and then became one of the first students of S. Thomas' College, Mutwal before completing his education at home with a tutor. He became an apprentice under his father and uncle Susew de Soysa (1809–1881) in managing the large estates and trading network of the family, starting at Hanguranketha. From a young age De Soysa had displayed a benevolent nature.
De Soysa, a devout Anglican, sought the hand of Catherine (1845–1914), the daughter of Chevalier Jusey de Silva Deva Aditya (1816–1889) and Weerahennadige Weerabala Jayasuriya Patabendi Anna Fernando (1825–1877) who were staunch Catholics. De Silva hailed from the traditional nindagam land holders of Moratuwa during the Kotte Kingdom and was a successful wholesaler and exporter of arrack. A compromise was made to solemnise the marriage according to the rites of the Roman Catholic Church and the wedding was held on 4 February 1863 at the Chevalier walauwa, Moratuwa
De Soysa was a pioneering tea planter which was usually the preserve of Europeans. When the coffee crash occurred in 1869 many European planters went back home. However, De Soysas' investments were not only in coffee, which enabled him to survive the coffee crisis and expand his plantations further. De Soysa planted tea in the former coffee estates and it fetched record prices at the Colombo and London auctions. Guru Oya, Marigold, Hantana and others, established in 1870, were among the earliest tea plantations of the country.
De Soysa also cultivated citronella, coconut, cinnamon, rice, rubber, cocoa and cotton in seven of the nine provinces of the Island. His other investments included transportation, graphite mining, coffee, coir and oil mills, tea factories and the import-export trade. Built in 1870, the Wolfendhal and Diyatalawa mills were some of the earliest steam mills of Ceylon and his fibre mill was the largest in the world. C. H. de Soysa Exports was the first company registered by a Ceylon national. He constructed commercial buildings at Galle Face, Colpetty, Fort and Pettah and the De Soysa building in Slave Island, Colombo. The residential property he owned became the most sought after residential areas in latter times.
De Soysa was also the first Ceylonese banker and he was instrumental in establishing the Bank of Kandy at Dalada veediya and Pettah, Colombo in 1860. He was the first Ceylonese member of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce. De Soysa undertook measures to improve and diversify agricultural productivity in the country by experimenting with farming methods and promoting agricultural innovations. He adopted measures to compete directly in the international market and encouraged other local entrepreneurs to do so. He introduced emerging technologies and setup incentives for his employees including pensions at a time when such a system was yet to be formally adopted by governments and institutions.
De Soysa was accorded the unique privilege of being invited to hold a reception on behalf of the people of Ceylon for 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 Mudaliyar (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 initiated measures to reduce the infant mortality rate by creating a supply of trained Sinhalese midwives. He later became the first person in Asia to gift a maternity hospital; the De Soysa Lying-In-Home at Borella, which was once his childhood residence. The original buildings of the Ceylon Medical College gifted by him and his uncle Mudliyar Susew de Soysa were also declared open on the same day by the Governor Sir James Robert Longden on 9 December 1879.
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