Marcus Fernando

Sir Marcus Fernando
Born	1864 Colombo, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka)
Died	1936 Colombo, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka)
Nationality	Ceylonese
Education	University College London Colombo Academy St Benedict's Academy
Occupation	Physician, Public Servant, Planter, Politician
Title	Knight Bachelor

Sir Hilarian Marcus Fernando, FRCP (1864–1936) was a pre-independence Ceylonese statesmen, physician and banker. He was a member of both the Executive Council and Legislative Council as well as the Chairman of the State Mortgage Bank of Ceylon.

Education

He was educated at St Benedicts Academy ^[1] (later known as St Benedict's College Colombo) and the Colombo Academy which was later renamed Royal College Colombo. At the Colombo Academy he won the Turnour Prize, Junior Cambridge Scholarship, and Mathematical Prize. He received a Ceylon Government Scholarship and Scholarship from the Gilchrist Educational Trust, enabling him to study medicine at University College London. He graduated with a BSc winning the Atchinson Scholarship and University of London Gold Medals in Physiology, Medicine, Forensic Medicine and Obstetrics. He graduated with a MB in 1888, a MD in 1889 and in 1890 was elected a Fellow of University College London.^[2]

Medical career

On his return to Ceylon he served as Registrar of the Ceylon Medical College and the Superintendent of the De Soysa Maternity Home and was appointed the first Consultant Physician to be appointed to the General Hospital Colombo.^[1] He contributed to scientific discussions on a wide range of diseases and is associated with a discussion on Diabetes in the Tropics, where he is credited with the observation that it was more common among the affluent Ceylonese.^[3] He was a member of the Ceylon Branch of the British Medical Association, and was Secretary from 1891–1897 and President in the years 1905 and 1914. He was the founding director of the Bacteriological Institute in Colombo and Chemical Examiner to the Government of Ceylon.^[4][5]

Political career

At the age of 43 he resigned from the medical service to take up a career in business and politics. He was Chairman of the Board of Directors of the State Mortgage Bank of Ceylon. He contested unsuccessfully for a seat in the legislative assembly losing to Sir Ponnambalam Ramanathan,^[6][7] but subsequently served on both Executive and Legislative Councils. He, along with Sir James Peiris and Sir Ponnambalam Arunachalam were instrumental in the creation of the University of Ceylon. He was made a Knight Batchelor in 1923 (New Year Honours List).

Family

His father was Andrew Fernando Jr. and his grandfather Andrew Fernando Sr. was the Mudaliyer of Colombo. In 1891 he married Mary Frances, second daughter of Sir Charles Henry de Soysa. Advocate Cahrles Matthew Fernando, the first Ceylonese Crown Counsel was his brother.^[1][8][9]

Legacy

The Association Sri Lanka Medical Association commemorates his life through an endowed oration.^[10][11] Orators include Surendra Ramachandran, Nimal Senanayake and Hithanadura Janaka De Silva. A hall of residence in the University of Peradeniya and a road in Colombo 7 are named after him in his honour.

References