Sri
Lanka Sinhalese Family Genealogy
DBR de Silva Family #3890
DBR
de Silva, one of the pioneer Ceylonese Entrepreneurs in
Zanzibar
Jewellers
to H. E. the Governor & Commander in Chef
of Tanganyika Territory &
to
HH the Sultan of Zanzibar
Background
"The sea lanes of the British Empire took men (rather than
women) far and wide. Ceylonese traders, many of them from
Galle and its hinterland, traded in Mombasa, Zanzibar and even
as far inland as Blantyre in the Rhodesias
during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Others went as
workers to Thursday Island and northern Australia. Yet others
traded at Singapore or joined the colonial service in
Malaysia. A few intrepid souls ended up in Brazil and the
Caribbean." (Prof. Michael Roberts
in article titled Four Bajans in
British Ceylon on https://thuppahis.com).
Among
the
Asians, Hettihewage
Marthenis (HHM) de Silva from Magalle, Galle
appears to have established a company to
manufacture jewellery /deal in precious stones etc in British East Africa in 1887.
De Silva had branches in Zanzibar, Dar-es-Salaam, Tanga & Mombasa, in addition to
his Head Office at No. 6, Chatham St, Colombo, Ceylon. He
passed away around 1921 & his son H. H. Alfred de Silva,
who was already there managed the company for a few years,
when it was wound up.
Magalle
in Galle was the cradle from which emerged a number of reputed
jewellers who left an indelible mark
in some of these countries. They carved out a
niche for themselves & rose to prominence because of their
business acumen, honesty & integrity & exquisitely
crafted gold jewellery.
An
Extract
from the Supplement to Ceylon Government Gazette No. 5207 -Friday , March 10 , 1893 containing the
JURY LISTS—SOUTHERN PROVINCE is repoduced
below:
“LIST
of
Persons in the Southern Province qualified to serve as Jurors
and Assessors under the provisions of the23rd clause of the
Ordinance No. 3 of 1883, for the year 1893
:—
Balage Sinno Appu, tortoriseshell-
worker
Etiligoda
Balage
Sinno Appu,
trader Galupiadde
………………….
Balage
Issan, trader Malalagama
De
Silva,
Balage Porolis,
trader Galupiadda
……………
Dimingubadatunge
Terolishami, trader do
………………………………………..
Dimingu
Badatunga Dineshami,
trader do
“Balage
Sinno Appu,
tortoriseshell-worker Etiligoda and trader Galupiadde, referred to in the 1893
List of Jurors appears to have been the next person to
establish a company in East Africa in 1902.
Singho Appu
passed away in 1909 in Nairobi & Lot No. 150 at the
Nairobi South Cemetery identifies the grave of Singho Appu.
It carries the inscription, " Erected by Mr & Mrs. B. R.
Dissanayake / nee Cathrine
Balage heir of Balage Marshall / "Sennani" Magalle,
Galle.
See http://eamemorials.co.uk/EAMemorials/KENYA/Nairobi%20South%20Cemetery/NairobiSouth16.htm
A
few years after his death, the company appears to have been
wound up.
Balage Porolis de
Silva in the list of Jurors is none other than the founder of
B P De Silva and Co. who set up a jewellery business in
Singapore in 1872 and which exists as a family enterprise even
today, 150 years later.
DB
Telorishami, trader (DBT) in the
List of Jurors appears to
have established a Company in the name of DB Teloris de Silva & Co. to
manufacture Jewellery with branches in Zanzibar and Dar Es Salaam.
East Africa
(British): Its History, People, Commerce, Industries, and
Resources
Frank
Holderness Gale
Foreign and
Colonial Compiling and Publishing Company, 1908 - Africa,
British East - 443 p
Extract
from Page 423
DB TELOUS DE
SILVA & CO.
It is six
years (1903) since Mr T De Silva came from Ceylon and
established this business in Zanzibar in its present position.
Two brothers are partners. Ivory and ebony carving, gold and
silver work are done on the premises, and any design is made
to order. Sixteen workmen are employed.
All the
boats are met with a good selection of curios and jewellery.
DB Dineshami of Wanduramba in the list of Jurors does not
figure in any of the records. He could have been the other
brother.
DBR De Silva
DBT
apparently got down his young sons Ranti
(DBR) and Malis (DBM) who
apprenticed under their father and learnt the art of
managing the business. There may have been a third brother. . It would appear that the brothers DBR and DBM
arrived in Zanzibar sometime before 1914.
Ranti de Silva and Bros.
In time, DBR set up a business under the name of
Ranti de Silva and Bros. at Dar Es Salaam and Main Street Zanzibar.
Some references in Trade Journals are shown below:
Guide to Southern Africa - Volumes 20-22; Volume 32;
Volumes 34-36
1914 · Snippet view
FOUND INSIDE
... RANTI DE SILVA &
BROTHERS KENYA and UGANDA .
Territories that thirty years ago were. SOLE PROPRIETOR : DB RANTI DE SILVA ,
ACACIA AVENUE , DAR - ES - SALAAM . MANUFACTURING ... East Africa :
Zanzibar , Dar - es - Salaam , ete . 121.
The South and East African Year Book & Guide
1919 · Snippet view
FOUND INSIDE
... RANTI DE SILVA &
BROTHERS
SOLE PROPRIETOR : DB RANTI DE SILVA ,
ACACIA AVENUE , DAR - ES - SALAAM . MANUFACTURING JEWELLERS
AND GEM Dealers in Precious Stones ,
MERCHANTS , Ivory Carvers , Ebony Curiosities , Hand - made
Lace ...
The South and East African
Year Book & Guide - Volume 38 for the year 1919 provides
the following Snipper View via books.google.lk › books.
1919 · Snippet view
FOUND
INSIDE
By Special Appointment to
H.H. THE SULTAN OF ZANZIBAR . MS
SIMON DE SILVA ... BLANTYRE ,
NYASALAND . RICHARD & Co. ,
MAIN ROAD , ZANZIBAR . P.O. BOX 109 ... DE SILVA &
BROTHERS SOLE PROPRIETOR : D. B.
RANTI DE SILVA , ACACIA AVENUE ...
The
branch
in Main Street, Zanzibar is shown below together with one of
their original advertisements. (wwwzanzibarhistory.org): Index of /assets/images
|
|
2013-12-22 20:51 |
5.9K |
|
|
|
|
2013-12-22 20:51 |
166K |
|
The firm enjoyed the reputation of being
Jewellers by Special Appointment to His Excellency the
Governor General / Commander in Chief, & His Highness the
Sultan of Zanzibar, as shown in the advertisements displayed
here.
DBR managed the business while DBM looked after
the office operations.
A
noteworthy event that took place during DBR’s early years in
Zanzibar was the then world famous British Empire Exhibition
held at Wembly in Great Britain
for several months in 1924/25. All kinds of products from all
parts of the Empire were on display & Ceylon too had a
colourful pavilion designed on the lines of the Dalada Maligawa.
Ranti de Silva & Bros.,
representing Tanganyika had a stall in the East
Africa Pavilion to display their jewellery etc. The Tanganyika
Territory Exhibition Handbook at pages 166 & 167 under
Appendix XII gives details of the elegant
ornamental exhibits specially turned out for display by them
at the event .An extract appears
below:
Ranti de
Silva & Bros. Dar Es
Salaam
Ornamental
Cabinet Top in carved ebony, with a carved elephant tusk resting horizontally on
carved ebony pine grove, and fitted with two ebony elephants
on each side
Dinner
Gong: basement of ebony, with two carved elephant tusks
supporting a silver gong attached to the tusks by a
silver chain
Carved
Ebony Photo Frame with an ivory tag one each side, and on the
top carved hippo teeth showing pictures of ostriches
Carved
Ivory Lobster
Carved
Ivory Elephant with sold nails on toes and jewelled eyes
Carved
Ivory Elephant mounted on an ebony plate and with
jewelled eyes
Carved
Ebony Elephant with ivory tusks
Ebony
Walking Sticks (knobbed handles)
Ebony
Walking Sticks (carved handles)
Page
xv
of the Handbook at the end contains an advertisement
indicating the wide & varied nature of their product portfolio at Dar-Es-Salaam..
Later, his eldest son, Alfred, & younger son,
Wilfred (Somachandra) arrived in
Zanzibar and apprenticed under their father and learnt the
trade.
Malis de Silva & Co.
At this stage, DBM, who was Manager of DBR &
Bros. opened his own company, as shown below:
References in Trade Journals to his company
appear below:
The South and East African Year Book
& Guide - Volume 41
1935 · Snippet view
FOUND INSIDE
... MALIS DE SILVA &
CO . 29, ACACIA AVENUE , DAR - ES - SALAAM . P.O. Box
... Africa via Madeira .
Fortnightly Intermediate Sailings to South & East African
Ports with regular calls at Teneriffe ... ZANZIBAR P.O.
Dar - es - Salaam
. 93.
Guide to Southern Africa - Volume 49
1949 · Snippet view
FOUND INSIDE
... ZANZIBAR JESSE
AND COMPANY 141 , MAIN ROAD Cables
" British , " Zanzibar P.O.
Box 450 Will plan and arrange your ... MALIS DE SILVA &
CO . ACACIA AVENUE , DAR ES SALAAM
. P.O. Box , 342 . Tel . Phone 383 Add
. " MALIS "
Direct ...
Owen's Commerce & Travel and International Register -
Page 394
1966 · Snippet view
FOUND INSIDE – PAGE 394
... Malis de Silva &
Co. , P.Ο.Β. 342 . Moloo Brothers
& Co. Ltd. , P.O. Box 53 .
Stewarts Stores , P.O.Box 1350 . Swiss Watch Store , P.O.Box
1479 . TANGA N. Chellaram & Co. , P.O.Box
150 . Bhanji Laxman & Sons Ltd.
, P.O. Box 236 . ZANZIBAR ...
The following entry
found in
the
Official
Gazette 1931
(books.google.lk › books)
shows that Malis de Silva started
his company sometime before 1931.
"... de Silva & Co. , to Mr Martin Weerasuriya
is cancelled from to - day . Dar es
Salaam , 5th September , 1931 .
Signed D. B. MALIS DE SILVA ........"
/
Ranti de Silva & Sons
In time, the business premises shifted to
more spacious premises on the same street and both sons
assisted DBR to manage the business , which was now renamed Ranti de Silva & Sons.
DBR returned to Ceylon in 1957 and his elder son , Alfred, took over the management of the
business.. At this stage, the company name was changed to Ranti de Silva Ltd., as shown below:
:
Some references to Ranti
de Silva Ltd. are shown below:
Guide to
Southern Africa
1963
books.google.lk › books
... RANTI
DE SILVA , LTD . MAIN STREET ,
ZANZIBAR Manufacturing Jewellers and Gem Merchants AGENTS
FOR : - ROLEX WATCH CO . , GENEVA • THE PARKER PEN CO . ,
LONDON IVORY CARVERS , EBONY ... CO . , LTD . GIBRALTAR . Beira
; Zanzibar . 97.
The Year Book and Guide to East Africa
1963
books.google.lk › books
...
Zanzibar Purveyors to Royalty . Certificate of Honour and
Medal British Empire Exhibition , Wembley , 1924 Diploma and
Certificate of Merit Tanganyika Exhibition 1929 RANTI DE
SILVA , LTD ... CO . , GENEVA • THE PARKER PEN CO . , LONDON
...
The Year
Book and Guide to Southern Africa
1963
books.google.lk › books
...
Zanzibar Purveyors to Royalty . Certificate of Honour and
Medal British Empire Exhibition ,
Wembley , 1924 Diploma and Certificate of Merit Tanganyika
Exhibition 1929 RANTI DE SILVA , LTD ... CO . , GENEVA THE
PARKER PEN CO . , LONDON IVORY ...
The 1964 Revolution in & its
Aftermath
Extract from Wikipaedia
Zanzibar was an ethnically diverse state consisting of a
number of islands off the east coast of Tanganyika. Formally
separated from German East Africa in 1890, it had become fully
independent in 1963, with responsibility for its own defense and foreign affairs, as a
result of Britain giving up its protectorate over it. In a
series of parliamentary elections preceding this change, the
Arab minority succeeded in retaining the hold on power it had
inherited from Zanzibar's former existence as an overseas
territory of Oman.
Frustrated by lack of parliamentary representation compared to
its share of votes in the July 1963 election, the African
Afro-Shirazi Party (ASP), led by
John Okello, mobilised around
600–800 men on the main island of Unguja
on the morning of 12 January 1964. Having overrun the
country's police force and appropriated their weaponry, the
insurgents proceeded to Zanzibar Town, where they overthrew
the Sultan and his government.
The massacre of Arabs during the Zanzibar Revolution ensued,
and the insurgents proceeded to loot Arab and South
Asian–owned properties and businesses, and rape or murder Arab
and Indian civilians on the island. The death toll is
disputed, with estimates ranging from several hundreds to
20,000. An estimated 10,000 people escaped from the island,
with many fleeing to the UK. Around a quarter of Zanzibar's
Arabs were killed in the massacres. The moderate ASP leader Abeid Karume
became the country's new president and head of state.`
Winding Up of the Company
In the aftermath of the revolution, the climate
was no longer conducive for business, and many Indian and Ceylonese wound up their
businesses anf returned home
along with their employees. The company set up by DBR also
closed down and his two sons returned to Ceylon.
Death of DBR de Silva
He died at Galle in 1967
Interesting Information in the public domain
Comments of Mrs. Helen Haylett
http://memorywanderer.blogspot.com/2020/01/on-beach.html?m=0
There were other jewellers in Zanzibar at this
time, but Ranti de Silva was
obviously one among the most sought after, as seen in the
following statements recorded by a Mrs. Helen Haylett :
At page 21 in a book about her husband "Cecil
Walter Haylett" –
" I remember having my wedding ring made by Ranti da Silva, and paying for it
myself.”
At page 87
in the book, "My Life"
"For his Christmas present I got Ranti da Silva to make the link and
studs for his evening dress which we still have, andI sent these home to him. "
Links under Goa & Zanzibar
at https://www.zanzibarhistory.org/table_of_contents.htm
Item
offered for sale at an Auction in the UK
Date of Auction 18 Jul 2017
10:30 BST
Lot Location: Aylsham,
Norwich, UK
Auctioneer
:
Keys Fine Art Auctioneers
Description of Item
Art Deco period mid-grade precious
metal bar brooch, the centre of double hoop design set with
seed pearls, one with small loss, flanked to either side by a
small square cut pale sapphire, stamped 15ct and Plat, weight
5gms within a fitted a case stamped Ranti
de Silva & Bros, Jewellers Zanzibar. See :
https://www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb/auction-catalogues/keys-aylsham-salerooms/catalogue-id-srkey10167/lot-7d45e95d-b8d9-4195-b22a-a7a600d4530e
Extract from Guest Book Vol. 8
https://zanzibarhistory.org/guest_book_volume_8.htm
Date:
12/26/2006
Comment:
701
Ranti de Silva was born in Ceylon. He owned
jewellery shops in Zanzibar, Dar-Es-Salaam,
and Mombasa. He died after returning to Ceylon in 1957. The
shop in Zanzibar was then looked after by his eldest son,
Alfred, now deceased, till the revolution. His daughter who
was married to the former Mayor of Galle,Ceylon and his second
son, Somachandra too are now
deceased. His youngest son Keerthisiri
is an Eye Surgeon who has a practice in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
Author: bargash@msn.com.
DBR's
relatives and their Companies
Dantanarayana Don Millan
Gazette
No. No. 5,395-FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28 ,
1896, contains a List of Jurors appointed to the Southern Provnce. Among them are the following:
De
Silva,
Balage Sinno
Appu, trader Ettiligoda
De
Silva,
Balage Siman,
trader Galupiadda
De
Silva,
Balage Oralias,
trader do
Dantanarayana,
Don Andris de DSilva, goldsmith Kumbalwella
Dharmasekara,
J S, trader Galupiadda
Dineshami,
Dimingubadaturuge, farmer Haliwala
Don
Nicholas,
Godakanda Arachchige,
contractor and farmer Bope
David,
Godage, clerk Haliwala
De
Silva,
Hettihewage Marthenis,
trader Galupiadda
De
Silva,
Kuruneruge Endoris,
trader do
De
Silva,
Kuruneruge Jonathan, trader Bope
De
Silva, Kalupahanage Hendrick, vedarala
Kumbalwella
Dantanarayana Don Andiris
de Silva, goldsmith, of Kumbalwella is most likely one of
those who went to East Africa to work with one of the
Ceylonese jewellers who had already established jewellery
shops there before and around 1900. Among them were H.
H. M. De Silva, B, Singho Appu, D. B. Teloris
de Silva, M. S. Simon de Silva.
Dantanarayana Don Millan (DDM), was probably his son,
and according to Keline Selden,
one of his children, DDM had
arrived in Zanzibar, at the age of fifteen.
Millan apparently married Kusum, a daughter of DBR’s brother,
DBM. He probably apprenticed under DBR, learnt the trade
over several years, and in time formed his own company as
stated in the following Trade Journals :
Owen's African and Middle East Commerce & Travel ...
and ...
1960 · Snippet view
FOUND INSIDE – PAGE 457
... Don Millan , P.O.Box 333 . Moloo Bros & Co.
Ltd. Monji's , P.O.Box
172 ... Don Millan ,
P.O.Box 333 . Bankers
: contd . from foot of prev . column . ZANZIBAR Virjee Monji ,
P.O.Box 9 . Ranti
de Silva ... Zanzibar . ZANZIBAR 457.
The Year Book and Guide to East Africa
1960 · Snippet view
FOUND INSIDE
... ZANZIBAR .
Tel : Add : " MILLAN " ZANZIBAR NOVELTY
AND STYLE JEWELLERY from D. DON MILLAN Creative
Jeweller and Gem Merchant DEALERS IN : IVORY AND EBONY ,
CURIOS , SILVERWARE , WATCHES AND CLOCKS , PARKER AND SHEAFFER
FOUNTAIN PENS ...
DDM and Kusum
had nine children and lived in Zanzibar.
During the 1964 Revolution he had been reluctant to leave
& had temporarily shifted to another area to tide over the
difficult period. However, when they returned home they
had found that their property had been damaged and looted. It
was no longer possible to stay, and the entire family had
returned to Ceylon. After a few months in Ceylon, Don Millan
had passed away. Mrs Kusum Dantanarayana had then returned to
Zanzibar with the entire family, where the children continued
their education. The children are now scattered all over the
world.
Read the story related by his daughter, Keline Selden here :
Zanzibar ‘revolution girls’ reunite
after 50 years | The Citizen
Zanzibar ‘revolution girls’ reunite after 50
years
Saturday, August 17, 2013 — updated
on April 03, 2021
GNE De Silva
GNE was a relative of DBR, but the exact
relationship is not known. Many details about him are
available on the web and those found in Trade Journals can be
relied on and are shown below:
.A description about him appearing in http://www.zanzibarhistory.org/assets/images/?C=N;O=D, is
reproduced below along with an advertisement.
He had arrived in Zanzibar at theage of 19 years, apprenticed under
DBR and learnt the trade for ten years and formed his own
Company, which was located a few yards away from DBR"s Company
on Main St. Zanzibar.
Another description about G. N. E. De Silva appears here , but
this does not seem to be accurate:
https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.dewani.ca/af/Forum/zbarcrafts.htm&sa=U&ved=2ahUKEwihr_fDuaKNAxUNUGwGHdpxCT4QFnoECAoQAg&usg=AOvVaw0NhpvPx-DOS5kL6HAOLClk
Extract from Zanzibar Craftsmanship
“There was also the Gold Smiths Association in Zanzibar. It
was made up of various sonis from
Kutch and Kathiawad (both Hindus
as well as Sunni Muslims). One of its prominent members was G.N.D’silva
(a Ceylonese) of ‘Ranti D’silva’ & ‘D’don
Millon’ who had started his
goldsmith business in Zanzibar as far back as 1920’s.”
This statement is incorrect, because as stated
above, he started his own business in 1932.
A
further description appears here:
https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.dewani.ca/af/Forum/snippets.htm&sa=U&ved=2ahUKEwiWnf3buaKNAxVdb2wGHQonLb04ChAWegQIAxAC&usg=AOvVaw0g1zEs3-_sKu2XRgYByIw0
(https://www.dewani.ca//af/forum/snippets.htm)
Extract from Snippets
“Just a
a separate question if that is ok.
When I visited Dar in 67 or so, I recall visiting a Buddhist
temple that was set up by people from what we now call Sri
Lanka, I was told. We know hardly anything about this
particular category of Ceylonese migrants to East Africa and
what it was that brought them to Dar. I am sure you have heard
stories about them. May be you can tell us a little bit. “
“ I was checking Barghash’s website and found out
that a Ceylonese by the name of G.N.De Silva had arrived in
Zanzibar in 1922. He
was a goldsmith and opened his shop in the name of ‘Ranti D’silva’
and later 'D'don Millon'. In 1932 he
started the business W.H.Hamilton & Co. He was
also the President of Zanzibar’s Goldsmiths’
Association. Bhadra,
I suppose the Ceylonese had their Budhist
temple along Shangani. It is said that D’silva
recruited quite a few Ceylonese to work in his goldsmith
shops. Some of them used to come out wearing the South Indian
type lungi. D’silva later opened
branches in Daressalaam and
Mombasa.”
The extract from Snippets seems to indicate that
1) it
was GNE De Silva who started Ranti
de Silva companies .
2) he
partnered with D. Don Millan
3) he
started W. H. Hamilton & Co. in 1932
The first two statements
are incorrect according to contemporary records. Both GNE
& DDM worked for DBR & Bros and they later formed
their own companies.The
third statement is correct,
as shown above & below:
The Year
Book and Guide to East Africa
1962
books.google.lk › books
... GNE De
Silva ) GEM MERCHANTS Agents : -Omega and Tissot watches . The watches the
world has learned to trust BRANCH AT AIRPORT BUILDING
Manufacturers of Jewellery ,
Ivory and Ebony carved curios Orders promptly executed at
moderate ...
GNE
managed
his own business for over 30 years.
Participation in Buddhist Activities
Participation of DBR, DBM & DDM in Buddhist
Activities as found in the records
Extract from Pannasekara.com
1920
In 19th century, in Africa especially in Tanzania, Sri Lankan
people established Buddhist temple after they came to work in
Dar es Salaam around 1920. This
is the oldest Buddhist temple in Africa. They were about
400-450 people. First Buddhist person came to Tanzania is Mr
H. G.Gunapala
with Ven Lokanatha
thero in 1920. He is the person
established this temple in Tanzania. They worked together and
formed “Singhalese Buddhist Association” and then bought a
piece of land from the government of Tanzania, then brought a
seedling of Bodhi tree (this was the tree under which the
Buddha attained full enlightenment) from Sri Lanka and planted
it in 1920.It has grown up now covering about quarter acre.
Extract from Pannasekera. om.
1927
The Buddhist Association hall was built in 1927. In those days
Tanzania was still under the British protectorate. The
association was then registered under the societies in 1945.
Extract from Buddhist India Volumes 1-2
1927
books.google.lk ›
book
... Malis de Silva , the Manager of the
firm of Messrs . Ranti de Silva
and Bros.
, Jewellers . Dar - Es - Salaam ,
presided . In a beautiful and. lengthy. speech. Mr Gunapala. impressed. upon. the
audience how desirable it was for the community...
Extract from The Maha Bodhi vol 61
1953
books.google.lk ›
books
... Temple for Dar es Salaam . On
the full moon day of Vaisakha , the foundation stone of a
new Buddhist Temple was laid at Dar es
Salaam by Mr DB Ranti De Silva
of Zanzibar in the presence of a large gathering of
Sinhalese residents ...
Don
Millan was also an active participant in Buddhist activities
in Zanzibar, as shown below:
Extract
from Pannasekera.com
1962
Visiting Monks
Ven Palane
Narada
He was the first Buddhist monk to the African continent born
in Sri Lanka . After learning Buddhism, he started traveling
to many countries to propagate it. In 1962 he came to Zanzibar
for a short visit. At
that time there had a Buddhist association office in
Zanzibar. It was at Don Millan’s house. Don Millan was a
merchant and jeweler in
Zanzibar. From There Ven Narada gave a short visit to the
temple.
Family
Tree
1. D. B. Terolishami,
trader, Galupiadda + ............. (Terolis de Silva)
2. D. B. Dineshami, trader, Wanduramba + ............ (Dinesh de
Silva) Further details not known. Terolis
& his brother have been partners, according to a 1908
publication,,& the brother may have been Dinesh.
1.1.
DBR De Silva
1.1.
DBR De Silva + Sylvia de Silva
1.1.1
Alfred Silva
1.1.2
Seela Silva
1.1.3
Wilfred Silva
1.1.4
Kirthi Silva
1.1.1
Alfred Silva d. 18,7,1996 + Punya........d.
4.7.2008
1.1.1.1
Niranjala Silva
m S. Hapangama, son of C. P. Hapangama & Seelawathie
1.1.1.2 Manoj Silva
1.1.1.3 Jai Silva
Punya's siblings :
Clement, Tom, Lena, Siridasa,
Amara, Naomal.
Alfred joined his father in
Zanzibar & assisted him to manage his business activities,
until he took over, when his father returned to Ceylon. In
1964, after the revolution in Zanzibar, which resulted in the
killing of thousands of Arabs & Indians, the climate was
no longer conducive to business & he returned to Ceylon
1,1.2.
Seela de Silva d............., married Wilfred Wijekulasuriya d.
,
1.1.2.1 Chinta Wijekulasuriya
1.1.2.2 Rukman Wijekulasuriya
1.1.2.3 Ramya Wijekulasuriya
1.1.2.4 Mahesh
Wijekulasuriya
1.1.2.5 Chandrika
Wijekulasuriya
1.1.2.6 Shantha Wijekulasuriya
Wilfred Wijekulasuriya was a well known Senior Attorney at Law
& leading Politician, Mayor of Galle from 1945 to 1949
& 1952 to 1953, one of the original members of the Sri
Lanka Freedom Party formed by S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike,
Chairman, Fishery Harbours Corporation, Ambassador for Sri
Lanka in Kenya & concurrently to Zambia etc. A road in Magalle has been named after him in
his honour
He was the son of Mr & Mrs. (Marsion?) Wijekulasuriya
of Magalle. His siblings : Herbert, Lionel, Cyril,
Eric.
1.1.3 Wilfred de Silva
(Somachandra), d......... too
joined his father in Zanzibar & assisted him to manage the business. He
too returned to Ceylon along with his brother. He remained a
bachelor
1.1.4. Dr Kirthi de
Silva M.B.B.S.Cey.;
F.R.C.S. (Ophthalmology ) UK., Eye Surgeon, Eye
Hospital, Colombo, Eye Surgeon, London Eye Hospital,
UK , Consultant Eye Surgeon Sri Lanka married Geetha Wickremasinghe,
(B.A. Cey.), daughter of Mr &
Mrs. Rex Wickremasinghe of Magalle. Her siblings : Sarath
(B.Sc. Phy Sc.), Dalmie (B.Sc
Agric. ), Neela, Lalani, Ramani,
............... .
1.1.4.1. Dr Dinesh de Silva,
Consultant Eye Surgeon
1.1.4.2 ............ .
In the mid 1950s the DBR de Silva family were the
proud owners of a Hindustan Ambassador motor car, being one of
two cars imported to Ceylon. This was the first car
manufactured by the Birla Group in India, in the previous
year. It was a car modelled on the
Morris Oxford made in Gt. Britain. DBR was probably
influenced by his North Indian friends on Main St. Zanzibar to
buy the first Indian car for the use of his family in Ceylon.
Dr DBK de Silva, his sister Seela
Wijekulasuriya & WT Wijekulasuriya in Mayoral attire
1.2 DBM De Silva + ............
1.2.1
Kusum de Silva + Dantanarayana Don Millan
They had nine children, who are scattered all
over the world. Keline Selden,
referred to above is one of them. The most well-known among
them is Mihiri Dissanayake, Justice of the Peace in
Melbourne, who provides a voluntary community service to Sri
Lankans in Australia and New Zealand ,
and publishes a monthly journal named Pahana containing matters of interest
for free distribution among members of the community. She also
helps the needy in Sri Lanka in various ways. She is married
to Bandu Dissanayake, a former Hony.
Consul for Sri Lanka in Melbourne.
Some
Unique Incidents Featuring W. T. Wijekulasuriya
1. Resolution on the War
Situation in 1939.
Extract from the minutes of the
Genera Meeting of the Galle Municipal Council held on
September 14, 1939 with the Mayor, W. Dahanayake
presiding :
The Mayor moved :—•“ On behalf of the citizens of Galle this
Council desires to convey to His Excellency the Governor an
assurance of its loyalty and devotion to His Majesty the King
and of its readiness to co-operate in any measures which the
authorities may consider necessary to adopt in the prosecution
of the War ”. Mr AIHA Wahab,
Deputy Mayor seconded.
" Mr WT Wijekulasuriya drew the attention of
the Mayor to by-law 10 (d) of the by-laws regulating the
procedure at meetings, and said that the motion was not in
order as it had no bearing at all on Municipal administration.
The Mayor ruled that the motion was in order under the by-law1
quoted by the Member.
Mr T. W. Roberts suggested
the insertion of the word “ reasonable
” before the word “ measures ” in line 4, as he said he could
not support any unreasonable measures, such as the present “
black-out ”.
The Mayor said he was unable
to agree with the suggestion made and was not prepared to
insert the word “ reasonable ” before the word “ measures ”.
The motion was ' then put to the Meeting and carried,
Messrs. W. T. Wijekulasuriya and T. W. Roberts
declined to vote."(Gazette No. 8,544-Friday, November 3,
1939.p 1942, pdf p.22)”
2. Independence Day
Celebrations in 1948 at Galle
Extract from a News Item
https://www.sundaytimes.lk/190203/plus/when-february-4-dawned-71-years-ago-333520.html
Galle
Mayor
Boycotts Event
The Lion Flag had been unfurled, parades held,
the National Anthem sung with gusto, bells rung, tom-toms
beaten and conch shells blown all over the country on February
4. In Galle, however, Mayor W.T. Wijekulasuriya
refused to participate in the celebrations held at the
esplanade organized by Government Agent W.O. Stevens……due to
being convinced that “the expenditure of Rs.
800,000 at a time when unemployment, distress and poverty were
widely prevalent was unconscionable”.
3. Galle
Mayoral Election 1952
Galle Municipal .
Council consisted of 15 members.
Messrs. ARM Thassim
(ARMT), WT Wijekulasuriya (WTW)
& ED Nagahawatte (EDN) were
the candidates.
The Municipal Commissioner (MC) conducted the
election.
When voting began, the first member voted for
WTW. The next two declined to vote.
At this
stage, candidate EDN withdrew.
Voting continued . 7
voted for ARMT. 6 voted for WTW including EDN.
The MC decided to conduct the election again with
only ARMT & WTW as the candidates.
This time,
WTW received 8 votes & ARMT received 7. EDN & the 2
members who declined to vote earlier, also voted for WTW.
WTW was declared elected as the Mayor.
ARMT challenged the decision in the courts
claiming that he should have been elected after the first
voting. A galaxy of brilliant lawyers appeared for the
parties.
HV Perera, QC, with EB Wikramanayake, QC, Sir Ukwatte Jayasundera,
QC, S Nadesan, MIA Azeez, HW Jayewardene and GT Samarawickreme, for ARMT
NE Weerasooria, QC, with SJV Chelvanayakam, QC, CS Barr Kumarakulasinghe, Vernon Wijetunge, Izadeen
Mohamed and AS Vanigasooriyar ,
for WTW.
GE Ghitty, with P Somatilakam , S Sharvananda
and Joseph St. George, for the Municipal Commissioner.
After hearing arguments for both sides, Justice Gunasekera delivering the judgment on
18 March 1952 refused to intervene & the
election of WTW as Mayor was held to be in order.
Incidentally, W Dahanayake,
then MP for Galle , as well as a
member of the Galle Municipal Council voted for WTW.
Case can be read in full in 55 NLR 59.
However, ARM Thassim
was Mayor in 1950-51, & again from 1954-62 , thus becoming the longest serving
Mayor of Galle.
4. Prize Giving of St.
Aloysius College, Galle held in 1958
Past Mayor of Galle, Senior Attorney at Law, MrWijekulasuriya and Mrs. Seela Wijekulasuriya
were the Chief Guests. he Form I A Prize for Mathematics In 1957 was won by their son Rukman. He received his prize from his
mother. There was applause & smiles from the audience.
Prepared
by KK de Silva
