Ernest de Silva facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sir
Ernest de Silva
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| ශ්රිමත් අර්නස්ට් ද සිල්වා | |
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| Born | 26 November 1887 |
| Died | 9 May 1957 (aged 69) |
| Nationality | Ceylonese |
| Other names | Sir A.E. de Silva |
| Education | Clare College, Cambridge, Royal College, Colombo |
| Spouse(s) | Senator Lady Evadne de Silva |
Sir Albert Ernest de Silva (born November 26, 1887, died May 9, 1957) was a very important person from Ceylon (now Sri Lanka). He was a successful businessman, banker, and lawyer. He is best known as one of the greatest givers (philanthropists) of his time.
He was very rich and smart, knowing a lot about many things. He started the biggest bank in Ceylon, the Bank of Ceylon. He also helped start the State Mortgage Bank, which helped people get loans. Sir Ernest helped his country in many ways. He was also a top stamp collector (philatelist) in Ceylon's history. When Ceylon became independent, he was asked to be the first Governor General. This meant he would represent the King and be the country's leader. However, he said no for personal reasons.
Sir Ernest de Silva was at the top of society. He was the richest person in Ceylon during his time. People respected him greatly for being honest and fair.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Sir Ernest de Silva was born into one of the richest families in Ceylon. His parents and grandparents owned a lot of land across the country. His father, A. E. de Silva, became the wealthiest businessman in Ceylon. He named his son Albert Ernest de Silva Jr.
Young Ernest first went to Royal College, Colombo. Later, he studied at Clare College, Cambridge in England. He then became a lawyer at the Inner Temple. He was good friends with Jawaharlal Nehru, who later became India's Prime Minister. They met at Cambridge and again in 1930 when Nehru visited Ceylon.
Family Life
Sir Ernest de Silva's wife was Evadne. After he was knighted, she became known as Lady Evadne de Silva. She was also a well-known giver (philanthropist). When Ceylon became independent, she was one of the first women to join the Senate of Ceylon.
Sir Ernest and Lady Evadne had six children. One of their daughters, Sita, married U. N. Gunasekera. He was a famous civil engineer in Ceylon. He built many of the country's largest buildings, including its first five-star hotels. He was also a quiet giver. Another daughter, Swarnapali, married O. R. Medonza. He was a respected doctor at General Hospital (Colombo).
Helping Others: Philanthropy
Sir Ernest de Silva was perhaps the greatest giver in Ceylon during the 20th century. He gave money to many charities and projects.
He helped build four major schools, including Devapathiraja Vidyalaya. He also provided free education and scholarships for students. Through Devpathiraja Vidyalaya, he started the first free Buddhist English school in the South. This was 23 years before free education became common in Ceylon. Because of this, some call him the 'Grandfather of free education'. He and his wife also gave 9 acres of land in Katunayake to start Ceylon's first orphanage.
Sir Ernest also set up Ceylon's first hospital for tuberculosis in Kandana. He even donated a large cinnamon and coconut farm to help pay for the hospital's costs. He was the President of the Ceylon National Association for the Prevention of Tuberculosis. Among his many gifts to healthcare, he donated the first X-ray machine and radiology unit to the National Hospital. He did this in memory of his father.
As the founder of the Bank of Ceylon, he also became the governor of the State Mortgage Bank. This bank was created to help people with lower incomes get financial support.
His many acts of kindness included setting up several children's homes. These were the Angela Children's Home, the Parakrama Home, and homes in Negombo, Walana, and other areas. He also helped build a maternity home, a monastery, and a hermitage. He supported the Welisara Children's hospital and a fully built hospital in Wanni Athpaththu Kurunegala. He also helped other good charities like the Gamini Matha Elder's home. He gave away land, buildings, and money to many orphanages, hospitals, schools, and temples. He did all this quietly, without seeking fame.
Strong Beliefs: Faith
Sir Ernest de Silva was a strong Buddhist. He did a lot to help Buddhism grow. For example, in 1911, he bought an island (Polgasduwa). He offered it to Ven. Nanatiloke, a famous German monk, to start a hermitage for Buddhist monks. This hermitage attracted many scholars and thinkers from around the world. Sir Ernest helped put Ceylon on the map for philosophy and religion.
Once, a student of the German monk, Ven. Nyanaponika, wanted to return to Germany. He wanted to help his Jewish mother escape the Nazis. Sir Ernest used his influence to bring his mother and relatives to Ceylon. Some of them lived on one of his estates.
He also built a temple called Veluvanaramaya with his mother. He was the President of the YMBA (Young Men's Buddhist Association) and the Kalutara Bodhi Trust. His wife was the first President of the Ceylon Women's Buddhist Congress. Ranasinghe Premadasa, who was Ceylon's president later, once said that if there was a Buddhist temple or school that Sir Ernest did not help, it was not in Ceylon.
Great Wealth
Sir Ernest was the richest man in Ceylon during his time. He was one of the wealthiest Ceylonese of the 20th century. He inherited and bought thousands of acres of tea, rubber, and coconut farms. He also owned land in important areas of Colombo.
One famous property was the 1200-acre Salawa estate, used for rubber. Another was the Rukkattana estate in Bingiriya, used for coconuts. He owned 46 acres of land mostly in Cinnamon Gardens (Colombo 7). This area was very expensive. His company traded in many Ceylonese products like graphite, coconut, and tea. He mainly exported goods to the United Kingdom and Europe. His home, the "Sirimathipaya Mansion," had horse stables and tennis courts. Today, it is the Prime Minister's office.
Hobbies and Interests
Besides his public work, Sir Ernest de Silva loved stamp collecting. His collection of Ceylonese stamps was said to be world-class. It was second only to the collection of King George V. He was known as one of the most notable stamp collectors in the world. He even owned the very rare orange-red "Post Office" Mauritius One Penny (1847) stamp. This stamp is considered one of the rarest and most expensive in the world.
True to his giving nature, he donated this famous stamp to his relative, Sir Cyril de Zoysa. The stamp was used to help build the YMBA headquarters. Later, in 1993, the stamp sold for $1.1 million at an auction.
Sir A. E. de Silva was also known as one of the best Ceylonese billiards players of his time. He was the patron of the Ceylon Amateur Billiards Association. He played games with world champions at his mansion and club. He was also the president of the Ceylon Turf Club. He won two Governor's Cups in Ceylon with his horses, Louvello and L'Allegro. He also won a Governor's Cup in Calcutta. As president, he made sure the "Sport of Kings" was played fairly. He was also one of the first Ceylonese people to own a Rolls-Royce car.
Honors and Legacy
Ernest de Silva was knighted as a Knight Bachelor on January 1, 1946. King George VI gave him this honor for his public service in Ceylon. To recognize his contributions, Flower Road, where he lived, was renamed Sir Ernest de Silva Mawatha. A stamp was also issued in his honor.
He was considered the most respected and wealthiest Ceylonese of his generation. He was offered the job of the first Ceylonese Governor General. This person would represent the British Monarch in Ceylon and be the country's leader. However, he turned down the offer for personal reasons.
Sir Ernest de Silva passed away at the age of 70. This was almost ten years after Ceylon gained independence, a cause he worked hard for. Many government officials and leaders attended his funeral. S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike, who was the prime minister at the time, spoke about the great loss to the nation. He thanked Sir Ernest for his service to Sri Lanka, calling him a "true gentleman in every sense of the word."
