Sri
Lankan Burgher Family Genealogy
PHILIPSZ, D - Family #1002
|
Burial/Church
records site on the internet, submitted by Manjula de
Livera in Australia, states the following regards the Phillipsz
and Bandaranaike family trees. - Feb
24 2011 "Rev Henricus Philipsz
was the son of Lienage Phillip Philipsz Wijecon
Panditharathne Maha Mudaliyar.He was educated at the
Colombo Seminary. Later, he went to Holland and
studied at Utrecht. He returned to Ceylon.He was able
to preach in Sinhalese and Dutch.
Cornelia Henrica
Philipsz, the daughter of Henricus Philipsz,
married(1) 26/7/1789 Adolidh Marten Heyman of
Leeuwetein (Franconia) and later married (2)
20/10/1793, Christoffel de Saram Wanigasekere
Ekanaike, 4th Maha Mudaliyar, the son of Domingo de
Saram Wanigasekere Ekanaike" |
1 D. Philipsz
2 Lienage Philip Philippsz Wijecon
Panditharathne
aka,-
Liyanage Philip Philippsz, (formerly Wijekoon
Panditharatne), Maha Mudaliyar. Changed his name to
Philipsz.
3 Reverend Henricus Philipsz, 1733-1790, a
Sinhalese Christian minister of the Dutch Reformed Church in
Ceylon. An account
of this minister appears in De Bruyn's History Of The Reformed
Church In The
Dutch East Indies, written in Dutch. He died on May 19, 1790,
m:4
Nov 1759 + Susanna
Scharff
bp:8 Dec 1743 at Colombo, Ceylon, d:15 Jun 1781 (Germany,
Weimar in
Saxony) (1006)
4
Reverend Gerardus Philipsz + Johanna
Adriana Van
Dort m:29-Jun-1792 (1004)
5
son
5
son
4
Susanna Euphemia Phillipsz + Johannas
Justus
Panneburg of Lichtenau Captain of the (OIC), m:20
Oct 1782
4 2nd
spouse of Susanna Euphemia:
+ Abraham
Cornelis van
Charlet, m:2 Oct 1796
4
Cornelia Honrica (Henrietta?) Philipsz
d:Apr-9-1924 (tombstone
at Dutch Reformed Church, Wolfendhal, Colombo, Sri Lanka) + Adolf
Martin
Heyman (from Leuwenstein) m:Jul-27-1989
4
*2nd Spouse of Cornelia Henrica (Henrietta?)
Philipsz:
+ Christoffel
de
Saram Wanigasekere Ekanaike 4th Maha
Mudaliyar (3126),
son of Domingo de Saram Wanigasekere Ekanaike
5
Johannes Henricus de Saram b:1797 (was taken by Governor
Maitland, at
the age of 14, to England in 1811 to study for the Christian
Ministry) + Frances
Treherne m:Jun-9-1820 London at The Church of
Saint-Martin-in-the-Fields
5
Cornelia Philipsz Panditharatne de Saram + Don
Solomon Dias
Bandaranayake, Mudaliyar of Siyane Korale
d:Sep-15-1859, He assisted as
interpreter on 10th Feb 1815 when Sri Wickrema
Rajasinghe the last
King of Kandy was taken to Colombo, and then, who was later
taken to India. (1001)
6
Elizebeth Dias Bandaranaike + J M Paulus Peiris Siriwardena
6
Peter Dias Bandaranaike (Mohandiram)
6
Harriet Dias Bandaranaike + Samaradiwakera
6
Johanna Dias Bandaranaike
6
Corneliya Susana Dias Bandaranaike + (First Bed) D
B F Obeysekera
(3051)
7
[19] Sir Christoffeild Obeysekera + [18 Lady
Ezline
Maria de Alwis
8
[21] Daisy Ezline Obeysekera, b:1898 + [20] Sir
Don Solomon
Dias Abeywickrema Jayatilleke Senewiratna Rajakumaruna
Kadukeralu Bandaranaike (Maha
Mudaliyar)
b:22-May-1862, d:31-Jul-1946, Kt. Commander of the most distinguished order of St. Michael
and St.
George, Horogolla Walauwwa, St Thomas' College, Mohandiram 1882.
Mudliyar
Siyane Korale, After returning from UK, Governor Arthur Havelock
awarded Maha
Mudaliyar title and All Island JP. In 1897 went to UK as
official
representative for diamond jubilee celebration and received
medal. In 1902
revisited UK. Received Coronation Medal and KCMG, m:Apr-1898
(1001)
9
Solomon West Ridgeway Dias Bandaranaike b:8-Jan 1899,
d:26-Sep-1959, (Prime Minister of Sri Lanka 1956-59,
Assassinated by a Buddhist
Monk on September 25, 1959), St Thomas' College, educated as a
lawyer in UK,
University of Oxford. Became Secretary of Oxford Union in 1923,
called to the
bar in 1925, Member of the State Council in 1931, Formed the
Sinhala Maha Sabha
in 1937, Active in the UNP 1945-51 and established the SLFP
after 1951, Prime
Minister 1956-59, To solve the ethnic issue he signed the
Bandaranaike-Chelvanaygam pact, which was repudiated due to a
campaign led by
the Buddhist Clergy. Made Sinhala the official Language + Sirimavo
Ratwatta,
b:17/4/1916, d:10/10/2000, m:2-Oct-1940 (First woman Prime
Minister in the
World, Prime Minister, 1960-65, 1970-77, 1994-2000) (3060)
Wikipedia Account of
Sirimavo
10
Sunethra Dias Bandaranaike, b:1943 + Kumar
Rupasinghe (div)
10 2nd spouse of
Sunethra Dias
Bandaranaike + Udaya Nanayakkara (div)
10
Chandrika
Dias
Bandaranaike, b:29/6/1945, Early education at St
Bridgets Convent,
Colombo, and graduated in Political Science at Sorbonne
University in Paris,
Formed the Peoples Alliance (PA) Party, President of Sri Lanka
1994-2005 + Vijaya
Kumaratunga, Film Actor, Assasinated 1988
11
Yasodhara Kumaratunga
11
Vimukthi Kumaratunga
10
Anura Dias Bandaranaike b: Feb-15-1949, Educated at Royal
College,
Member of Parliament 1977 to 2007, Minister Higher
Education 1993,
Foreign Minister 2005, Leader of the opposition, Speaker of the
House, Minister
of Tourism/Heritage 2007
9
Alexandra Camelia Bandaranaike, lived at "Samudragiri"
Walauwa in Mount Lavinia + Leo G. De Alwis
10
Shirlene De Alwis
10
Lankasa De Alwis (tenor singer) + Joy Dassenaike
(cousins)
11
Ranjith de Alwis
10
Rukmanie De Alwis + Percy Eheliyagoda
9
Anna Florentina Bandaranaike + Abraham de Livera
10
Christopher de Livera + Nimal Peiris
11
Shanaka de Livera
11
Priyan de Livera
10
May de Livera
9
2nd spouse of Anna Florentina Bandaranaike + (2nd bed) Obeysekera
(3051)
8 Ethel Obeysekera +
William Peiris
8
Forester Obeysekera, (State Councillor) + Isabel Sykes
9
Boykin Obeysekera
9
Ezlynne Obeysekera + Ralph St. L P Deraniyagala
8
Lillian Obeysekera + William
Illangakoon (3169)
7
James Peter Obeysekera + Corneliya
Henrietta
Dias Bandaranaike (Missie) (1001)
8
Donald Obeysekera + Ethel Perera.
9
Danton Obeysekera + Ruby
Dias
Bandaranaike (1001)
10
Arjuna Obeysekera
10
Shireen Obeysekera
10
Indra Obeysekera
10
Ajith Obeysekera
9
Corneliya Obeysekera + Henry Ashmore Peiris
10
Sita Peiris
10
Wimala Peiris
10
Hemal Peiris
10
H S Mevan Peiris (Cricketer STC Mt Lavinia)
9
Asoka Obeysekera + Eliza Dias Bandaranaike.
9
Fredrick Obeysekera
9
Amelia Obeysekera, 1915-2004 + Louis Peiris
10
Surani Peiris Deraniyagala
10
Ravindra Peiris Deraniyagala
10
Chrisanthi Peiris Deraniyagala
10
Rajini Peiris Deraniyagala
10
Savithri Peiris Deraniyagala
9
Alexander Obeysekera + Mrs Marrs
8
James Peter Obeysekera, Maha Mudaliyar + Estelle
Dias
Bandaranaike (1001)
9
James Peter Obeysekera + Sivagami Dassanaike
10
James Peter Obeyesekere IV
Jr. +
Dr Vyjanthimala Kumarihamy
11
C H Obeyesekere b:9 May 2005
10
Chantal Obeysekera
8
Stanly Obeysekera + Brenda
de Sarem
(3126)
9
Nedra Obeysekera + FC
de Sarem
(Derrick) (3126)
9
Yolande
Obeysekera + Oopatissa
Illangakoon (3169)
8
Lady Hilda Obeysekera + Sir
Paules Edward
Peiris, (Civil Servent, Historian), b:1853,
educated at STC Mt Lavinia, Writer of Sinhala books and
Historian, (He wrote
the book Sinhalese families which was published in 1911.) (1005)
9
Paules Edward Pieris Deraniyagala 1900-1976 Director
Museum,
(Scientist,Zoologist) + Prini
Molamure
(3117)
10 Isanth Deraniyagala
10
Paulus Arjun Mayadun Deraniyagala
10
Dr. Siran Upendra Pieris Deraniyagala
10
Ranil Yudisthira Pieris Deraniyaga
9
Justin Pieris Deraniyagala
9
Ralph St Louis Pieris Deraniyagala + Ezlyn Obeysekera
10
Ralph Deraniyagala (Bando) + Indrani Nugara
11
Arubind Deraniyagala
9
Miriam Pieris Deraniyagala 1908-1999 + Robert
de Saram
(s/o F R de Saram) (3126)
10
Skanda Ajith de Saram + Sharadha
Manorama
Muthu Krishna (7010)
10 Rohan de Saram (Cello) + Rosemary de Saram
11
Sophia de Saram
11
Suren de Saram
10
Druvi de Saram (Piano) + Sharmini de Fonseka
11
Mandhira de Saram
11
Radhika de Saram
10
Niloo de Saram + Desmond Fernando
11
Jeevani Fernando
10
2nd spouse of Niloo de Saram + Jehan Edwards
6
[9] Cornelia Susanna Elizabeth Dias Bandaranayake + [8]Rev.
Canon Samuel
William Dias Bandaranaike (Colombo) (1001)
7 William
Chapman Dias
Wijewardena Bandaranaike b:9/6/1860 (nephew
of
Sir Harry Dias Bandaranaike and step brother of Sir James Peter
Obeysekera),
Born in 1860. Educated at St Thomas' College and Royal College,
Colombo. Took
charge of the estates and plantation management. + Rachel
Asmadale,
m:1896 (Niece of T B Panabokke)
8
Copleston Bandaranaike
8
Rani
Bandaranaike
[Ref:
20th Centuary Impression by Arnold Wright P525]
7
Felix Reginald Dias Bandaranaike, b:26-Jul-1861,
d:30-Jan-1947,
educated at Royal & St Thomas’ College), Qualifications
Cambridge BA,LLB
degree. Became District Judge Colombo in 1897, Legal profession
+ Annie Lucy
(Florence) D' Alwis (third daughter of James de Alwis)
m:Apr-1890
8
Reginald Felix Dias Bandaranaike, Dr.
b:17-Jan-1891,
d:26-Oct-1951 + (1) “Princess”
Joy De
Livera (2) (Name Not Known) Dias Abeyesinghe
9
Michael Dias Bandaranaike + Norah Hunter-Crabbe (UK)
10 Alison + Wolfram
Koch (Austria)
10
Julia + Name Not Known
11
Name Not Known
9
Felix Dias Bandaranaike, b:5-Nov-1930, d:26-Jun-1985 (Minister
of
Public Administration,Local Govt,Home Affairs& Justice
1970-77) +
Muthulakshmi Jayasundera
9
Christine Dias Bandaranaike + David Blackler
8
Annette Lena Dias Bandaranaike + William Ilangakoon, First
Sinhalese
Attorney General, m:1914
9
Hope Ilangakoon + Quintus Tennekoon
10
Serena Tennekoon (died 198?)
10
Deepthi Tenekoon + Palitha Senanayake
9
Nannette Christine Ilangakoon, d:Aug 5 2006 in Australia + Lyn
(ECG)
Wickremasinghe (3103), was the
GM of Bank of
Ceylon in the seventies, is a second cousin of Esmund
Wickremasinghe, father of
Ranil Wickremasinghe (UNP).
http://www.dailynews.lk/2001/pix/PrintPage.asp?REF=/2006/09/07/main_Obituaries.asp
WICKREMASINGHE
- NANETTE
CHRISTINE (nee
ILANGAKOON)
widow of late ECG (Lyn) Wickremasinghe, beloved mother of
Git and Ravi,
mother-in-law of Una and Yasanthi, grandmother of Ramila,
Charith and Roshana,
sister of Hope, late Neil, Anthea, Philip and Glen,
sister-in-law of Quintus
and late Lynnette, Ine, Trissette, Gertrude, late Lota (Evelyn)
and Lou, passed
away on 05th August 2006. The funeral and thanksgiving service
were held in
Australia on 14th August 2006. DN Sep 7 2006
10
Githendra Wickremasinghe + Una (UK)
11
Roshana Wickremasinghe
10
Ravi Wickremasinghe + Yasanthi (Australia)
11
Ramila Wickremasinghe
11
Charith Wickremasinghe
9
Neil Ilangakoon + Lynnette de Livera
10
Sheami Ilangakoon + DEW Perera
11
Name Not Known
11
Name Not Known
10
Anthea Ilangakoon +Ine
10
Philip Ilangakoon + Trisetta
10
Glendora Ilangakoon, died 197? + Gertrude
8
Samuel James Felix Dias Bandaranaike, Agricultural
Department +
Esther Ramkeesoon (Trinidad).
9
Sonia Dias Bandaranaike + Dr. Digby William Hall (UK)
10
William Hall
10
Mary Hall
10
James Hall
10
Emma Hall
9
Gwen Dias Bandaranaike, died 2004 + Roland Dias Abeysinghe.
10
Yohann Dias Abeyesinghe + Manjari Wickremasinghe Rajapakse
11
Chandhana Dias Abeysinghe
11
Hasulie Dias Abeysinghe
10 Jayanthi Dias
Abeyesinghe +
Ranjith Weerasinghe.
11
Auchithya Weerasinghe
10
Kavinda Dias Abeyesinghe + Shyamini Balasuriya
11
Nadhil Dias Abeysinghe
9
Yasmine Dias Bandaranaike, b:1935, University professor,
literary
critic, editor, bibliographer, novelist, essayist, and poet. She
received her
education from Bishop's college and went on to graduate from the
University of
Ceylon in 1959. She also received a Ph. D in English Literature
from Cambridge
University in 1962. Gooneratne became a resident of Australia in
1972. In 1981
she was the first, and remains until now, the only person to
receive the higher
doctoral degree of Doctor of Letters ever awarded by Macquarie
University. She
now holds a Personal Chair in English Literature at Macquarie
University,
located in New South Wales. From 1989-1993 she was the
Foundation Director of
her University's Postcolonial Literatures and Languages Research
Center. In
1990 Gooneratne became an Officer of the Order of Australia for
distinguished
service to literature and education and in that same year she
was also invited
to become the Patron of the Jane Austen Society of Australia.
From 1994-95, she
served on a committee appointed by the Federal Government to
review the
Australian system of Honors and Awards from 1994-1995. Since
1995, she has had
positions on both the Australia Abroad Council and the Visiting
Committee of
the Faculty of Creative Arts at the University of Wollongong. In
1998, she
became a member of Asialink. She has been a visiting professor
or specialist at
many different places around the world including the following:
Edith Cowan
University (Western Australia), University of Michigan (USA),
Jawarharlal Nehru
University (India), and the University of the South Pacific
(Fiji). + Dr.
Brendon Goneratne (Australia)
10
Channa Gooneratne
10
Devika Gooneratne
9
son (deceased a few minutes after birth at Bandarawela)
7
Harry Dias Bandaranaike
6 Don Christoffel Henricus Dias Abeywickrema
Jayatilake
Seneviratne Bandaranaike, b:1826 (Mudaliyar, Governers
Gate, 2nd Udagaha
Mudaliyar) b:1826 + Anna Florentina Philipsz Panditharatne
7 Alice Dias Bandaranaike 1860-1910 +
John Louis Perera
7 Amy Dias Bandaranaike + Eduardo Roversi,
m:1885
8 Hilda Roversi
8
Elena Roversi
8
Neville Roversi
7 Charlotte Dias Bandaranaike, b:1860 +
Solomon
Seneviratne,
(see pic below) b:1860, educated at Queen's College and
The Colombo Academy
(later Royal College, (s/o Don Hermanis Seneviratne,
Mohandiram of
Siyane Korale, grandson of Don Carolis Seneviratne, Mudaliyar of
Kalutara,
great grandson of Don Louis Seneviratne, Modaliyar of the same
place.), m:1885
(3108)
8 Stevan Senewiratne + Lilian de Alwis**
9 Terrance Senewiratne
8 Eric Senewiratne + Ray Dassenaike
8 Noel Senewiratne + Violet Dias Bandaranaike
9 Erin Senewiratne
9
Unis Senewiratne
9
Nissanka Senewiratne.
9
Daphne Senewiratne + Olive Abeynaike
10
Ranil Abeynaike
9
Lionel Senewiratne + Surangani Senewiratne
8 Charlie Senewiratne + Roxina de Alwis
9
Eddie Senewiratne + Lorna
de Saram
(3126)
10
Anoja Senewiratne + Dr Guneratne
11
Guneratne
11
Guneratne
10
Anil Senewiratne
8 Phillip Senewiratne + Nannie
Samarakkody
(3118)
9
Dr Brian Senewiratne + Alagaratna
10 Romesh Senewiratne
10
Sherine Senewiratne
9
Phoebe Senewiratne + Nanda Yatawara
10 Kavan Yatawara
10
Lakshman Yatawara
10
Neliya Yatawara
8 Francis Senewiratne + Neeta Dias Bandaranaike
9
Sakuntala Senewiratne
9
Sieeva Senewiratne
9
Surangani Senewiratne + Lionel Senewiratne
8
2nd spouse of Francis Senewiratne + Grace
Thilakaratne
9
Ranjith Senewiratne
9
Nimal Senewiratne + Geetha
10 Amanda Senewiratne
10
Eshan Senewiratne
9
Niranjala Senewiratne + Kalinda Doranagoda
10 Shamila Doranagoda + Duminda Maligaspe
11 Dinuri Maligaspe
9
Priyani Senewiratne + Mohan Samarakkody
10 Sandeepani Samarakkody + Alutwala
10
Yasamali Samarakkody
7 [29] Susanna Dias Bandaranaike + [30]
Johannes Obeysekera
8 Sir James Peter Obeysekera + Susanna
Cornelia Dias Bandaranaike
9 Sir
Donald
Obeysekera + Johanna Perera
8 Sir Solomon Obeysekera + Eslin Alwis
9
Forester Obeysekera (State Councillor) + Anna Isabel
Sykes
10
Boykin Obeyesekere
10
Ezlynne Obeyesekere + Ralph St. L P Deraniyagala
7 [20]
Sir Don Solomon Dias Abeywickrema Jayatilleke Senewiratna
Rajakumaruna Kadukeralu
Bandaranaike, 1862-1946 (Maha Mudaliyar) b:22-May-1862,
d:31-Jul-1946, Kt.
Commander of the most distinguished order of St. Michael and St.
George,
Horogolla Walauwwa, St Thomas' College, Mohandiram 1882.
Mudliyar Siyane
Korale, After returning from UK, Governor Arthur Havelock
awarded Maha
Mudaliyar title and All Island JP. In 1897 went to UK as
official
representative for diamond jubilee celebration and received
medal. In 1902
revisited UK. Received Coronation Medal and KCMG + [21]
Lady Daisy
Ezline
Obeyesekere (d/o Christoffel & Lady Obeyesekere)
m:Apr-1898
8
Solomon
West
Ridgeway Dias Bandaranaike b:8-Jan 1899,
d:26-Sep-1959, (Prime Minister
of Sri Lanka 1956-59, Assassinated by a Buddhist Monk on
September 25, 1959),
St Thomas' College, educated as a lawyer in UK, University of
Oxford. Became
Secretary of Oxford Union in 1923, called to the bar in 1925,
Member of the
State Council in 1931, Formed the Sinhala Maha Sabha in 1937,
Active in the UNP
1945-51 and established the SLFP after 1951, Prime Minister
1956-59, To solve
the ethnic issue he signed the Bandaranaike-Chelvanaygam pact,
which was
repudiated due to a campaign led by the Buddhist Clergy. Made
Sinhala the
official Language + Sirimavo
Ratwatta,
b:17/4/1916, d:10/10/2000, m:2-Oct-1940 (First woman Prime
Minister in the
World, Prime Minister, 1960-65, 1970-77, 1994-2000) (3060)
Wikipedia Account of
Sirimavo
9
Sunethra Dias Bandaranaike, b:1943 + Kumar
Rupasinghe (div)
9
2nd spouse of Sunethra Dias Bandaranaike + Udaya
Nanayakkara
(div)
9
Chandrika
Dias
Bandaranaike, b:29/6/1945, Early education at St
Bridgets Convent,
Colombo, and graduated in Political Science at Sorbonne
University in Paris,
Formed the Peoples Alliance (PA) Party, President of Sri Lanka
1994-2005 + Vijaya
Kumaratunga, Film Actor, Assasinated 1988
10
Yasodhara Kumaratunga + Roger Walker (UK), m:Jun 2007 in
UK
(see wedding pics below)
10
Vimukthi Kumaratunga
9
Anura Dias Bandaranaike b: Feb-15-1949, d:Mar 15, 2008,
Educated
at Royal College, Member of Parliament 1977 to 2007,
Minister Higher
Education 1993, Foreign Minister 2005, Leader of the opposition,
Speaker of the
House, Minister of Tourism/Heritage 2007
8
Alexandra Camelia Bandaranaike, lived at "Samudragiri"
Walauwa
in Mount Lavinia + Leo G. De Alwis
9
Shirlene De Alwis + Earle Jayawardena
10 Amal
Jayawardena
9
Lankasa De Alwis (tenor singer) + Joy Dassenaike
(cousins)
10
Ranjith de Alwis
11
Raneesha de Alwis
11
Radeena de Alwis
9
Rukie
(Rukmani) de
Alwis b:26 Mar 1926 + Percy
Eheliyagoda
10
Leo Eheliyagoda + Ramya Wijetunge
11
Rosanth Eheliyagoda
10
Shalimar Eheliyagoda + Uma Kumar Sharma
11
Shanikar Sharma
11
Sandesh Sharma
10
Charmaine
Eheliyagoda
, Attorney-at-Law, a member of the National
Police Commission appointed by H.E.The President of
11
Rosanth Lakshan Madurasinghe, graduate of the
10
Lankani Eheliyagoda
10
Devika Eheliyagoda
[
see Family
Photo 2005 &
weblog at http://ceo.intellect.googlepages.com/familytree
]
8
Anna Florentina Bandaranaike + Abraham de
Livera
9
Christopher de Livera + Nimal Pieris
10
Shanaka de Livera + Samanda
11
Sajin de Livera
11
Shealan de Livera
10
Priyan de Livera
10
Asanthi de Livera + Oswin de Alwis
9
May de Livera
8
2nd
spouse of Anna Florentina Bandaranaike + (2nd bed) Obeyesekere
7 Elizabeth Dias Bandaranaike + Walter de Livera,
b:1863, (Royal
College), Police Magistrate in 1898), m:1898
8 "Princess" de Livera (Joy), b:1900 + Reginold
Felix Dias
Bandaranaike, b:1891, d:1950, m:1921 (1001)
9
Reginold Walter Dias Bandaranaike + Norah Hunter Crabb
10
Alison Dias Bandaranaike + Wolfram Kock (Austria)
10
Julia Dias Bandaranaike + Stuart Orford (UK)
11
Name Not Known
8
Manique
de Livera, b:1892
4
Name Not Known
4
Name Not Known
4
Johanna Elizabeth Philipsz b:1772 m:Sep-15-1799 + Diederich
Wilhelm
Spittel (1003), m:15th September 1799, s/o John
Lourens Spittel who
originated from Weimar in Saxony, Germany, similar to the
Scharffs
5
Gerardus Adrian Spittel
6
Frederick George Spittel, Dr + Zillia
7 Richard Lionel Spittel, Dr. + Claribel Frances
Van Dort,
(Claire) d/o Dr W G Van
Dort (1004)
8
Christine Spittel
8
Yvonne Spittel
7
Lottie Spittel
4
Name Not Known
4
Name Not Known
3
Abraham Philipsz - Maha Mudaliyar
4
Johannes Gottfried Philipsz (first Singhalese member of the
first Legislative
Council of Ceylon in 1734) d:1800
3
Catherine Philipsz
**
By Jayantha
Gunasekera
Part 1
Maha Mudaliyar Sir
Solomon Dias
Bandaranaike of Horogolla Walauwe had two daughters and a son.
The son was
SWRD, Prime Minister of Ceylon, from 1956 to 1959. He married
Sirimavo, one of
the daughters of Barnes Ratwatte (later Sir Barnes). She was a
good 18 years
SWRD’s junior in age. Though Sir Solomon was not a man of
education, he aspired
to high titular office. He aped the British so much that he
named his son
Solomon West Ridgeway after a British Governor.
SWRD
was
educated at St Thomas’ College, Mt. Lavinia, a Christian school,
and at the
University of Oxford, where he was elected Treasure of the
Oxford Union. He was
admitted to the English Bar and, on his return, he practised his
profession for
a few years. Thereafter, he took to politics and was elected as
the
representative for Veyangoda. Unlike his father, he was national
minded, and
donned the “ariyasinhala” dress, and even became a Buddhist.
One
of Sir
Solomon’s daughters was given in marriage to Leo D’Alwis of Mt.
Lavinia. The
D’Alwis’ were possessed of vast tracts of agricultural property,
and property
in the Western Province. Leo’s sister, Lillian Roslin, was given
in marriage to
a Cambridge-educated, non-practising barrister – Stephen
Seneviratne. The bride
was a lady of large proportions, heavily built. Stephen was the
eldest son of
Attapattu Mudaliyar Solomon Seneviratne, and his mother was a
sister of the
Maha Mudaliyar. So we see that Stephen and wife were both
closely related to
Sir Solomon.
Stephen’s
country
residence was Kandahena Estate, Veyangoda. Stephen and his wife,
soon
after they married, resided at White House, Ward Place, Colombo.
7, which was
not such a residential area, as it is now. He had a short stint
at the Bar, but
left and joined the Valuation Dept. as a Govt. Assessor. Within
a few years he
left Govt. service and did freelance Valuation for the Public
Trustees Dept.
and the State Mortgage Bank. He did not thereafter show any
inclination to
engage in intellectual pursuits and to continue as a member of
the Bar. He was
more interested in managing his agricultural lands. He was
particularly interested
in animal husbandry and poultry rearing, hardly the kind of
activity expected
of a Cambridge-educated lawyer. Perhaps Stephen knew his
limitations. He knew
only too well that qualifying as a lawyer was one thing, and
practising was
quite another. His son Terence, perhaps, took to agriculture,
and became the
Director of Agriculture at Peradeniya, due to his father’s
influence.
After
a
difficult confinement, Mrs. Seneviratne gave birth to their only
child,
Terrence and the doctor in attendance was Dr. S.C. Paul, one of
the earliest
Ceylonese to qualify as a surgeon. Some years after the birth of
the baby, Mrs.
Seneviratne developed an early diabetic condition. At the time
of her marriage,
both her parents were dead, being chronic diabetics. She was
given in marriage
by her brother Leo D’ Alwis, who was extremely fond of her. Mrs.
Seneviratne
developed a morbid frame of mind and made no bones about the
fact that she too
would not live long, like her parents.
A
few years
later, Stephen decided to sell White House, which he had
inherited. Mrs.
Seneviratne had constant breezes with Stephen over this sale. He
sold a dowry
property at Wellawatte and with the proceeds he purchased the
farm at Nawala
and an estate at Alawwa.
Another
matter
that they were quarrelling about was a servant girl called
Jessie. Mrs.
Seneviratne had suspicions that Stephen was having an illicit
affair with
Jessie. This girl was sacked by Mrs. Seneviratne, but
re-employed by Stephen to
work in the Nawala property.
After
the sale
of White House, they shifted to a rented house in Arbuthnot
Street, until April
1933, when they shifted to Duff House at Bagatalle Road in
October of the same
year. While living at Arbuthnot St, she wrote to Stephen the
following letter,
which was produced at the trial. The letter read; “By creeping
into a miserable
house for Rs100/- if anything goes wrong with my child, I will
without
hesitation kill myself then and there. I will not be a burden
and a stumbling
block to you much longer. Only a few years is all that is left
for me. Every
morning, noon and night I will pray to God to shorten my days.
With every
charitable act I shall pray for the same thing. I now live as a
prisoner in the
cell, waiting for the end of his term. I will not live for more
than 40 or 50 years,
because my parents died early. I will await death my comforter
and redeemer.
Can you buy me a pistol before I go to the other house. At least
alone I will
have some sort of defence then.”
Their
son
Terrence was very attached to his father. His mother used to
beat him up
whenever she lost her temper. Over this too, there were constant
quarrels
between husband and wife. She also disapproved of Stephen
visiting his
sister-in-law, Mrs. Francis Seneviratne at Veyangoda.
Mrs.
Stephen
Seneviratne, according to the evidence led at the trial, was a
highly strung
neurotic person. She flew into a rage for trivial matters, and
often used to
lock herself up and refuse to eat, for several days. She thought
that White
House was haunted and complained of ghosts. Noises of polecats
used to be
considered by her as strange noises. Stephen never took his wife
seriously and
treated her in a light hearted manner. They had been leading a
cat and dog life
for some years before her death.
At
Duff House
Mrs. Seneviratne slept with her maid Alpina. In the next room,
Terrence slept
with his Nurse Mabel Joseph. According to Alpina, Mrs.
Seneviratne spent a
restless night on the day in question, and woke up twice, once
to close the
shutters due to the rains, and again, to drink some water. Was
she tossing in
bed contemplating the drastic action she was hoping to take in
the morning?
At
6 a.m.,
according to Alpina, the lady was awake. Alpina went to the
kitchen. About 15
minutes later, their 15-year-old servant boy Seelas, and driver
Perera told
Alpina that the lady wanted her. As she entered her mistress’s
room she noticed
an oily smell. Because the lady was lying across the bed with
her head towards
the wall and legs hanging over the outer edge of the bed, her
master went to
the lady’s bed and fanned his wife with a book, and sent the
maid for some
brandy, and hot water in empty beer bottles which her master
applied to the
various parts of her mistress’s body. He also attempted
artificial respiration.
According
to
Alpina and 21-year-old Mabel Joseph, the lady was alive on
Sunday October 15th
at 6.15 a.m. There was a bottle of Aspirin tablets in her room.
Did the
servants hear a scream, a groan or a gurgling sound?
Then
the car was
sent to fetch the aunt of Mrs. Stephen — Mrs. Harry Dias
Bandaranaike and the
family doctor, Dr S.C. Paul.
If
Stephen was
responsible for her death, rather than suicide, “it would have
to be a
carefully prepared and a well timed act, on his part, to come
into his wife’s
room ready with the bottle of smelling salts, filled with
chloroform, poured
the chloroform on to a handkerchief of his wife and smothered
her by placing
the saturated hankie over her mouth and nostrils, and then gone
into his son’s
room and being seen by Alpina, coming out of the room”.
There
was ample
evidence that Mrs. Seneviratne was familiar with the use of
chloroform, and
that she was aware of the fact that chloroform was available in
the house.
Dr.
Paul arrived
at Duff House along with Mrs. Harry Dias Bandaranaike on the
morning of 15th
October. Though Dr. Paul thought it was a case of suicide by
taking an overdose
of Aspirin, he telephoned the Coroner, the Police and Leo
D’Alwis. On learning
later that the Police and the Coroner did not suspect foul play,
and did not
propose to take any action, he gave a certificate that death was
due to syncope
or heart failure, following an over dose of Aspirin. Leo D’Alwis
had himself
noticed the marks on the face but did not seriously suspect foul
play, as his
sister had threatened suicide, many times.
On
October 16th,
the funeral took place. Leo D’Alwis’ suspicions grew as there
were frequent
quarrels between his sister and Stephen and he was not satisfied
about the
marks on her face. On the advice of Dr. Paul, Leo made a
complaint on November
7th. Inquest proceedings began before E.H.R. Tennison, Police
Magistrate.
Tennison ordered the exhumation and the post-morten examination
was conducted
by Dr. T.S. Nair, the JMO. Tennison was of the opinion that Mrs.
Seneviratne
was murdered. On December 3rd the Additional Magistrate C.B.P.
Perera started
Non-Summary Proceedings, continued day to day, and the accused
Stephen
Seneviratne was committed to stand his trial before the Supreme
Court.
NEXT –
Supreme Court
Trial of Stephen Seneviratne and Appeal to the Privy Council –
Part 2 (The writer expresses his gratitude to Firoz
Sameer, for
having provided him with some literature regarding this case)
Sunday Times July 6 2014
The
family tree has also been included under the Sinhala Family
genealogy pages
since they belong to both the Burgher and Sinhala communities