Royal College, Colombo

Public school in Colombo, Sri Lanka

Royal College

* රාජකීය විද්‍යාලය
* ரோயல் கல்லூரி

Royal College motto on top of the main building

Address

Rajakeeya Mawatha

Colombo

00700

Sri Lanka

Coordinates| 6°54′18″N 79°51′41″E﻿ / ﻿6.90494°N 79.86140°E﻿ / 6.90494; 79.86140
Information
Former name|

* Colombo Academy
* Hill Street Academy

School type| National school
Motto|

* Floreat (Flourish)
* Disce aut discede (Learn or depart)

Established| January 1835; 190 years ago (January 1835)
Founder|

* Joseph Marsh
* Robert Wilmot-Horton

Authority| Ministry of Education
Principal| Athula Wijewardena
Staff| 200
Faculty| 600
Grades| 1–13
Gender| Male
Age range| 6–19
Enrollment| 9,000+
Education system| National Education System
Language|

* English
* Sinhala
* Tamil

Hours in school day| 07:10–13:10 SLST
Colour(s)| Navy blue and royal gold

Song| School of our Fathers
Publication|

* Royal College Magazine
* The Royalist

Alumni| Old Royalists
Website| royalcollege.lk

Flag of Royal College

Royal College, Colombo also known as; Royal Colombo,[1][2] Colombo Royal College[3] or Colombo Royal[4] is a boys' school located in Cinnamon Gardens, Colombo, Sri Lanka. Started by Joseph Marsh in 1835,[5] it was established as the Colombo Academy by Sir Robert Wilmot-Horton in January 1835, as part of the implementation of the recommendations of the Colebrooke Cameron Commission (1833), and was the first government-run secondary school for boys[6] in the country.

Royal College is the first public school in Sri Lanka[7][8][9][10][11] and is often referred to as the "Eton of Sri Lanka".[12] The school was founded in the British public school tradition, based on the recommendations of the Colebrooke Cameron Commission (1833), and having been named the Royal College, Colombo in 1881 with consent from Queen Victoria, it became the first school to gain the prefix, "Royal", outside of the British Isles. It was one of the first schools to be designated as a national school by the Sri Lankan Government in the 1980s.

As a national school, it is funded by the government as opposed to the provincial council providing both primary and secondary education. The school was set as one of the most innovative educational institutions in the world at the fifth annual Worldwide Innovative Education Forum (IEF), organised by the Microsoft Corporation in 2009.[13]

The students of Royal College are known as Royalists[14][15] or referred to in the press as Colombo Royalists.[16][17] whilst past pupils are known as Old Royalists.[18] The school has produced many distinguished alumni, among whom are presidents of two countries,[19] a sultan,[20] and four prime ministers.[19]

## College

[edit]

Royal College Building

### Location

[edit]

Situated in Cinnamon Gardens belonging to Kurunduwatta (also called  Kurundu Watta),[21] a residential suburb of Colombo, it occupies an area of 15.6 hectares (39 acres) (with the sports complex) along the Rajakeeya Mawatha, bordered by Reid Avenue to the east; Kumarathunga Munidasa Mawatha (formally Thurstan Road) to the west and to the south its former premises, which now houses the Department of Mathematics of the University of Colombo. Adjacent to Royal College is Thurstan College (formerly the Government Senior School), which was established to accommodate the overflow of students from Royal Primary who could not gain admission to Royal College.[22]

### Administration

[edit]

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The college is funded by the Ministry of Education, which appoints its principal. The principal is the head of the administration of the college and is assisted by a Senior Deputy Principal. The school is divided into four sections: the primary school (the former Royal College Preparatory School), middle school, upper-middle school and the upper school, each coming under a deputy principal (the head of the primary school is known as the headmaster/headmistress). The college educates close to 9,000 students in both secondary and primary education. The administration of the college hostel is carried out by the warden under the supervision of the principal and is assisted by a sub-warden.

#### Student Leadership

[edit]

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The senior prefects of the school also hold comparatively an important role in the school. Since they have completed their final examinations, they are senior to any other student of the college. Hence their disciplinary powers extend to all students of Royal College.

### Admission

[edit]

Admission to the school is among the most competitive in the country. It gets its highest number of applications for admission to grade 1 and the best 250 students from all over the country to enter the school in year 5 via the grade 5 scholarship examination.[23]

### Grounds

[edit]

The J.R. Jayawardene Pavilion at the main cricket grounds.

The school is located on 15.5 hectares (38 acres) where the primary school, the middle school and the upper school are located. It is equipped with lecture halls, science and computer laboratories, and auditoriums. This includes the College Hall and the Navarangahala, a national theatre. The school hostel is located within the school grounds and it accommodates students from outside Colombo, with around 230 hostelers.

Sport plays a major part in Royal College's activities. The school's facilities include a swimming pool,[24] cricket and athletics grounds, tennis courts, basketball courts, and indoor cricket nets within the school premises. The Royal College Sports Complex and the rugby grounds are located a short distance from the college. The international standard sports complex, built in 2000, hosts national and school sporting events all year round.

### War memorial

[edit]

Situated in front of the main building, next to the main Boake Gates, is the memorial to Old Royalists who died in the two World Wars and the Sri Lankan Civil War.

Another memorial plaque is displayed in the entryway to the Navarangahala, bearing the names of 47 Old Royalists who were killed in action in the civil war.[25] The first War Memorial Panel of the college was unveiled in the second term of 1933, by Sir Graeme Tyrrell, Chief Secretary of Ceylon commemorating Old Royalists who had died or were decorated during the Great War. Of the 330 Ceylonese who volunteered for service in the Great War, 88 were from Royal College.[26]

## History

[edit]

Founder Sir Robert Wilmot-Horton, the Governor of Ceylon Old College Building (1911–1921), now the University of Colombo

In 1835, Joseph Marsh started a private school at the back verandah of the church called the Hill Street Academy for twenty students from the upper class community situated at Hill Street, Pettah.[27]

Then in the following year in 1836, Sir Robert Wilmot-Horton, the British Governor of Ceylon, based on the recommendations of the Colebrooke Commission, established the Colombo Academy,[7] as an English public school modeled on Eton College, with Marsh continuing as headmaster on government pay.[28] It was the oldest public school on the island and had the governor as its patron.[29] It gave the children of leading Ceylonese families an education which would make them fit to be citizens of the British Empire and served as the principal public school and a model for other government schools that were to be built in Ceylon.[30] In 1836 the school was moved to San Sebastian Hill, Pettah, (prior to which it was at Maradana, next to Hulftsdorp); it would stay there for another 75 years before being shifted to Thurstan Road. Even though the college had close ties to Anglicanism in its early years since 1836 it has remained a secular school.

In 1859 the Queen's College, Colombo was established as the first institution of higher education in Ceylon. Affiliated to the University of Calcutta, it prepared students from the Colombo Academy for entrance examinations of English universities.[31] In 1865 the Morgan Committee of inquiry into education recommended that it be reorganized and that scholarships should be awarded to study at the University of Oxford,[7] and as a result in 1869, Queen's College was amalgamated with the Colombo Academy.[32]

The first hostel of the Colombo Academy was established in San Sebastian in 1868, establishing it as one of the first boarding schools in Ceylon.

In 1881 it was renamed Royal College Colombo with the royal consent of Queen Victoria. The Gazette notification giving Her Majesty's approval to change the name of the school appeared on 31 July 1881. The same year the first cadet battalion in Ceylon was formed at the college, attached to the Ceylon Light Infantry. The Royal College Union was formed in 1891 as the first alumni society in the country.

In 1911, work commenced on a new building for the school on Reid Avenue. In November 1911 during construction of this building, it was hit by an aircraft that was trying the establish the record for the first flight over Ceylon in November 1911.[33][34] On 27 August 1913 the school was moved to thin new building at Reid Avenue (which is now the main building of the University of Colombo).[35] Ten years later on 10 October 1923, the school moved, this time to the newly constructed Victorian styled building further down Reid Avenue, which it continues to occupy. This move was due to the suggestion made by a higher education committee in 1914, that Royal College should be converted into a University college. Due to the objections made by past pupils of the Royal College Union, especially by the speeches made by Frederick Dornhorst, KC, the then Governor of Ceylon, Lord Chalmers instead created a separate University College,[36] University College Colombo, at the school's former premises which became the University of Colombo in the later years.

With the introduction of free education in Ceylon in 1931, Royal stopped charging fees from its students, thus providing education free of charge to this day.

The Quadrangle. The oldest building in school, the former hostel now houses the Grade 8 section.

In 1940 the school was again on the move this time due to the onset of World War II. The school was ordered to move out and the British Army moved in, establishing the Combined Military Hospital, Colombo[37] in the school buildings by 1941 and later covering it into a garrison. Principal E.L. Bradby made sure that education was carried on unhindered by moving the students into four private villas (known as bungalows in Ceylon) at Turret Street, Colombo: the Turret House, Carlton Lodge, Sudarshan House and Firdoshi House.

In 1942 forms 1–3 were relocated to Glendale bungalow (currently part of Bandarawela Central College) in Bandarawela, 200 km (120 mi) from Colombo. In 1944 the Royal Preparatory School was moved to Bandarawela due to the risk of Japanese aerial bombings. In 1948, following the end of World War II, both were moved back to Colombo.[38][39][40]

Following a decree from the State Council of Ceylon in 1945, religious studies were started at the school.

In 1948, after the war ended, the school was relocated to its old home on Reid Avenue, Colombo, and the Hill School was closed down.

In August 1977, the Royal Preparatory School was amalgamated into Royal College forming the school's primary school. With it came the country's only national theatre at the time, the Navarangahala.

Five years earlier on 22 May 1972, the members of the House of Representatives of the Dominion of Ceylon met at the Royal Primary School Hall (Navarangahala) and enacted the Republican Constitution that established the Republic of Sri Lanka.[41]

Since its establishment, the main medium of education had been English; however with Sinhala becoming the official language along with Tamil, the medium of education was changed to Sinhala and Tamil. In 2002 English was reintroduced as a medium of education at the college. Students may select one of the three languages in which to conduct their studies.

## School traditions

[edit]

The college's motto is Disce aut Discede, meaning "learn or depart" in Latin. The motto is associated with the high academic standard maintained at the school for over 180 years. The first mentions of the motto appeared during the tenure of principal George Todd (1871–1878). "Floreat", meaning "flourish" in Latin, has been a motto associated with the school since the founding of the Colombo Academy in 1836. It is derived from "Floreat Etona", the motto of Eton College on which the academy was modeled on at its formation.

### College song

[edit]

Main article: School of our Fathers

The college song is "School of our Fathers", which is sung at the start of the school day and on important occasions. The words of the song were written by Major H. L. Reed, a principal of the school in 1927. The music was later revised by S. Schmid.

In 1968, a shorter version of the college song in Sinhala was composed on the instructions of the principal by the same people who composed the first song (W. A. Wickramasena and S. J. F. Dissanayake). It is played at the end of the school day.

### Prefectorial system

[edit]

In addition to the teachers, four categories[42] of senior boys are entitled to maintain school discipline. Boys who belong to the most senior category of student leaders prefects wear a silver college crest on their all-white uniform.

* Senior Prefect: A senior prefect is a member of the most senior prefectorial group of Royal College: The Prefects' Council. Selected based on the criteria of academics, co-curricular and extra-curricular, senior prefects are appointed on a probationary basis after completing the final exams at school (GCE Advanced Level). Of these, only a handful are appointed as Senior Prefects. Since they have completed their final examinations, they are senior to any other student of the college. Hence their disciplinary powers extend to all students of Royal College. And they effectively stay another year at school, monitoring and supporting all its academic, co-curricular and extracurricular activities in general. From amongst the Senior Prefects are chosen the Head Prefect to lead all prefects of the college, and the Prefects' Top Board, which consists of the Head Prefect (HP), the Senior Deputy Head Prefect (SDHP) and five Deputy Head Prefects (DHPs). Notable head prefects include: J. R. Jayewardene, Sepala Attygalle, Ranjan Madugalle and Neville Kanakeratne.
* Steward: selected from students in grade 12(senior) and After O/L period(junior), they assist the senior prefects to exercise discipline in Upper School (grades 10, 11).
* Junior Prefect: selected from students in grade 9 (grade 8, until 1998), their disciplinary powers are limited to the students of the Middle School (grades 6–9).
* Primary Prefect: selected from students in grade 5, their disciplinary powers are limited to the students of the Primary School (grades 1–5).[43]

## Houses

[edit]

One of the Boake Gates, adorned with the pre-1954 crest with the Tudor Crown.

The students are divided into five houses. Formally four houses were established in 1918 by Principal Hartley with the names Cinnamon Gardens, Bambalapitiya North and South, and Colpetty. They were renamed in 1921 by the principal, H. L Reed, after past headmasters and principals of the college. In 1970 the fifth house was established in memory of Reed. The houses are led by house captains and compete to win the inter-house games and house colours are awarded winners. The houses are:

House Name  | House Colours  | Established

|
|

Hartley House | Pink and blue

| 1918
Harward House | Pink and grey

| 1918
Marsh House | Pink and brown

| 1918
Boake House | Red and black

| 1918
Reed House | Red and white

| 1970

## Awards

[edit]

Interior of the Royal College Main Hall, listing the Panel Prizes on its walls.

There are 165 endowed prizes and awards. The College Main Hall carries the names of those students who have won the Panel Prizes. The most coveted prize at Royal is the Dornhorst Memorial Prize, awarded (since 1930) to the most popular student each year on the basis of votes, in memory of Frederick Dornhorst, KC, followed by the Lalith Athulathmudali Memorial Prize for the most outstanding Royalist of the year. The celebrated Turnour Prize, in memory of George Turnour, is the oldest of the panel prizes.[44] First awarded in 1846 to C. A. Lorensz, it is given annually to the best student in performance in academics. In 1876 another panel prize, the Lorensz Scholarship, was established. It is awarded annually to the best all-rounder with the best in performance in academics and sports.[45]

These prizes are awarded at the prize-giving under the patronage of the President of Sri Lanka (earlier under the patronage of the Governor of Ceylon).

The Royal Crown, the most prestigious award a sportsman can achieve at Royal, is awarded each year at Colours Night to a sportsman who has made outstanding achievements in his field of sports. Colours are awarded to other players who have made significant contributions in the sporting arena.

### Scholarship and prizes

[edit]

Prize | Year of Institution

|

Turnour Prize  | 1846–
Senior Mathematical Prize  | 1846–1934
Shakespeare Prize  | 1870–1932
English University Scholarship  | 1870–1926
Lorensz Scholarship  | 1876
Director's Prize  | 1883–1921
De Soysa Science Prize  | 1893
Sir James Peiris Memorial Prize  | 1905
Donald Obeyesekere Prize  | 1912
F Dadabhoy Memorial Prize  | 1922
The Governor's Prize  | 1922–1947
C M Fernando Memorial Prize  | 1925
Harward Memorial Prize  | 1926–1963
Steward's Prize  | 1929
Dornhorst Memorial Prize  | 1930
Gate Mudaliar R E Gooneratne Memorial Prize  | 1933
G L Rupasinghe Memorial Prize  | 1934
Dr F E Weerasooriya Memorial Prize  | 1934
Canon Lucien Jansz Memorial Prize  | 1934
Atikar A Sellamuttu Prize  | 1935
Ruby Andries Memorial Prize  | 1935
Stubbs Prize  | 1935–1970
Sir Edward Denham Memorial Prize  | 1939
Dr C A Hewavitarane Memorial Prize  | 1942
Cecil Perera Memorial Scholarship  | 1944
The Governor General's Prize  | 1947–1972
Peter De Abrew Memorial Scholarship  | 1948
Dr H L H De Mel Memorial Prize  | 1948
Earle De Zoysa Memorial Prize  | 1952
P U Ratnaunga Prize  | 1952
J N Jinendradasa Memorial Prize  | 1954
E W Perera Memorial Memorial Scholarship  | 1954
Dudley K G De Silva Prize  | 1957
R H Wickramasinghe Memorial Prize  | 1957
Tissa Wickramasinghe Memorial Prize  | 1963
Amal De Mel Memorial Prize  | 1966
Harsha Panditha Gunawardena Memorial Scholarship  | 1967
T D Jayasooriaya Memorial Prize  | 1970
Mudaliyar L C Wijesinghe Prize  | 1970
The President's Prize  | 1973
Omeon Mendis Memorial Scholarship  | 1973
1927 Group Scholarship  | 1978
George Rajapakse Memorial Scholarship  | 1973
Ajantha Wijesena Scholarship  | 1978
Sir Henry De Mel Memorial Prize  | 1983
Lalith Athulathmudali Memorial Prize  | 1994
J R Jayawardene Memorial Prize  | 1997

### Trophies and sports scholarships

[edit]

* Col. T.G. Jayawardena Memorial Shield
* Maalin Dias Sports Scholarship
* E L Bradby — J C A Corea Prize
* Grp. Capt. D.S. Wickremasinghe Memorial Prize

## Sports and extracurricular activities

[edit]

Sport is a major part of Royal College, with over 21 different sports played. Taking centre stage of the annual sporting calendar is the Royal-Thomian (Big Match), the Bradby and the Regatta. Royal College has always been at the top level of almost all school sports.

### Royal-Thomian

[edit]

A Royal flag at the 128th Royal Thomian

Main article: Royal–Thomian

Cricket has been played at the school since 1838 and the Royal College Cricket Club was formed in 1878 by Ashley Walker. The annual cricket match, the Big Match, played against the school's traditional rival, S. Thomas' College, Mt Lavinia is the second-longest uninterrupted cricket match series in the world.[46] The original match was played between Colombo Academy and S. Thomas' College, Mutwal Modara in 1879, with schoolmasters participating as well as schoolboys. From 1880 onwards, only schoolboys were allowed to play in the match.[47][48][49][50][51][52][53][54][55][56]

Until 2006 the tally stood with both schools winning 33 each and 61 drawn. This is preceded by the Cycle Parade which usually happens on the day before the big match, with the official objective of visiting the captain's house to encourage him.

### Royal-Trinity Bradby Shield Encounter

[edit]

Main article: Bradby Shield Encounter

The annual Bradby Shield Encounter is regarded as one of the premier sporting events in Sri Lanka. It is contested between Royal College and Trinity College on a home-and-away basis, with the winner determined by the aggregate score across both matches.[57][58][59]

Royal College and Trinity College were among the pioneer schools in British Ceylon to adopt rugby as a sport, in 1916 and 1906 respectively. The first rugby encounter between the two schools took place on 31 July 1920, with Trinity emerging victorious by 26–0.[60] In 1945, the outgoing principal of Royal College, E. L. Bradby, presented a shield, with the support of the then principal of Trinity College, C. E. Simithraaratchy, to be awarded annually in a two-legged rugby encounter. The inaugural Bradby Shield matches were held on 13 and 20 July 1945 and the encounter was won by Trinity with an aggregate score of 6–3.[60][61]

In 1983, E. L. Bradby and his wife attended the second leg of the 39th encounter, held on 16 July, at the invitation of the Royal College Union.[62]

In 2002, Royal College, under the captaincy of Zulki Hameed, won the 58th encounter with the highest aggregate score and the largest margin of victory in the series. Royal won 39–0 in Colombo and 44–0 in Kandy, resulting in a combined score of 83–0.[63]

In 1971, only the first leg of the 27th encounter was held due to the 1971 JVP insurrection. Royal College was awarded the Shield based on the result of the first leg, which they won 22–3. The series was suspended in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, marking the first time in its history that it was completely halted.[64][65]

As of 7 September 2024, the Bradby Shield has been contested 78 times. Trinity leads the series with 40 wins, Royal has 36 and two encounters have ended in draws.[60][66][67]

### Royal-Thomian Regatta

[edit]

Royal (nearside) winning the Junior Pairs 2007 in a record time.

Main article: Royal Thomian Regatta

Royal was the first school to establish its own rowing program in 1953. The Royal Thomian Regatta is the annual regatta between Royal College and S. Thomas' College, Mt Lavinia. The Boat Race which is the event of a coxed four began in 1962. By 1966, it broadened out to give rise to the regatta having a card of six events, made up of two single sculls, two coxless pairs and two coxed fours. The events take place at the Beira Lake (alongside the Colombo Rowing Club) in Colombo around October each year with the T. N. Fernando Trophy awarded to the overall winner.

In 2007, under the captaincy of Maalik Aziz, Royal won the regatta with a record 40 points to nil, for the first time in its history. The Royal College Crew created records in all six events including a record for the Boat Race with a timing of 3 mins 11 secs (beating the previous record of 3 mins 19 secs).

## Co-Curricular Activities

[edit]

### Clubs and societies

[edit]

The college magazine and the Library Readers’ Association started in 1837. Today there are over 50 clubs and societies.[68]

### Expeditions

[edit]

Organized by the Adventure Club, students have undertaken several expeditions:

* 1996 Himalayas
* 2001 Gokio Peak[69]

### Music

[edit]

Entrance to the Navarangahala.

The college has a strong association with the study of music, both western and oriental. The college choir and the Royal College Orchestra, which is part of the Western Music Society (formally the Royal College Music Society) have a long and rich history. Performances are held at the College Hall, at the Navarangahala (designed specifically for oriental performance), and in recent times at the newly constructed Nelum Pokuna Performing Arts Theatre. There are several marching bands including the Cadet Band Platoon, Senior Western Band, Junior Western Band, Primary Western Band and the Oriental Band.

The annual musical festival SAGA organized by the School Development Society with the assistance of alumni has become an important event on Colombo's cultural calendar.[70]

### College choir

[edit]

The Royal College Choir is one of the oldest school choirs in Sri Lanka. It was formed in 1919. The centenary celebrations were held in 2019.[71][72]

In November 1919, the school choir was established alongside the Music Society (now known as the Western Music Society) by Lewis Walker, then serving as acting principal, with the support of staff members S. P. Foenander, J. M. Fonseka and E. K. de Zilwa.[71][72]

Between 1920 and 1930, the choir won the "Meaden Shield" for ten consecutive years, including a perfect score of 200 out of 200 in 1926. The Royal College school song, School of our Fathers, was first performed in 1928 during the same competition. The choir received support from Principal Harry Leslie Reed and master-in-charge Robert C. Edwards.[73]

In July 2018, the choir won three silver medals at the 10th World Choir Games held in Tshwane, South Africa. The awards were in the categories of youth choir, pop choir and folklore with accompaniment.[74][75][76]

Since 1993, the Western Music Society, together with the Royal College Choir, has organised the annual choral event "The Festival of Choirs".[77][78]

### Drama

[edit]

Many plays are put on every year at Royal, organized by the English Drama Society (formally the Royal College Dramatic Society) and the Sinhala Drama Society. Sinhala and Tamil drama productions are hosted at the college's main theatre, the Navarangahala, which is specially designed for local drama and music which requires an open-air type auditorium in accordance with Natya Shastra. English language productions are hosted at the Lionel Wendt, which is near the school. The school's 'Little Theatre' is currently in use by the Royal College Film Society's screening of classical and contemporary films.[79] Productions are staged regularly by alumni, organized by the Old Royalists Association of Dramatists and the Royal College Union.[80]

## Cadet Contingent

[edit]

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The Royal College Cadet Corps is the oldest school cadet contingent in Sri Lanka. It was the first cadet battalion to be formed in a school in Ceylon in 1881, attached to the Ceylon Light Infantry soon after its own formation that year. Later named the Royal College Volunteer Corps, it was attached to the Ceylon Volunteers by the Volunteer Gazette of 1905. In 1979 a Senior Cadet Band Platoon was added. In 2007 Royal was one of two schools to establish the first Air Force Cadet platoons in the country.

Both the Cadet Contingent and Senior Cadet Band Platoon have performed well, gaining claim as two of the finest units in the country. Over the years the Cadet Contingent has won the Hermann Loos Trophy in many years, and the Senior Cadet Band Platoon has won the Lt. Gen. T.I. Weerathunga Trophy ten times.

## School magazines

[edit]

The college magazine dates back to 1837[81] when The Colombo Academy Miscellany and Juvenile Repository was published on a monthly basis[81] during the time of headmaster Rev. Joseph Marsh. The Royal College Magazine, the official school magazine, was first published in 1893 and was printed in the Times of Ceylon Press. Its first editor was E. W. Perera. The magazine was published until the 1970s by the school press,[81] edited by students. Its publication resumed in 1993 and has continued since. [81][82] Its editors include J. R. Jayawardene, Christopher Weeramantry, Lalith Athulathmudali, M. C. Sansoni, N. E. Weerasooriya, F. C. de Saram, Pieter Keuneman, Lakshman Wickremasinghe, Neville Kanakeratne and B St. E de Bruin.[83]

The Royalist is the school paper, published every year.

## Principals and headmasters

[edit]

The principal's Mansion.

In the early twentieth century, appointments of the Principal of Royal College was made by the Secretary of State for the Colonies, later with the ratification of the State Council of Ceylon. At present, the appointment is made by the Minister of Education, under the recommendation of the Department of Education. The post is considered to be the most senior Principal in Sri Lanka Education Administrative Service.[citation needed]

J. H. Marsh served as the first headmaster of the Colombo Academy. With the appointment of J. F. Haslam in 1948 the post of the head of the academy was renamed the principal, which continues to this day. J. C. A. Corea became the first Ceylonese (Sri Lankan) principal when he took office in 1946.

### Headmasters

[edit]

Name  | Entered Office  | Departed Office

|
|

J. H. Marsh Snr, MA(Edin)  | 1835  | 1838
J. Brooke H. Bailey (acting)  | 1839  | 1842
A. Kessen  | 1842  | 1842

### Principals

[edit]

Name  | Entered Office  | Departed Office

|
|

J. F. Haslam, BA(Cantab)  | 1839  | 1840
Barcroft Boake, BA(Dublin), DD(Dublin)  | 1842  | 1870
George Todd, ISO, BA(Oxon)  | 1871  | 1878
J. B. Cull, MA(Oxon)  | 1878  | 1890
J. H. Marsh (Jnr), MA(Edin)  | 1890  | 1892
J. H. Harward, MA(Oxon)  | 1892  | 1902
C. Hartley, MA(Cantab)  | 1903  | 1919
Major H. L. Reed, MC, BA(Cantab)  | 1920  | 1932
L. H. W. Sampson, BA(Oxon), FRGS | 1932  | 1938
E. L. Bradby, MA(Oxon)  | 1939  | 1945
J. C. A. Corea, MA(Lond), DipEd(Cantab)  | 1946  | 1953
D. K. G. de Silva, BSc(Lond), DipEd(Cey)  | 1954  | 1966
Deshabandu B. A. Premaratne, BA(Lond), MA(NY TTC)  | 1967  | 1971
D. G. Welikala, BSc(Lond)  | 1971  | 1972
D. J. N. Seneviratne, BSc(Lond), MA(Colombia), F.G.TRD, Cert(History)(Cey)  | 1972  | 1972
L. D. H. Peiris, BSc(Lond), DipEd(Cey)  | 1972  | 1980
C. T. M. Fernando, BA(Lond), CertEd(Cey), Cert Ed. Adm.(Edin)  | 1981  | 1986
B. Suriyaarachchi, BA(Cey), DipEd | 1986  | 1994
S. H. Kumarasinghe, BA(Cey), DipEd | 1994  | 1997
H. L. B. Gomes, BA(Pera), DipEd, Cert Ed. Mgt.  | 1997  | 2003
H. A. Upali Gunasekera, BSc(Pera), DipEd | 2003  | 2016
B. A. Abeyratne  | 2016  | 2021
M. V. S. Gunathilaka, BA(Pera)  | 2021  | 2022
P. A. S. P. Jayalath  | 2022  | 2022
R. M. M. Rathnayake[84] | 2022  | 2023
Thilak Waththuhewa, BCom(SJP)  | 2023  | 2025
L.W.K. Silva [85] | 2025  | 2025
Athula Wijewardena  | 2025  | incumbent

## Academic staff

[edit]

Notable staff members include:

* Senerat Gunewardene
* Anthony Gates
* Andrew Nicholl
* Ashley Walker
* Regi Siriwardena
* Don Carlin Gunawardena[86]
* Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu
* R. I. T. Alles
* Lionel Ranwala
* L. V. Gooneratne
* Rathna Lalani Jayakody

## Notable alumni

[edit]

Main article: List of Royal College Colombo alumni

See also: Category:Alumni of Royal College, Colombo

Past pupils of Royal College Colombo, known as Old Royalists, include many distinguished figures. The school has produced the 1st Executive President of Sri Lanka, J. R. Jayewardene; the 9th Executive President, Ranil Wickremesinghe; the last Sultan of the Maldives, Muhammad Fareed Didi;[20] and four Prime Ministers of Sri Lanka, including General Sir John Kotelawala, J. R. Jayewardene, Ranil Wickremesinghe, and Dinesh Gunawardena, as well as the first Ceylonese Acting Governor, Sir James Peiris.[87][88]

Many of the prominent leaders of the independence movement in the early twentieth century, including Anagarika Dharmapala, E. W. Perera, Armand de Souza, Sir James Peiris, Sir Ponnambalam Arunachalam, Sir Ponnambalam Ramanathan and C. A. Hewavitharne, were educated at the Colombo Academy.

The school's alumni also include Shirley Amerasinghe (President of the United Nations General Assembly), Gamani Corea (Secretary-General of the UNCTD), Christopher Weeramantry (Vice President of the International Court of Justice), Sir Nicholas Attygalle (first Sri Lankan vice chancellor), V. K. Samaranayake (founder of the UCSC), Mohan Munasinghe (Vice Chairman of the IPCC) and General Deshamanya Sepala Attygalle (first Sri Lankan four-star general).

* Anagarika Dharmapala

* Sir Ponnambalam Ramanathan

* Sir Ponnambalam Arunachalam

* J. R. Jayewardene, First Executive President of Sri Lanka

* Ranil Wickramasinghe, Ninth President of Sri Lanka

## Royal College Union

[edit]

The Royal College Union (RCU) is the alumni society (old boys' association) for the college. Founded in 1891, it is the oldest and most important such alumni society in Sri Lanka. The Royal College Union was set up to further the interests of the college and its past and present members, and to keep former pupils in touch with each other and with the school. Annually the RCU organizes many sporting events including the Royal-Thomian, the Bradby Shield Encounter, the Royal Thomian Regatta, as well as national initiatives such as EDEX (the biggest educational fair in the island) and carrying out development projects for the college.

## Rivalries

[edit]

Royal College maintains a century old rivalry with S. Thomas' College, Mount Lavinia as well as close ties with Trinity College, Kandy.[citation needed]

## In popular culture

[edit]

* In Martin Wickramasinghe's novel Kaliyugaya which was made into a film by Lester James Peries, the character Allan is an old Royalist.
* In the last part of Carl Muller's trilogy Once Upon a Tender Time, the central character Carlaboy von Bloss of the final story studies at Royal.[89]
* In Nihal De Silva's novel The Giniralla Conspiracy, protagonist Mithra Dias studied at Royal College, as did antihero Kumudu Prasanna.
* In Martin Wickramasinghe's novel Yuganthaya which was made into a film by Lester James Peries, the character Malin is an old Royalist.
* In Madhubahashini Disanayaka Ratnayaka's novel There is Something I Have to Tell You, one of the main characters Janendra "Janu" Samarawickrama is an old Royalist.

## Lineage

[edit]

|  |  |  |  |  |  | Hill Street Academy

|
|
|
|
|
|
|

| Colombo Academy|

|  |  |
| Queens College

| Royal College Colombo|

|  |  |  |  |

|  |

|  |  |

| Royal College|
|  |  |  |  |  |  |

|  |

|  |  |

| Royal Preparatory School|

|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |

## See also

[edit]

* Education in Sri Lanka
* National Cadet Corps
* List of Ceylonese organizations with royal prefix
* Thurstan College
* Isipathana College

## Notes

[edit]

## References

[edit]

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2. ^ "Royal Colombo beat DSS by 90 runs". 15 October 2023. Archived from the original on 14 May 2024. Retrieved 10 February 2024.
3. ^ Army Boxers Clinch the 96th National Boxing Championship 2023
4. ^ "Chandrananda BC downs Colombo Royal". Archived from the original on 14 May 2024. Retrieved 10 February 2024.
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6. ^ "Colombo Academy becomes Royal College". Sunday Times (Sri Lanka). 30 July 2006. Archived from the original on 7 June 2008. Retrieved 22 April 2009.
7. ^ a b c Historical Overview of Education in Sri Lanka, The British Period: (1796–1948 ) Archived 2009-06-07 at the Wayback Machine
8. ^ "HNB launches revamped Student Savings Unit at Royal College". Daily News. 2020. Archived from the original on 4 May 2021. Retrieved 3 May 2021.
9. ^ "Down the Royal lane". Daily News. 2020. Archived from the original on 3 May 2021. Retrieved 3 May 2021.
10. ^ "Colombo Academy becomes Royal College". Sunday Times. Archived from the original on 14 June 2021. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
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12. ^ "Sri Lanka's 'Eton' celebrates its 175th birthday". BBC News. 6 February 2010. Archived from the original on 17 May 2014. Retrieved 25 August 2013.
13. ^ "Microsoft puts Royal College among world's most innovative schools". Sunday Times (Sri Lanka). 8 November 2009. Archived from the original on 10 November 2009. Retrieved 8 November 2009.
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15. ^ Razak, Rukshan (1 July 2012). "Trinity retain the Bradby". The Island (Sri Lanka).
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17. ^ Royal-Colombo win by 75 runs
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26. ^ "World War I: The Great War centenary". Financial Times. Archived from the original on 4 May 2023. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
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28. ^ "First Headmaster". Archived from the original on 24 July 2020. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
29. ^ "Those good ole days!". Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 21 June 2013.
30. ^ Structure of the Education System Archived 2009-06-07 at the Wayback Machine, Ministry of Education
31. ^ [books.google.lk/books?ISBN 8180690423 Accounting Education in South Asia]By K.R. Sharma. Pg:109
32. ^ "An epitome of English education in Sri Lanka". Archived from the original on 1 November 2004. Retrieved 24 May 2013.
33. ^ "Conquering the skies". Archived from the original on 29 November 2010. Retrieved 10 April 2009.
34. ^ "Ceylon's first flights". Archived from the original on 2 December 2012. Retrieved 2 December 2012.
35. ^ "House for a College and University: Its hundred years since its foundation laying". Archived from the original on 12 March 2012. Retrieved 29 May 2011.
36. ^ Thurstan College 55th Founder's Day - Jan. 11 Archived 2007-07-06 at the Wayback Machine
37. ^ Jackson, Ashley (2018). Ceylon at War 1939-1945. Warwick, England: Helion & Company Limited. p. 33\. ISBN 978-1-912390-65-6.
38. ^ Learning of books and men and how to play the game
39. ^ Needed: a new hostel for Royal
40. ^ A brief history of Royal College
41. ^ May 22: Sri Lanka's Republic Day Archived 20 September 2024 at the Wayback Machine, Sundayobserver
42. ^ "PREFECTS AND STEWARDS". Archived from the original on 25 September 2011. Retrieved 8 October 2011.
43. ^ "Devotion and sacrifice: secret of success, Head Prefect of Royal college speaks of his challenging school career". Archived from the original on 20 September 2024. Retrieved 20 April 2024.
44. ^ Ratnaweera, Karel Roberts (24 November 2002). "PM joins fellow Royalists in loyalty pledge". The Sunday Observer (Sri Lanka). Archived from the original on 8 December 2002.
45. ^ "Tamil Union felicitates Tambyah Murugaser". Archived from the original on 17 June 2011. Retrieved 26 April 2017.
46. ^ "131st Battle Of The Blues". Archived from the original on 11 November 2020. Retrieved 2 October 2010.
47. ^ "Returning to original sin: Whither Lanka's Test Cricket?". Archived from the original on 28 October 2013. Retrieved 28 May 2013.
48. ^ "Unique stamp for a unique event". Archived from the original on 5 January 2012. Retrieved 28 May 2013.
49. ^ "The College History". S. Thomas Old Boys Association. Archived from the original on 8 May 2013. Retrieved 28 May 2013.
50. ^ "OBA History". S. Thomas Old Boys Association. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 28 May 2013.
51. ^ "Battle of the Blues". Archived from the original on 27 April 2014. Retrieved 28 May 2013.
52. ^ "The Royal – Thomian - 130 Years on". Archived from the original on 2 June 2013. Retrieved 28 May 2013.
53. ^ "S. Thomas' College" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 April 2014. Retrieved 28 May 2013.
54. ^ "Oldest Thomian Cricketer late Punchi Banda (Artie) Lankatilleke - JP". Archived from the original on 27 April 2014. Retrieved 28 May 2013.
55. ^ "A Tribute to C.E.L. ("Kalla") De Silva on his 100th Birth Anniversary". Archived from the original on 26 April 2014. Retrieved 28 May 2013.
56. ^ The Royal Thomian Derby Archived 2008-06-16 at the Wayback Machine
57. ^ Stoney, Emma (25 April 2012). "A Passion for Rugby in an Unexpected Place". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 13 September 2017. Retrieved 11 July 2025.
58. ^ "The Bradby Shield – Sri Lanka Schools' Coveted Rugby Encounter". Asia Rugby. 31 July 2020. Archived from the original on 10 July 2023. Retrieved 11 July 2025.
59. ^ Marikar, Hafiz (30 May 2019). "The Beginnings of Bradby". Daily News. Archived from the original on 2 October 2023. Retrieved 11 July 2025.
60. ^ a b c Perera, S. S. (June 1994). Royal vs Trinity – 50 Years of Bradby Shield 1945–1994. Bradby Shield Encounter Organising Committee.
61. ^ "Back in the mane game". Quadrangle. 18 April 2017. Archived from the original on 2 April 2024. Retrieved 11 July 2025.
62. ^ Cooray, Sriyan (31 May 2020). "Spirit of the Bradby is Just Amazing". The Sunday Times. Archived from the original on 10 March 2023. Retrieved 11 July 2025.
63. ^ Abdeen, S. M. Jiffrey (28 July 2002). "Trinity whipped again and Royal take 'Bradby". Sunday Observer. Archived from the original on 6 August 2023. Retrieved 11 July 2025.
64. ^ Ratnatunga, Janek (12 June 2021). "The 1971 Bradby – "The Shocker at the Rugger"". Sunday Observer. Archived from the original on 2 October 2023. Retrieved 11 July 2025.
65. ^ Marikar, Hafiz (7 November 2020). "Bradby Shield: a no-go". Daily News. Archived from the original on 2 October 2023. Retrieved 11 July 2025.
66. ^ Behind the Shield – the history, the heroes, the hearts of 75 years 1945–2019. Bradby Shield Encounter Organising Committee. June 2019.
67. ^ Jaleel, Shamseer (7 September 2024). "78th Bradby Shield Confident Trinity takes on Royal in lion's den". www.ft.lk. Archived from the original on 11 July 2025. Retrieved 11 July 2025.
68. ^ "Clubs & Societies - the Royal College". 8 July 2021. Archived from the original on 8 February 2023. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
69. ^ "Himalayan expedition by Royal College Adventure Club students". Archived from the original on 12 March 2012. Retrieved 1 October 2011.
70. ^ "Royal to present Saga V plus at BMICH". Archived from the original on 19 October 2012. Retrieved 4 September 2018.
71. ^ a b "Royal College: Royal College Choir". royalcollege.lk. 27 July 2021. Archived from the original on 14 June 2025. Retrieved 14 June 2025.
72. ^ a b "Centenary celebration of Royal College Choir". www.ft.lk. 3 January 2020. Archived from the original on 14 June 2025. Retrieved 14 June 2025.
73. ^ "A Century of Sounds by Royal College Choir". www.sundaytimes.lk. 29 December 2019. Archived from the original on 25 March 2023. Retrieved 14 June 2025.
74. ^ "10th World Choir Games 2018". Interkultur. Retrieved 19 July 2018.
75. ^ "Royal College Choir wins 3 silver medals at World Choir Games". www.adaderana.lk. 15 July 2018. Archived from the original on 17 July 2018. Retrieved 14 June 2025.
76. ^ "Royal college wins silver medals at the World Choir Games 2018". english.newsfirst.lk. 15 July 2018. Archived from the original on 14 June 2025. Retrieved 14 June 2025.
77. ^ "Festival of Choirs 2015". news.lk. 24 September 2015. Archived from the original on 14 June 2025. Retrieved 14 June 2025.
78. ^ "Royal College: Festival Of Choirs 2022". royalcollege.lk. 1 November 2022. Archived from the original on 24 June 2023. Retrieved 14 June 2025.
79. ^ "On behalf of all her sons and daughters..." Archived from the original on 19 October 2012. Retrieved 22 March 2011.
80. ^ "Young Royalists take on the challenge of Jekyll and Hyd". Archived from the original on 21 January 2011. Retrieved 22 March 2011.
81. ^ a b c d "A royal magazine". Archived from the original on 21 October 2010. Retrieved 24 October 2008.
82. ^ Royal College Magazine Online Website Archived 2012-03-20 at the Wayback Machine
83. ^ "Royal College Magazine". Archived from the original on 13 November 2013. Retrieved 29 July 2012.
84. ^ A former Royal College principal defends maintenance of secular values in the school
85. ^ Royal College Principal Apologizes for Student’s Inappropriate Behavior During Cycle Parade
86. ^ Wijemanne, Livy (29 September 1979). "Appreciation: Prof. D. C. Gunawardena". Ceylon Daily Mirror.
87. ^ Ananda Guruge, Peace at Last in Paradise Archived 20 September 2024 at the Wayback Machine, p. 213 (AuthorHouse Publishing) ISBN 9781463418373
88. ^ K. T. Rajasingham, Chapter 5: "Sri Lanka: the Untold Story", Asia Times Retrieved 7 November 2015
89. ^ "Sir Christopher Ondaatje looks back at the importance of Carl Muller's Trilogy". Archived from the original on 14 August 2009. Retrieved 4 May 2009.

## Further reading

[edit]

* Royal College (1932). The History of Royal College: Formerly called the Colombo Academy. H. W. Cave.
* Royal College (1985). 150th Anniversary of Royal College. The College.
* Perera, S. S. (1986). History of Royal College.
* Fernando, M. L. (2012) History of Royal College – 1985 to 2010
* Seneviratne, D. L., The Royal College "School of our Fathers" (Colombo, Lake House)
* "Corporate Social Responsibility - The Royal College". royalcollege.lk. 17 July 2021. Archived from the original on 27 December 2024. Retrieved 6 April 2025.

## External links

[edit]

* Royal College official website
* Royal College Union
* Royal College Sports Complex

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