Edward Laurence Bradby, M.A. (Oxon).
Born 15th March 1907, educated at Rugby and at
Oxford. Was on staff of Merchants Taylors. First
in Classics and first in Moderations, Secretary,
International Student Service Geneva (1936-1939).
Principal from 12th November 1939 to December
1945 on a salary of £ 1,100 per annum. On
retirement from Ceylon, Bradby was Principal St
Pauls Training College, Cheltenham.
Bradby was the youngest Principal
of Royal since 1879 at 32 years. Bradby took over
during the most difficult time in Ceylon's history.
World War II had commenced (on 2nd Sepember 1939)
when he arrived and only ended at the time of
his departure in 1945.
A chaotic situation with
notice to move out in a very short time
from Reid Avenue. Cinnamon Gardens, was
ably handled and the move to the University
College buildings was completed without
a hitch.18 Make shift arrangements for Science
Lab. work and Sports practice were smoothly
effected. It was a job well handled. For
his untiring efforts Bradby falls into the
line of Royals great Principals
He
introduced:
•
Additional 5th and 6th forms
•
Pali as a Subject
•
Scouting on a permanent
basis
•
Farming into the School
curriculum
•
The Gymnasium was declared
open in 1940
•
He obtained permission from
the Department of Education for boys to
sit for the London Inter-Science & Inter-Arts
from Royal College hitherto allowed only
to those at the University College &
Private Students.
•
He was the First Principal
of Royal to take an active part in the Cadet
Battalion as Officer Commanding 'A' Company
(1941) and was G.S.M. of the Scouts (1944).
Bradby like all the earlier
Principals from Cull to Sampson was a lover
of Sport and will be remembered for many
a year by all sportsmen in Sri Lanka as
the Donor of the 'Bradby Sheild' for the
Rugby contest between Royal College and
Trinity College, Kandy. The Bandarawela
Branch of the Royal College was started
during Bradby's term of Office (1942 and
lasted till 1948). It was a very successful
venture born out of necessity in wartime
conditions.
Mrs Bradby like the wives
of our previous Principals took a keen interest
in College activities. Bradby was the last
of the long line of Englishmen to guide
the destinies of Royal College.
James Clifford Aelian Corea, M.A.
Psychology (Lond), Diploma in Education (Cantab).
Born 17th January 1904. Educated at Royal College.
Master at Kingswood Collge Kandy and at Wesley
College, Colombo. President All Ceylon Teacher's
Union. Vice principal Royal College 1943-1945.
Principal January 1946 to June 1953. Warden Ceylon
Students Centre, London.
Corea, was the First Ceylonese and First old Royalist
(at Royal 1922) Principal of Royal College. During
his tenure of office the new school buildings
were constructed which accommodated the. New Library,
Theatre all, Music Room, Geography and Woodwork
Room. Social Studies were introduced and the Film
Society formed. Royal College got its first turf
pitch in 1953.
Corea brought the boys back to their old home
at Reid Avenue in January 1946 after 4 years of
exile. Corea saw the dawn of new era in Education
in Ceylon with the implementation of the Free
Education Scheme in 1947.
After retirement he was Warden,
Ceylon Students Centre in London and Education
Officer at the Ceylon High Commission in London.
He was in Sri Lanka along with Principal Bradby
in July 1983, and visited his old College.
Dudley Kenneth George de
Silva, B.Sc., (Lond). Diploma in Education
(Cey). Born 27th July 1911. Died in 29th
June 1974 , Colombo. Educated at Royal College
and University College Colombo. Was on the
staff on Kignswood College, Kandy. Principal
Wanduramba Central School, Akmeemana and
Piliyandala Central College. Education Officer
in Charge of Adult Education. Principal
April 1954 to October 1966. Promoted Director
of Technical Education from 1966.
As in Reed's time, during
Dudley de Silva's tenure of office many
innovations took place :
•
College Song in Sinhala was
used for the first time (1962)
•
Societies formed were :
The Photographic Society
/ Oriental Orchestra
/ Islamic Society
Buddhist brotherhood
/ Hindu Students Union
/ Orchid Circle
Oriental Music Society
/ Catholic Union /
Western Music Society
Junior Tamil Literary Society
/ Industrial Arts Club
/ Students Christian Movement
•
New sports were introduced
:
Rowing
/ Basket Ball
/ Hockey
/ Rifle Shooting
As princiapal he found time to
take regular classes in Maths. A true Christian,
he was greatly respected by the students. He was
the moving spirit in the formation of the Student
Christian Movement in College but did not neglect
the other religions. Dudley de Silva trained and
conducted and the College Choir. Was closely connected
with the Church, as Organist at St. Paul's Church
Milagiriya, Colombo 4 and St. Paul's Church Kandy.
Dudley de Silva is unique amongst
Royal's Principals in that he had six Masters
on his staff, M. M. Kulasekeram, C. Samarasinghe,
R. C. Edwards, T. M. Weerasinghe, C.E Bellath
and R. Rajaratnam, all of whom taught him at Royal
between 1921 and 1927.
Bogoda Appuhamilage Premaratne,
B.A. (lond) M.A. Ed:- Teachers College,
Columbia University. N.Y. Born 15th March
1921. Educated at Ananda College, Colombo.
Inspector of Schools Vice-Principal January
1971. He was the First to receive the UNESCO
award of Teachers Education Fellowship (U.S.A.)
was, Principal Teachers Training College,
Mirigama, Later he was Commissioner of Examinations.
•
The opening of the Swimming
Pool 1968.
•
The revised version of
the College song in Sinhala (1968).
•
Reed House was inaugurated
(1970).
Principal Premaratne was
the first Buddhist and the first non-Old
Royalist Ceylonese to be appointed Principal.
Premaratne aintained the cherished traditions
of the College. Royal was still the College
that Royalists, past-knew it to be, a great
school to be proud of, at the end of his
period.
Don Gunaratne Welikala,
B.Sc., (Lond). Born 13th December
1923. Educated at Ananda College,
Colombo and University of London.
Principal from February 1971 to February
1972. Subsequently promoted as Regional
Director of Education, Gampaha.
Don Joseph Noel Seneviratne,
M.A. (Columbia); B.A. (Hons) (Lond); FG.TRD
Cert. History (Ceylon). Born 15th December
1919. Educated at St Anthony's College,
Katugastota and University College, Colombo.
Principal, St Sylvester's College, Kandy.
Principal from February 1971 to 31st July
1972. Subsequently promoted Regional Director
of Education, Kandy. He requested the Ministry
of Education to relieve him from the post
of Principal Royal College (1972)
During the period February
1971 to July 1972 one institution - the
Automobile Club, was formed.
Lokukankanange David Hemachandra
Peiris, B.Sc., (Lond), Diploma in Education
(Ceylon). Born 16th July 1920. Educated
at Ananda College, Colombo and University
College, Colombo. Principal August 1972
to December 1980. Director of Education,
Nuwara Eliya.
Vast changes took place
during the tenure of office of Principal
Peiris. The School Roll at Reid Avenue increased
to nearly 7000 pupils-a University size
population. Even with the ever expanding
administrative affairs, Principal Peiris
had his fingers on the pulse and a grip
on the affairs of his 'little State'. He
weathered the efforts to change the name
of Royal College, with the support of the
Old Boys Union and he was to see Royal College
reach great heights. Both in Education and
in Sports, Royal College virtually took
first place in the island during his regime
Principal Peiris was a man
of firm decision, who did not cave in, when
others tried to avoid the rules. A strict
disiplinarian (who never used the cane),
Principal Peiris may have made a few errors
but the good done to the School far outweighed
the few errors. Items of interest during
his period were:
1.
The College Institutions formed
during Peiris' tenure as Principal, numbered
33,
2.
The Sports Trophies won constitute
a record - 269 Trophies & Championships.
The Cricket Team lost only
one match out of 128 games (won 36) between
August 1972 and December 1980. The Academic
achievements were "First Class".
Principal Peiris' regime
was a Golden Era, surpassing the eras of
Harward and Reed. He retired from Government
Service in December 1980. Principal Peiris
reintroduced the Grade 6 Admission Tests,
and the teaching of French, German &
Japanese. Royal reached the high water mark
of its 145 years History during Principal
Peiris' regime.
1981/86 - CTM Fernando was
principal when Royal celebrated its 150th
Anniversary. The items of interest during
this period.
(1) opening of J.R.jayewardene
Pavilion (1985)
(2) Baseball was introduced
(3) Government made land available for the
new Rugby grounds on site of old Race Course
at Stanley Wijesundera Mawatha (1986)
(4) Carnival for 150th anniversary, was
organised for fund raising for pavilion
(5) initiated the first Rural Development
Project by a Colombo College (with Royal
College, United nations club and National
Housing Development Authority at Haldola
village in Ratnapura District- The village
integration project was named RAJASISUGAMA
- a beneficial social service project.
1986/1994 - B. Suriyaarachchi
was the next Principal
(1) In 1994 the best results in GCE
A/L Exam were recorded by Royal College
a record of 27 students with 4 distinctions
(2) New Rugby grounds came into use
(3) in keeping with government policy,
mixed sinhalese. Tamil classes were
restarted
(4) Royal received its largest single
donation ever, (Rs. 500,000) from
Old Royalist L.M.Maarlyn Dias (plus
another anonymous Old Royalist donating
Rs. 400,000 for the Gymnasium)
The present Principal of the Royal
College, which has the reputation
as the premier boys' school in Sri
Lanka, is an eminent educationist
with a long standing experience of
38 years.
Born on the 7th of October 1940 he
had his entire secondary education
at Prince of Wales College, Moratuwa
and excelled in the academic field
and the co-curricular activities.
Due to his excellent performance in
school career, Mr. Gomes was awarded
the Gold Medal for the Best ALL ROUND
STUDENT in 1960 and the Dr. C.L.X.
Muthukumara Scholarship for the Best
Student of the university entrance
class.
Mr. Gomes graduated from the University
of Peradeniya, with a Bachelor of
Arts Degree. He obtained the Diploma
in Education in 1971 with the best
results of the year and was awarded
the certificate in Development of
Management skills for principals in
1990. He added another feather to
his cap by being successful at the
Sri Lanka Educational Administrative
Service Class I.
Mr. Gomes
started his career as a graduate teacher
at Dodangoda Maha Vidyalaya from May
1964 to June 1964 and functioned as
the Vice Principal of the School from
July 1964 to December 1968. He joined
his Alma Mater as a Staff Member in
January 1960 and climbed the ladder
of success to become a Deputy Principal
of Prince of Wales College from March
1987 to January 1989 and the Principal
from February 1989 to 1997. The respect
earned by him while serving this college
is a testimony to his competence, indefatigable
effort and commitment. The excellent
performance with commendable results
was the key to his succession to be
appointed as the Principal of the Royal
College.
Mr.
Gomes has extended his knowledge of
education not only to schools but
also to higher education and spread
it far and wide even reaching foreign
countries.
While
being a Lecturer Grade II of the Training
College from March 1973 to April 1975,
he functioned as an Assistant Lecturer
of the Department of Education, Vidyodaya
Campus temporarily. Mr. Gomes held
the post of the Head of the Department
of Educational Psychology at the Teachers'
College Maharagama, as a Senior Lecturer,
Grade I. He was seconded for service
and attached to the NIE from June
1986 to March 1987, as a Lecturer,
Grade I, in curriculum development.
Mr.
Gomes served as a Senior Master cum
Lecturer of Geography & Education
at the Training College, Nigeria from
June 1983 to April 1986.
Mr.
Gomes has displayed his capabilities
in the field of education with many
responsibilities as a teacher educator,
lecturer in University, NIE, curriculum
centre and Ministry of Education.
As
an Educator Mr. Gomes has extended
his services to society by involving
himself in honorary work, being a
lecturer of the Red Cross Society,
Colombo, Bikku Training Institute,
Maharagama and engaged in panels of
talks and discussions with teachers,
youths and prefect.
Additionally,
he has taken the role of an External
Examiner PGDM & B.Ed and Chief
Examiner Pertaining to A/L Subject
& PGDE.
Mr.
Gomes was also appointed to serve
on various committees such as the
Presidential Task Force on Education
Reforms and Restructure of the Technical
Committee on Performance Appraisal
of Teachers and the Committee of Creating
Awareness - Resource Person (Media).
The other Committees are Development
and Upgrading of Schools under the
Secondary Educational Development
Project.
Since 1997, as the
Principal of Royal College, he was able
to improve standards of academic performances,
sports and infrastructure of the College.
Some of the noteworthy achievements
are as follows.
•
Excellent academic performances
at Ordinary Level and Advanced Level
Examinations.
•
Completion of the Sports Complex,
costing Rs. 70 millions, with accommodation
for over 10,000 spectators, funded by
Old Boys and well wishers.
•
A new building consisting of 15 classrooms
in the Primary Section.
•
Modern Computer Centre with facilities
to learn information technology.
Note: Some notes on Principals
have been culled from reminiscences of Old Boys
written in the Royal College Magazines. These
reminiscences cover the period from the year 1845,
the first article was by J.B. Siebel in the Royal
College Magazine (1895) and by many others whose
names are given in this History. The dates of
birth, etc. of Principals prior to 1954 have been
taken from the Ceylon Almanac, the Blue Book,
The Civil List and the book "A List of Inscriptions
of Tombstones and Monuments in Ceylon of Historical
Interest with an Obituary of People commemorated"
by J.P. Lewis CCS (Ceylon Govt. Record Office
1913). Some of the information on recent Principals
was supplied by Principal, Royal College.
