Sri Lanka’s legendary philanthropist

Much has been written and countless stories told about the late Charles Henry de Soysa; mainly about his largesse and generosity to our nation and to many among the needy. The hospitals he gifted- perhaps the most famous is the De Soysa Hospital for women- and the rest were in other towns and of course his vision for education in giving Prince and Princess of Wales Colleges to Moratuwa, his home town. It is of great pride to us as his descendants that his record of philanthropy stands unequalled in the history of our nation. March 3rd is  a memorable day for the descendants of Henry, the students, past pupils of Prince and Princess of Wales Colleges, mothers who have had their babies at The De Soysa Hospital for Women and countless others. As his great granddaughter, I am truly appreciative that this year, the ceremony in his memory at his statue will be restricted to the garlanding the statue, due to the present economic situation in the country. Instead the money spent for this and donations by his descendants will be used to buy shoes for students at Prince of Wales College who are unable to attend school because their parents are unable to buy them footwear. I’m sure he would be pleased by this gesture. He wanted the youth of Moratuwa to be second to none in this country in terms of learning and gathering knowledge. It was interesting to me to learn about the history of ‘Alfred House’ in an article written by Hugh Karunnanayake; which book was recently published. I must thank him for enlightening me about this as my late father, Professore C.C. de Silva, a grandson of the late Charles Henry, spent his childhood there with his grandmother, Lady de Soysa, C.H’s widow after his own father’s death when he was just five years old. 

It was named ‘Alfred House’ with the permission of Prince Alfred the then Duke of Edinburgh who visited Ceylon in 1870. He also donated generously to Churches, temples and other institutes.  The Moratuwa Maha Sabha, which has also done much to keep the legend of Charles Henry alive, was inaugurated on April 5, 1924. 

As his great granddaughter, I am truly appreciative that this year, the ceremony in his memory at his statue will be restricted to the garlanding the statue

 He was one of the original pupils when S.Thomas’ College was started at Mutwal and he helped the school in innumerable ways when they needed help. His other benefaction of paramount importance as it concerns youth and education was the vast acreage donated by him for the erection of the necessary buildings, playing  fields etc for Prince and Princess of Wales Colleges, whose students have adorned the corridors of power in Church, State , Universities, as Captains of Industry and entrepreneurs. Although an Anglican, he thought far beyond the narrow peripheries of race and religion and gave most generously to other religions. His generosity to his fellow human beings and nation covered all the primary needs of man from the cradle to the grave, provided amenities for the study of medicine, roads, bridges, rest houses, tanks, irrigation and endowment to public institutions. It could well be said of him that seldom in the annals of philanthropy has so much been owed by so many to one single man. He established a Cooperative Society for the carpenters of Moratuwa, was the Founder of the Ceylon Agricultural Association and the first Ceylonese Banker. I’m proud that the blood  of a man such as this flows in mine and that of my children.