Sri
Lankan Burgher Family Genealogy
ISAAC SOLOMONS – Family
#11
0 ISAAC SOLOMONS of
Hamburg, Corporal + Dominga Bastiaans Dias, m:DR Galle
27.1.1782
1
HENDRIK SOLOMONS + DRC W 21-12-1788 Aldina van Slooten (died
1831) -
2
Hendrick Thomas Solomons, head
clerk,
district court, Badulla, d:1881 + Mary Anne Hooper
3
Sophia Henrietta Solomons
3
Caroline Charlotte Solomons, b:10-Aug-1840 + Gaulterus Kats
3
Henry Thomas Solomons, b:6-Feb-1842 + Eleanor Don, d:1870
4 Rosalind
Harriet Solomons
+ Richard Francis Rebeira
5
Victor Francis Rebeira
5
Winifred Mary Rebeira d:age 17
5
Stella Rose Rebeira
5
Lilian Gertrude Rebeira
5
Colin Alexander Rebeira + Fanny Kerdic
6
Bertram Rebeira
6
Alice Rebeira + Melhuisen (died 12-05-1973 Australia)
7
Patrick Melhuisen + Daphne Kelaart
5
Letitia Grace Rebeira + R. Weldon
5
Alma Doris Rebeira + Cyril Vanderputt
6
Julian Vanderputt
6
Anton Vanderputt
6
George Vanderputt
6
Stephen Walter Vanderputt
3
2nd Spouse of Thomas Henry Solomons :
b:6-Feb-1842 +
Henrietta Wilhelmina Greave, b:28-Apr-1851, m:16-Jul-1873 a
St. Paul’s Kandy
4
Grace Edith Solomons, d:4-Jan-1961 + Alfred Theordore
De Zilwa,
b:8-Jan-1871, d:5-May-1934
4
Arthur Allanson Solomons, b:12-Nov-1876 + Victorine
Georgiana
(Theresa) Ephraums b.11-May-1884 d.1-Feb-1927, m:27-Dec-1905
at Galle
5
PHYLLIS THERESE SOLOMONS, b:11-Feb-1908 + Gerald Rex
Gilles, b:
20-Apr-1906 d.8-Oct-1974, m:4-Sep-1928 at Registrar Generals
Office in Colombo
6
Ivor Gilles + Rosemarie
7
Joanne Gilles
6
Zyska Gilles + Conrad Ephraims
7
Tyrone Ephraims + Loraine
7
John Ephraims
6
George Ephraims + Joan Craggs
5
[1] REGINALD ARTHUR HENRY SOLOMONS, Engine Driver,
CGR, d:1-Oct-1999 +
[2] IRIS HERMIONE SOLOMONS,m: at Nugegoda. D:23-Feb-1996 in
Australia
6
[3] CHARMAINE SOLOMONS + [4] Harold Juriansz
7
[5] Shane Juriansz + [6] Caroline
8
[7] Daniel Juriansz
8
[8] Nathan Juriansz
8
[9] Hayden Juriansz
7
[10] Sharon Juriansz
6
[11] RONALD SOLOMONS + [12] Heather Lewis
7
[13] ANDRE SOLOMONS
6
[14] MAUREEN SOLOMONS + [15] Tyrone Fernando
7
[16] Ingrid Fernando
6
[17] PATRICK SOLOMONS + [18] Janine Wilson
7
[19] ANTHONY SOLOMONS
6
[20] FORTUNE SOLOMONS + [21] Shyam Wijesinghe
7
[22] Cherine Wijesinghe
7
[23] Geraldine Wijesinghe
7
[24] Janelle Wijesinghe
6
[25] DONOVAN SOLOMONS + [26] Anne de Vos
7
[27] JASON SOLOMONS
7
[28] ANDREW SOLOMONS
6
[29] TREVOR EVERARD SOLOMONS + [30] Cheyl Phillips
7
[31] Sean SOLOMONS
7
[32] Sherwin SOLOMONS
6
[33] GERALD CHRISTOPHER SOLOMONS + [34] Kathleen Jansz
7
[35] Dirk SOLOMONS
6
[36] AUDREY SOLOMONS + [37] Wasantha Gunesekera
7
[38] Evangeline Gunesekera
7
[39] Sharine Gunesekera
6
[40] CHRISTOPHER SOLOMONS
5
RENNIE A.K. SOLOMONS + Amy Wallace, d:17-Mar-1997 in
Australia
6
MELVYN SOLOMONS + Winifreda Barbara Bartholomeusz
b.7-Feb-1945, m:
21-Oct-1966 at St. Mary’s Dehiwela
6
MARION SOLOMONS + Errol Arthur St. Francis Andriesz,
b.28-Jun-1940,
m:7-Sep-1963 at St. Mary’s Dehiwela
7
Ann Marie Andrieze
6
ROMAYNE SOLOMONS + Maurice Coomaravel
7
Janine Coomaravel
6
GORDON SOLOMONS
6
RUSSEL SOLOMONS
6
VALERIE SOLOMONS
6
SONYA SOLOMONS
6
MARYSE SOLOMONS
5
WILLIAM MANNING SOLOMONS, petty officer CRNVR, + Thelma
Merle
Claessen, b.13.6.1921, (4th child of Arthur Claessan +
Therese), m:27-Dec-1943
at St.John's Nugegoda
6
JEAN SOLOMONS + Thomas
7
SHAMILLA SOLOMONS
7
TAMMY SOLOMONS
6
ROBIN SOLOMONS + Jennifer
7
JADE SOLOMONS
4
William Henry Solomons, b:18-Dec-1879, d:1942 + Miriam
Constance
Kellar
5
Henry Maxwell Solomons, b:13-Oct-1910
5
Wilmir Hurft Solomons, b:??-Jun-1917 + Noeline Stella
Pieris,
b:1922
6
Wendell Wilmir Solomons b:1943 + NATALYA EVGENEVNA KRASNOVA
(1953,
Moscow, Russia)
6
Franklin Ronald Solomons b:1945
6
William Boyd Solomons b:23-Apr-1948 + Charmaine Jennifer van
Dort,
m:9-Sep-1986
7
AMANDA MARYANNE SOLOMONS
5
Mirwil Carlyle Solomons b: 1918 at Matara, Ceylon and
died on
26/11/1989 in Australia aged 71 + Barbara Yvonne Goodchild was
b: 1928/29 and
died during child birth to 4th child in 1949 aged 21 (1144,
1147, 1149, 1153)
6
Mark Carlyle Solomons b: 09-Aug-1946 + Rhonda Ure
b:in
Australia.
7
Nina Maree Solomons b: 1972 in Sydney, Australia.
7
Michael Carlyle Solomons b: 1974 in Sydney, Australia +
Chantal
8
Spencer Carlyle
Solomons b: Jan 2007 in Sydney, Australia
7
David Mark Solomons b: 1980 in Sydney, Australia.
6
Harold Lindsay Solomons b: 07-Nov-1947 + Eleanor
Frances
Cooke, b:01-Nov-1950, m:15-Feb-1971
7
Hamish Lindsay Solomons 27-Nov-1972 at 11:32 am at St.
Anne's
Nursing Home, De Kretser Place, Colombo 4, weighing 8 pounds +
Grace Russo
born 20/11/71 in Australia m:31st July 2003
8
Hunter Lindsay Robert Solomons bn 20.12.06 at St George
Private
Hospital, Sydney, Australia
6
2nd spouse of Harold Lindsay Solomons: + Pauline
Rohini
Dharmaratnam in 12-Jun-1994. b:12-Feb-1964 in Colombo,
Sri Lanka.
(daughter of Kandavanam Dharmaratnam and Rita Thangiah)
7
Sabeena-Caitlin Gabriel Solomons b: 23-Apr-1997 in Hurstville
Community
Hospital, Sydney, Australia.
7
Tamsyn Rita-Maree Solomons b: 11-Sep-2000 in Hurstville
Community
Hospital, Sydney, Australia.
6
Gerald Walter Solomons b: 16-Oct-1948, well known hair-dresser
in New
Zealand, + Donna Sunde in 1974.
7
Damian Solomons b:01-Jun-1974 in New Zealand.
6
2nd spouse of Gerald Solomons: + Mary Rozenman on
19/05/1979. She was b:19-Mar-1947.
7
Miron Solomons b:11-May-1980 at National Women’s Hospital,
Auckand, New
Zealand.
6
Bernard Solomons, b:1950 + Carolyn McMullen b:in
Australia.
7
Leanne Solomons + Rohit Khatri b:in Nepal.
8
Tara Ann Khatri, bn:
Sydney, Australia
8
Olivia Khatri bn: Sydney, Australia
7
Joanne Solomons
5
2nd spouse of Mirwil Carlyle Solomons + Leonie Budywn (Buddy) Browne in
India
6
Trevor Carlyle Solomons,
6
Leonie Marilynne Solomons (Cukoo)
5
Ronald Solomons
4
Ernest Oswald Solomons, b:1880 + Beatrice Dalmini Friar
5
Henry Arthur Thompson Solomons, b:1909, d:8-Jun-1895 +
Helen
Williams
5
Christopher Thomson Solomons + Ms. Abeydeera
5
Isabel Joyce Solomons, d:7-Aug-1887 in UK + Oliver
Royden
Jansen, d:16-Dec-1979
5
Richard Lionel Solomons + Winifred Christine Fernando,
d:20-Aug-2001
6
Dalmeny
Solomons + Noel Grant Akbar
6
E.D.
Bernard Solomons
6
Virginia
Solomons + Hemachandra
Kariyawasam, Magistrate
6
Lorraine
Solomons + Leslie Benjamin
6
R.E.B. Solomons
6
Floyd
Solomons
4
Richard Alexander Solomons + Florence Scholastica
Buultjens,
d:28-Oct-1955
5
Faith Hyacinth Solomons, d:23-Oct-1987 in Australia +
Annesley
George Bowen, b:1907 (w Edith Maude
Isabel Loos)
6
Jean Bowen +
Jansz
6
Jean Bowen +
Foster
6
Anthony Bowen + Astrid Bowen
6
Franklin Bowen
5
Richard Earle Solomons, b:1911, executive engineer +
Rene Maisie
Willenberg Rodriguesz, b.23.4.1917 d.7.8.1961,
m:25-Sep-1937 at St,Paul's
Milagiriya, Colombo 4, Ceylon (Sri Lanka)
6
NINETTE SOLOMONS + Hesiri (Pahn) Dias, m:16-Feb-1963 at MC
Kollupitiya,
Colombo 3, Sri Lanka
6
MARILYN SOLOMONS + Nissanka de Alwis, m:7-Jan-1970 at
St.Lawrence's
Wellawatte, Colombo 6, Sri Lanka
6
BEVERLY OPHELIA SOLOMONS + Ainsley Pieris, m:19-Aug-1972
5
2nd spouse of RICHARD EARLE SOLOMONS: +
Mary Doreen
Lucretia de la Motte, b:14-Jan-1923, m: 27-Dec-1962 at
St.Theresa's
Thimbirigasyaya, Colombo 5, Sri Lanka
5
Mary Merlyn Christobel Solomons, 19-Jul-1915,
d:30-Sep-2000 +
John Frederick Charles Koelmeyer, b:4-Apr-1911, m:1935 at the
Cathedral, Galle,
Ceylon (Sri Lanka)
6
Frederick Koelmeyer II + C SOLOMONS
5
Florence Love Hyacinth Solomons + A. Lionel S.
Sirimanne
6
Srinath Sirimanne
4
Phillip Sidney Solomons, b:23-Jan-1887, d:10-Nov-1961 +
Rita Beryl
Hoffman, b:6-Aug-1897, d:15-Apr-1988, m:1915 at Christ Church,
Galle Face,
Colombo, Ceylon (Sri Lanka)
5
Pearl Rene Solomons + Horace Victor Benedict Ingram,
d:24-Mar-1990 in Australia
6
Barbara Ingram + Gary Silva
7
Ricardo Silva
6
Douglas Ingram + Yolanda Nelson
7
Juliana Ingram
7
Andrea Ingram
6
Brian Ingram + Felicia Landsberger
7
Gunette Ingram
7
Warren Ingram
6
Susan Ingram + Nihal Rupasinghe
7
Rohita Rupasinghe
7
Yasmin Rupasinghe
6
Michael Ingram + Meredith
7
Bethany Ingram
5
[2] Iris Hermione Solomons, d:23-Feb-1996 in Australia, +
[1]
Reginald Arthur Henry Solomons, d:1-Oct-1999 at Nugegoda, m:
at Nugegoda
6
[3] CHARMAINE SOLOMONS + [4] Harold Juriansz
7
[5] Shane Juriansz + [6] Caroline
8
[7] Daniel Juriansz
8
[8] Nathan Juriansz
8
[9] Hayden Juriansz
7
[10] Sharon Juriansz
6
[11] RONALD SOLOMONS + [12] Heather Lewis
7
[13] ANDRE SOLOMONS
6
[14] MAUREEN SOLOMONS + [15] Tyrone Fernando
7
[16] Ingrid Fernando
6
[17] PATRICK SOLOMONS + [18] Janine Wilson
7
[19] ANTHONY SOLOMONS
6
[20] FORTUNE SOLOMONS + [21] Shyam Wijesinghe
7
[22] Cherine Wijesinghe
7
[23] Geraldine Wijesinghe
7
[24] Janelle Wijesinghe
6
[25] DONOVAN SOLOMONS + [26] Anne de Vos
7
[27] JASON SOLOMONS
7
[28] ANDREW SOLOMONS
6
[29] TREVOR SOLOMONS + [30] Cheyl Phillips
7
[31] Sean SOLOMONS
7
[32] Sherwin SOLOMONS
6
[33] GERALD SOLOMONS + [34] Kathleen Jansz
7
[35] Dirk SOLOMONS
6
[36] AUDREY SOLOMONS + [37] Wasantha Gunesekera
7
[38] Evangeline Gunesekera
7
[39] Sharine Gunesekera
6
[40] CHRISTOPHER SOLOMONS
5
Brenda Solomons + Fonseka
5
Stanley Hilton Solomons + Noeline Henderling
6
Cherene Solomons + Michael Holding
7
Ryan Holding
6
April Solomons
5
Fay Solomons + Edward James Melder, b:9-Sep-1938, d:Jan
2002,
m:1963
6
Michelle Melder + Roshan Mahesan
7
Stephanie Mahesan
6
Natalie Melder
6
Keith Melder
6
Lindsay Melder
4 Charles Austin Solomons b:1888, Matara, Ceylon,
Proctor,
d:8-May-1970 + Amelia (Tatchi) Ernst Buultjens
b:19-Nov-1900, d:??-Aug-1990 in
Toronto, Canada, m:30-Sep-1920 at St. Thomas’ Matara (1126)
5 Grace
Eleanor Solomons, b:17-Apr-1921 + William van der Greft,
b:25-Aug-1920 at
Portengen, Utrecht, The Netherlands, d:4-Dec-1995, Toronto,
Canada
6
Frits Willem van der Greft, b: 17-Sep-1945, Matara, Ceylon +
Deboraha
Lisebeth, b:17-Oct-1953, Aruba, The Netherlands Antilles
6
Derek van der Greft
6
Jennifer van der Greft, b:21-Oct-1952, Oosterhout, Noord
Brabant - The
Netherlands + Amnon Firan, b:3-Apr-1958, Beersheva, Israel
7
Itai Firan, b:6-Jun-1987 in USA
7
Inbar Firan, b:13-Aug-1988 in USA
7
Ohad Firan, b:9-Nov-1990 in USA
5
Harry Ernest Solomons, b:1-Jul-1922, d:7-Dec-1990
5
George Edward Solomons, b:29-Oct-1923 + Caryl
Bastiansz, Matara
6
Christopher Solomons II + Heloise Pulenayagam
6
Melissa Solomons
6
Dylan Solomons
5
Cecil Austin Solomons, b:28-Oct-1925 + Eva de Hoedt
6
David Austin Solomons, b:11-Sep-1947 + Sithy Zahara Jayanthi
Uduman
b:31-Aug-1949
7 Shiraz
David Solomons + Jilska Roshani
Cooray
8
Bianca Jilska Solomons
8
Jared David Solomons
6
Joan Grace Solomons, b:20-Apr-1949 + Michael McHale
6
Pamela Solomons + Mihindu Keethiratne
6
2nd Spouse of Pamela Solomons: + Sujith Dunuwille
6
Kathleen Solomons + Samuel Morro
6
Sheila Solomons, b:18-Sep-1953 + Sumedha Wimalaratne,
b:4-Aug-1954
6
Natalie Wimalaratne
5
2nd Spouse of Cecil Austin Solomons, b:28-Oct-1925: +
Sandra
6
Keith Solomons
5
Thelma Ernestine Solomons b:7-Dec-1926 + Kenneth
Athelstan Masefield
Muller, b:11-Oct-1924, m:5-Oct-1953 in Kensington, London
6
Philip Muller b:1-Sep-1955 + Alpana Lakshma, b:8-Jun-1968
6
Anusha Muller b:18-Jan-1996
6
Stephen Cornel Muller 20-Sep-1956 + Marie
6
Annalisa Muller
6
Elizabeth Muller
6
Robert Leon Muller b:7-Nov-1957 + Shewanna
6
Justin Muller b:3-Feb-1993
6
Richard Muller b:21-Apr-1995
5
Gladys Ernst Solomons, b:5-Sep-1928 + Oswin Struys,
b:21-Apr-1922,
d:12-Apr-1987, Toronto, Canada
6
Ronald Struys, b:4-Jan-1952 + Mary Murphy, b:10-Feb-1952,
Canada
7
Patrick Struys, b:26-Feb-1984, Toronto, Canada
7
Kenneth Struys b:12-Sep-1987, Toronto, Canada
6
Johann LeRai Struys, b:18-Jul-1956, Toronto, Canada
5
Marjorie Winfred Solomons, b:8-May-1930, Matara +
Visvanathan
Kanakaratnam, b:20-Dec-1929, d:3-Jun-1976
6
Ranjan Kanakaratnam, b:10-Oct-1953 + Cherie Lord,
b:15-Oct-1956
6
Jahen Kanakaratnam, b:12-Mar-1978, Toronto, Canada
6
Jacintha Kanakaratnam, b:18-Jun-1985, Toronto, Canada
6
Joshua Kanakaratnam, b:18-Dec-1987
6
Mahen Kanakaratnam
6
Kumar Kanakaratnam, b:23-Nov-1954 + Maxine Pereira
6
Tanya Kanakaratnam, 23-Nov-1954 + George Wu
7
Christopher Wu
6
Maya Kanakaratnam, b:23-Nov-1954
5
Clive Alcide Solomons, b:8-Jul-1932 + Bertha Solomons,
b:14-Dec-1945
6
Jennifer Patricia Solomons, b:12-Oct-1965 + Dayawansa Menik
Jayasekere,
b:4-Oct-1960
6
Patrick Sumeida Jatasekere, b:5-Aug-1985
6
Lochana Kavinda Jayasekere, b:17-Feb-1994
6
Ralston Solomons, b:29-Oct-1969 + Bastian, b:18-Jan-1972
6
Charles Solomons, b:13-May-1971 + Rosalind Pinto,
b:18-Jan-1972
5
Lois Charmaine Solomons, b:3-Nov-1933 + Kingsley
Pakiarajah Casinadar,
b:5-Mar-1933, m:22-Apr-1961 at Kandy
6
Andrew Casinadar, b:14-May-1956 + Anne Steiner, b:20-Oct-1957
6
Sybilla Jane Casinadar
6
Aloyce Grace Casinadar
6
Chrishanti Sandra Casinadar, b:2-Nov-1964 + David
6
Christine Priyani Casinadar, b:18-Aug-1962
6
Cherene Vinodini Casinadar, b:11-Oct-1972
5
Esther Alicia Solomons, b:25-Oct-1936 + Kenneth
Alexander Gnanaselvan
Hannibelsz, b:1939, d:13-Jan-1999 in Australia, m:25-Apr-1964
at St. Michaels
and All Angels, Kollupitiya
6
Andrew Hannibelsz, 14-May-1962
6
Amelia Hannibelsz, b:14-Mar-1978
5
Daphne Therese Solomons, b:23-Oct-1943 + Wei Tin Chu,
b:1936 (div)
4
Henrietta Charlotte Solomons
3
Charles Landsbergher Solomons,
b.24-Mar-1844
3
Frederick James Arnold Solomons, b:23-Jan-1846
4
Bertram Arthur Terence Solomons,engine driver,
d:17-Jan-1963, +
Adina Vivienne Anthonisz b.16.3.1886 d.23.8.1930,m:
29-Sep-1915 in Galle
5
George Ernest Solomons
5
Douglas Conrad Solomons
5
Terrence Solomons, engine driver CGR
4
Edgar Justin Solomons, b.1890, d:1-Oct-1965, + Lucretia
Helena
Ludekens b.27.3.1884 d.2.8.1950
5
Justin Solomons
4
2nd spouse of Edgar Justin Solomons,
b.1890,
d:1-Oct-1965: + Maria Teresa de Vos b.1926, m: 19.11.1953 at
St. Paul’s Kandy
4
Eva Solomons + Flynn
3
George Samuel Solomons, b:25-Nov-1847
3
Robert Alexander Solomons, b:1849 + Charlotte
Cook, b:1857, m:13-Dec-1875 at St. Paul’s, Kandy
4
Agnes Florence Solomons, b:16-Jan-1881
4
Clarence Cuthbert Solomons, b:1892 + Ethel Frederica
Godlieb
b.1894, m: 21.4.1917 at Holy Trinity Colombo
5
Pamela Merlyn Solomons, + Walter Emmanuel William
Melder
b.20.12.1915 d.9.12.1942, m:7-Jun-1941 at St.Paul's
Kynsey
Rd.,
3
2nd spouse of Robert Alexander Solomons + Sophia
Claasz
4
NESTA FLORENCE SOLOMONS, b:25-Jul-????, d:30-Dec-1965 +
Joseph Daniel
Herft d.20.10.1966, m: 24-Apr-1924 at St.Paul's
Pettah,
Colombo
4 MURIEL
SOLOMONS
3
Maryann Georgiana Solomons, b:5-Sep-1851 + Stanley
3
RICHARD WILLIAM CECIL SOLOMONS, b:27-Mar-1853
3
AMELIA MATHILDA SOLOMONS, b:9-Jul-1854
3
SELINA MERCIANA SOLOMONS, b:23-Jan-1856
3
EDWARD FRANCIS SOLOMONS
3
ALICE LAURA ADOLPHINA SOLOMONS + Oliver Vincent
Felsinger
2 FREDERICK SOLOMONS
(1810 - 13-01-1893)
Kandy) + Charlotte Elizabeth Greve (23-09-1816 - 26-07-1884
Kandy)
3
FREDERICK CHARLES COOPMAN SOLOMONS (14-11-1843 - 1874) +
Louise Rosina Shaw
4
FREDERICK CHARLES SOLOMONS b:08-Mar-1871
4 ARTHUR
HENRY SOLOMONS (died young)
3
SOPHIA NATALINA SOLOMONS b:08-03-1849
3 PHILIP FRANCIS
SOLOMONS
b:23-03-1851 + Eleanor White
4
MARY SOLOMONS b:1881 + Oliver Silva
4 PHILIP
SOLOMONS + Kelaart
4 EDITH
SOLOMONS + Norman Leslie van der Straaten (10-06-1880)
5
Algernon Leslie Spencer van der Straaten (30-10-1909) + Noble
Rodrigo
5
Philip Ronald Clifford van der Straaten (16-08-1911)
5
Francis Norman Douglas van der Straaten (30-08-1912)
5
Noel Elroy van der Straaten (11-12-1914) + Marjorie Lauders
4
FRANCIS WILLIAM SOLOMONS + Buttery
5
BRENDA SOLOMONS + Fonseka
5
JOYCE SOLOMONS + Martensteyn
3
WILLIAM HENRY SOLOMONS (22-09-1853 - 02-12-1936) + Emelie
Sophia Pereira
(15-02-1850 - 1932)
4
WILLIAM FREDERICK ALFRED SOLOMONS b:23-Mar1888 -
29-06-1981)
4 HARRY
DANIEL SOLOMONS (26-07-1890 – b:29-Jun-1981) + Charlotte
Camille Jansz
(06-11-1889 - 05-04-1970)
5
HENRY EDWARD WILLIAM SOLOMONS (Pat), (Retired Assistant
Commissioner
of Inland Revenue) b:17-Mar-1922, d:25-Jun-2005 + Iona
Marguerita Van
Langenburg (10-11-1930
Sri
Lanka Sunday Observer June 26
2005 – Obituaries
SOLOMONS
- HENRY EDWARD WILLIAM - (Retired Assistant Commissioner
of Inland Revenue). Passed
away peacefully on the morning of 25th June 2005. Beloved
husband of Iona,
father of the late Roger Solomons (Chinese Dragon Cafe),
Romaine Jayasekera and
Rhona Balthazaar (Australia), brother of Jean Solomons
Arasanayagam and
Rosemary Solomons, father-in-law of Bumpy, Dirk, and Miriam,
grandfather of
Damien, Johann, Keisha, Kirsty, Jonathon, Jason, Trent and
Julian. Service at
2.30 p.m. on Monday 27th June. Thereafter cortege leaves
residence 61/1,
D.S. Fonseka Road, Colombo 5 at 3.15 p.m. Cremation at
General Cemetery
Borella at 4.00 p.m. (No flowers by request).
6
ROMAINE MARGUERITA SOLOMONS b:19-Nov-1949 + Bumpy Jayasekera
6
PATRICK ROGER KEITH SOLOMONS (Chinese Dragon Café,
Bambalapitiya),
b:19-Mar-1953, d:2004 + Miriam
6
RHONA APRIL SOLOMONS b:18-Apr-1955 + Dirk Balthazaar
(Australia)
5
ROSEMARY SOLOMONS
5
JEAN LYNETTE CHRISTINE SOLOMONS b:22-Mar-1934 +
Thiagarajah
Arasanyagam (02-12-1931)
6
Parvati Arasanyagam b:16-May-1954* (twins)
6
Devasundarie Arasanyagam b:16-May-1954* (twins)
4
NINIAN ARTHUR SOLOMONS b:09-Apr-1892
4 EMELIA
CHARLOTTE SUSAN SOLOMONS b:03-Jan-1894
4 ELSIE
ETHEL WINIFRED SOLOMONS b:22-03-1895
4 CAMILLA
MIRIAM LOUISE SOLOMONS b:04-12-1896
4 ELMER
JOHN WINIFRED SOLOMONS b:10-Jul-1900
3
CHARLOTTE ARNOLDINA SOLOMONS b:08-Feb-1874
2 FRANCIS
SOLOMONS
2 GEORGE SAMUEL
SOLOMONS
2 FREDERICK
CHARLES SOLOMONS
2 JAMES EDWARD
SOLOMONS
Additional
Solomonsz data discovered
recently that has not immediate fit into the above tree is
indicated below for
further research and study:
1 Christian Earnest
Solomonsz b:1896 + Queenie Melita White, b:1900
2 Melita
Carmen Philomena Solomonsz 1936 + Frederick Louis
Alexander Koelmeyer,
b:2-Feb-1937 (1131)
3
Johann Kolemeyer
3
Kirk Kolemeyer
3
Christopher Koelmeyer
3
Eloise Koelmeyer
[great
grandchildren of CE Solomonsz
& Queenie Melita White are Jessica, Kate and Rebecca
Jean
Solomons – Arasanayagam
With one foot in
either world
With
both the blood of the colonizer and the colonized running in
her veins, yet
belonging to neither group, Jean Arasanayagam searches for her
own identity in
her latest novel as in her other work.......
By
Smriti Daniel - Sunday Times Jun 3 2007
Going
down to Kandy to see Jean Arasanayagam is always a pleasure.
She lives in what
used to be her grandfather’s house, on Peradeniya Road. A
small but lush garden
protects the house from the sight, if not the sound, of the
busy street. Within
her little fortress, I know Jean spends her time pleasurably
engaged in
sketching, cooking, taking care of her small family and
writing her novels. And
it is the last that I have come to chat with her about. As I
make my way into
the house, I feel the pleasant weight of Jean’s newest and
possibly best book -
‘A Nice Burgher Girl’ – lying heavy in my bag.
The
book, laced as it is both with rollicking humour and heart
wrenching memories,
is a wonderful chronicle of an entire way of life - one that
is to all intents
and purposes no more. A world of lace and ribbons, of milk
punch and Rita
Toussaint Vanlangenberg’s Christmas cake; and people – so
human, yet somehow so
exotic. Aunty Girlie and her extravagant banquets; Uncle
Bertie and his gallery
of dreams; Aunty Thomas, mistress of a boarding house,
accomplished at reading
tea leaves and the young Scotsman who called himself Johnny
Walker, all stride
across the stage of Jean’s memory. “I can still remember all
their faces, even
up to this day,” Jean says, adding that, “I still can’t get
over the fact that
so many people had been crowded into my childhood, and into my
adolescence and
into my life.”
On
her mother’s side, Jean can trace her roots back to the
Grenier and Jansz
families, while on her father’s she draws from the Johnstons
and the Solomons.
Her father Henry Daniel Solomons and her mother Charlotte
Camille Grenier Jansz
had four children of whom Jean was the youngest. Surrounded by
numerous aunts,
uncles, cousins, friends and “colonial vagabonds” in all
shapes and sizes meant
that Jean had a colourful childhood, one she faithfully
chronicles in her book.
‘A Nice Burgher Girl’, “grew from episodes, encounters,
happenings,
memories…all of these,” she says today.
Recalling
parties, boarding school and attending service in her
starched, rustling Sunday
best, Jean’s account of her childhood reveals the life of a
young girl, lucky
to be living a cocooned life. A reader would expect this when
they picked up
this book – after all the Burghers enveloped in English
traditions and
mannerisms did live a life apart, markedly different to that
of their Ceylonese
counterparts. But what tugs at the heart is watching Jean
forming her first
tentative bonds with her motherland and its people…bonds that
grow strong and
effortlessly because Jean had Mungo; Mungo who played with
her, watched over
her and rocked Jean to sleep on her lap, singing ‘doiyi,
doiyi, doiya, doiya,
babo’; Mungo who told her thrilling tales of Rakshasis who
strung Kevun from
trees to lure children close and cautioned Jean to never leave
her nail
clippings where they might be stolen and used in a spell.
It
seems that such opposing influences have always struggled
within Jean. And so
she tells her stories, and her stories within stories, from a
unique
perspective - with one foot in either world. With both the
blood of the
colonizer and the colonized running in her veins, yet
belonging to neither
group, Jean searches for her own identity, for something in
which to anchor
herself. And while she sifts through her memories, stopping
here, then there,
chuckling, tearing, agonizing, lost in thought, she achieves
what she set out
to do: she has created a record of her inheritance. “I wanted
to investigate
this childhood of mine, this past of mine, and I wanted to
recall and reclaim
all these wonderful stories,” Jean says.
She
takes these stories – some told to her, some enacted in front
of her, some
overheard (“my mother would always say ‘potatoes have eyes,
walls have ears’”)
– and uses them sketch in quick yet dramatic detail the lives
and times of her
family and friends. Whether her subject is scandalous or
sentimental, factual
or intensely personal, Jean’s pen weaves pure magic – her
prose is intensely
lyrical and entirely iridescent. She only enhances the
reader’s experience when
she includes poems written by long dead relatives, historical
research, letters
exchanged, photographs, folk tales, lyrics to popular ditties
and even
cherished family recipes including two for ginger beer and
Christmas cake.
Throughout
it all, Jean seems to say: this is me, this is where I come
from, and these are
the people who have shaped me. “In a sense this book is also a
tribute to my
parents who were wonderful people, and who gave all the
freedom I needed to be
myself.” It is also a tribute to some of the most inspiring
people Jean will
ever know – her single, determinedly individual aunts. “They
were such fabulous
women,” she says, having dedicated several pages to them. “I
think I learnt a
lot from their sense of responsibility towards others and the
importance they
placed on family,” she says, adding that “women of that
generation – they would
not suffer to be nonentities.”
Written
in segments, ‘A Nice Burgher Girl’ does not proceed
chronologically and instead
is a colourful pageant of Jean’s own memories of her childhood
and adolescence.
She restricts herself to those alone, even though her life as
an adult far
outdoes her childhood in terms of sheer drama; reserving the
details of her
departure from this safe enclave for another time. Despite
everything this book
is testament to the fact that Jean is still very much in touch
with her roots.
“I have tried to maintain a certain way of life in the way
that my parents
did,” she says, ruminatively, remembering how hospitality, for
instance, has
always been a key part of her parents’ lives.
And
it’s true that Jean seems to delight in describing tables
packed with guests
and groaning under the weight of delicious delicacies –
authentic lamprais,
roast beef and roast bismore, stews, curries and pies, coming
in course after
course with light, flavourful sweet omelettes for dessert, or
blancmange, love
cake or rich cake, guava preserves and pancakes.
Today
Jean and her husband Thyagaraja Arasanayagam, (whom she fondly
calls “Arasa”)
and their daughter Parvathi (her other daughter, Devi, resides
in Canada) still
lay a grand table – the solid old wood covered in steaming
dishes. Talking and
laughing around the table, it is easy to see that Jean not
only embraces her
complex inheritance but that she revels in it: with each new
memory, each new
acquaintance, each new challenge taking her one step further
on the road we
must all travel: the path to self discovery.