Royal College (Colombo)

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Royal College

Shield of Royal College
Motto Disce aut Discede (Learn or Depart)
Established 1835
Type Public
Principal Upali Gunasekara
Faculty 300
Students 4000 (approx.)
Location Colombo, Sri Lanka
Colors Blue and Gold
Website www.royalcollege.lk

Royal College, Colombo was founded in January 1835. It is considered to be one of the leading Public School in Sri Lanka. It is a National School, ie, it is controlled by the Central government as opposed to the Provincial Council.

Contents

[edit] History

The school was founded by Rev Joseph Marsh, the acting Colonial Chaplain at St. Paul's Church (and former Mathematics and Classical Tutor at Christian College, Kotte) as the Hill Street Academy, a private institution to educate the children of the upper classes. In January 1836, the British Colonial Governor Sir Robert Wilmot-Horton, Bart converted it, as the Colombo Academy, into a government school modelled on Eton College, with Marsh continuing as Head master. The third oldest Public School on the island, it was intended to give to the children of leading Sri Lankans an education which would make them fit to be citizens of the British Empire.

Marsh did not believe in corporal punishment. However, his successor, Brooke Bailey did, and introduced flogging.

The College Main Hall
The College Main Hall

In 1859 it was renamed Royal Academy and Queens College and affiliated to the University of Oxford. In 1865 the Morgan Committee of inquiry into education recommended that it be reorganised and that scholarships should be awarded to study in Oxford. It became the Colombo Academy once again in 1869.

In 1881 it was renamed Royal College with the approval of Queen Victoria.

The school was originally at Maradana, right next to Hulftsdorp, but in 27th August 1913 the school was moved to its new building at Thurstan Road which is now the main building of the University of Colombo. Ten years later on 10th October 1923 the school moved once again ,this time to the newly built Victorian styled building on Ried Avenue, which it still occupies.

[edit] Houses

The students are divided into five Houses:

  • Hartley
  • Harward
  • Marsh
  • Boake
  • Reed

The names are derived from distinguished past principals of Royal College. The houses compete annually in all major games to win the respective inter-house games. This is a great opportunity for young royalists to enhance their skills.

[edit] Awards

At present there are 165 Endowed Prizes and Awards. The college main hall carries the names of those students have won the prestigious Panal Prizes. The most prestigious of these are,

  • Dornhorst Memorial Prize.
  • The President's Prize.(formaly The Governor's prize and later The Governor General's prize)
  • Turnour Prize.
  • Lorensz Scholarship.
  • Steward's Prize.
The Motto
The Motto

[edit] Royal-Thomian

Main article: Royal-Thomian

Cricket was played at the school from 1838 onwards. The annual cricket match against S. Thomas' College, Mt Lavinia is the second longest uninterrupted cricket match series in the world. Only second to the Ashes series played between England and Australia. The original match was played between the Colombo Academy and S. Thomas' College in 1879, with schoolmasters participating as well as schoolboys. From 1880 onwards, only schoolboys were allowed to play in the match.

Until 2006 the tally stands with both schools winning 33 each and 61 drawn. This is regarded as the most prestigious cricketing event in the country. This is also preceded by the legendary Cycle Parade which usually happens on the day before the big match, with the official objective of visiting the captain's house to encourage him.

[edit] Royal-Trinity Bradby Shield Encounter

Main article: Bradby Shield Encounter

The annual rugby encounter against friendly rival Trinity College, Kandy is the Blue Riband of schools' rugby in Sri Lanka. In fact, it is one of the highlights in the Sri Lankan high society calendar. Rugby was first introduced at Royal in 1916, and the first historic match against Trinity was played in 1920. The Bradby Shield itself was first presented in 1945 by the departing Principal of Royal College, E. L. Bradby. Since 1945, two matches have taken place each year, one up in Kandy and the other down in Colombo. The Shield is awarded to the school that gets the highest aggregate of points in the two match series.

The 2002 Bradby encounter was the highest scoring encounter for Royal, Led by Zulki Hamid. Winning a record (39-00) in first leg held in Colombo & The winning the second leg (44-00) in Kandy. Thus winning the Bradby Shield with a record aggregate of 83 - 00.

The 2006 Bradby first leg was won by Trinity (21 - 10) in Colombo. The second leg was also won by Trintiy (26 - 5) in Kandy. Thus Trinity retains the Bradby for 2006 the with an aggregate of 47 - 15.

[edit] Head Masters

  • Rev. J.H. Marsh (Snr) 1835 - 1838
  • J. Brooke H. Bailey (acting) 1839 - 1842
  • Rev. A. Kessen 1842

[edit] Principals

  • J.F. Haslam 1839 - 1840
  • Rev. Dr. Barcroft Boake 1842 - 1870
  • George Todd 1871 - 1878
  • J.B.Cull 1878 - 1890
  • J.H. Marsh (Jnr) 1890 - 1892
  • J.H. Harward 1892 - 1902
  • C. Hartly 1903 - 1919
  • Maj. H.L. Reed MC, 1920 - 1932
  • L.H.W. Sampson 1932 - 1938
  • E.L. Bradby 1939 - 1945
  • J.C.A. Corea 1946 - 1953
  • D.K.G. de Silva 1954 - 1966
  • B.G. Premaratne 1967 - 1971
  • D.G. Welikala 1971 - 1972
  • D.J.N. Seneviratne 1972
  • L.D.H. Peiris 1972 - 1980
  • C.T.M. Fernando 1981 - 1986
  • B Suriyaarachchi 1986 - 1994
  • S.H. Kumarasinghe 1994 - 1997
  • H.L.B. Gomes 1997 - 2003
  • H.A.Upali Gunasekera - 2003 - Todate

[edit] Past Head Masters of Royal College Preparatory School/Royal Junior School

  • H.S. Perera 1933 - 1947
  • A.F. De Saa Banadaranaike 1947 - 1958
  • H.D. Sugathapala 1958 - 1970
  • H.P. Jayawardena 1970 - 1975
  • E.S. Wijesuriya 1975 - 1977
  • Mrs H.G. Nanayakkara 1977

The Royal Junior School and Royal College were amalgamated as one school under one Principal in August 1977.

[edit] Notable Masters

  • Andrew Nicholl R.H.A.
  • E.C. Gunasekera ('Kataya')
  • Vijitha Weerasinghe ('Viji')
  • D.C.H. Cooray ('Cooray Sir')

[edit] Notable Old Boys

PRESIDENTS & PRIME MINISTERS

FREEDOM FIGHTERS

  • Anagarika Dharmapala
  • Sir Ponnambalam Arunachalam
  • Sir Ponnambalam Ramanathan
  • E.W.Perera "Lion of Kotte" - Freedom fighter & Senator

CABINET MINISTERS & PROMINENT LEGISLATORS

MEMBERS OF THE DEFENCE SERVICES

CAPTAINS OF INDUSTRY & COMMERCE

  • Sir Ernest De Silva
  • Sir Cyril de Zoysa- Recorded Richest Sri Lankan to date and Philanthropist.
  • Phillip Upali Wijewardena

SENIOR ACADEMICS

  • Vidyajothi Prof.V.K.Samaranayake-Founder of University of Colombo School of Computing
  • Prof. Hema Ellawala
  • Dr. E.M.Wijerama -The first President of the Ceylon College of Physicians, donated his house to the Medical College Library.
  • Cedric Oorlorff - Principal of Trinity College, Kandy - 1957-1968
  • Prof Osmund Jayaratne
  • Vidyajyothi Professor Rezvi Sheriff - Senior Professor of Medicine & Director of the Post Graduate Institute of Medicine, University of Colombo

JUDGES & SENIOR COUNSEL

SPORTSMEN AND SPORTS ADMINISTRATORS (International)

OTHER PROMINENT ALUMNI

  • J.P.Obeysekera - First Ceylonese Secretary of State.
  • Geoffery W Bawa - Architect.
  • U. N. Gunasekera - Considered to be Sri Lanka's Greatest Construction Engineer
  • Dr CA Hewavitharana
  • Gnr Kenneth R. Porritt
  • Dr S.R. Kottegoda
  • Vernon Corea
  • Mangala Moonesinghe
  • Susil Moonesinghe
  • Kumar Ponnambalam (G.G.Ponnambalam Jnr.)
  • Neelan Thiruchelvam
  • Faris Thowfeek

[edit] References

  • History of Royal College, by Mr S.S. Perera
  • The Royal College 'School of our Fathers', A brief history and the essence of its spirit ,by Mr D.L. Seneviratne

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

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