Wilfred de Soysa

Sir Lambert Wilfred Alexander de Soysa also known as Sir Wilfred de Soysa (20 Feb 1884 - 3 May 1968) was a Ceylonese entrepreneur, landed proprietor and philanthropist.[1] He was the seventh son of Sir Charles Henry de Soysa and Lady Catherine de Soysa. Born at Alfred House Colombo and educated privately, then at Royal College, Colombo and Prince of Wales' College, Moratuwa, he completed his studies at the Royal Agricultural College, England.[2]

De Soysa was successful as a tea, rubber and coconut planter and established the firm De Soysa & Co.[3] He was also a member of the Ceylon National Association and was part of the Lanka Mahajana Sabha delegation to the Donoughmore Commission.[2] He was a proprietor of the Ceylon Morning Leader newspaper[4] and had played host to the young Hirohito and Rabindranath Tagore.[5][6] He was knighted in the 1938 New Year Honours as a Knights Bachelor.[7]

De Soysa married Senator Evelyn Yohana (née Fernando)[8][9] and their first son Harold de Soysa was the first Ceylonese Anglican Bishop of Colombo.[10] His second son Cecil de Soysa was the founding Chairman of the Ceylon Tourist Board[11][12] and the Chairman of Ceylon Shipping Lines.[13][14][15] In 1954 his third son Terence de Soysa was appointed as the first Sri Lankan Chairman of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce[16][17][18][19] His fourth son Ryle de Soysa was the opening batsman for the All-Ceylon (National Team) between 1938–45 and represented the Oxford University, the Sinhalese Sports Club (of which he was later president) and captained the Royal College, Colombo first XI team to Australia in 1936.[20][21][22][23]

References
  1. History of Ceylon Tea Website Retrieved 30 January 2015
  2. Twentieth Century Impressions of Ceylon, by Arnold Wright, pp.538-54 (Lloyd's Greater Britain Publishing Company) ISBN 978-8120613355
  3. De Soysa & Co Retrieved 30 January 2015
  4. A brief history of local and foreign newspapers, KKS Perera (Daily News) Retrieved 25 October 2019
  5. Keepers of their forest, Lankika de Livera (Sunday Times) Retrieved 12 February 2016
  6. Visit to the Historical Rajamaha viharayas and Kodigaha Kanda forest sanctuary, Lakdasun Trips, Retrieved 12 February 2016
  7. "SUPPLEMENT TO THE LONDON GAZETTE, i JANUARY, 1938" (PDF). thegazette.co.uk. The London Gazette. Retrieved 7 January 2022.
  8. The Holy Emmanuel Church (history) Retrieved 30 January 2015
  9. 150th Anniversary Publication of the Holy Emmanuel Church, p. 23, Retrieved 30 August 2015
  10. A daughter's tribute: My father's life was his honour Retrieved 30 January 2015
  11. Sri Lanka’s Tourism all Began in the USA by Sam Samaradivakara The Island (Sri Lanka) Retrieved 26 October 2019
  12. Presidential awards for travel and tourism lauded - Shirajiv SIRIMANE Retrieved 19 February 2015
  13. Ceylon's Outlook Continues Bleak by H.B.W. Abeynaike (NEW YORK TIMES) Retrieved 16 February 2015
  14. Cancer Society's 16th AGM, Sarath Malalasekera Retrieved 16 February 2015
  15. Selwood- A Triumph of Design by Tissa Jayatilaka Retrieved 16 February 2015
  16. 100th BIRTH ANNIVERSARY OF S.T.L.DE SOYSA, A man of vision and principle, The Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka), Retrieved 30 May 2015
  17. Ceylon Chamber of Commerce marks 175 years Ceylon Today Retrieved 16 February 2015
  18. April 5, 1942 the day Ceylon escaped Japanese occupation By Gamini de Silva Retrieved 16 February 2015
  19. He played the game on and off the field, Tambyah Murugaser Retrieved 16 February 2015
  20. Player Profile ESPN Cricinfo.com Retrieved 23 January 2015
  21. Diplomatic Moves: Life in the Foreign Service, by Sally James, pp.42,47,49-50. (I. B. Tauris) ISBN 9781850439240
  22. Ryle de Soysa scholarships for deserving students Sunday Times. Retrieved 30 January 2015
  23. Sinhalese Sports Club: Home of Lankan cricket, Ryhanna Salie, Sunday Observer, Retrieved 24 March 2019
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