• S. Thomas’ College 175th anniversary volume records rebellion, reform, faith, and national change through school’s history

When S. Thomas’ College marked its 175th anniversary on 7 February, the milestone was commemorated not only with ceremony, but with a substantial historical volume titled ‘Enduring Works: The Thomian Journey.’ 

Authored by independent researcher and writer Uditha Devapriya with the support of  Research Coordinator Manusha Lakshan, the book set out to do more than document institutional milestones. It sought to contextualise the college within the wider political, religious, and intellectual currents that shaped 19th century Ceylon and the country that followed.

Looking back beyond just 175 years

“The book went beyond 175 years,” Devapriya said. “You cannot understand why the school was founded unless you look at what was happening in the 1840s. The 1848 rebellion, the mood in the Kandyan provinces, the anxieties of the Colombo middle class, and the position of the Church of England in Ceylon, all form part of that background.”

Central to that background was Bishop James Chapman, the first Bishop of Colombo. His memorials, published in 1892 and drawn from diary entries and correspondence, became a key source. 

Devapriya described these writings as “an indispensable source,” adding: “You had to read between the lines to understand what was going on in his mind and his heart. He seemed dissatisfied with what he saw as the lack of progress among missionary societies, and felt there had to be an independent institution.”

In 1851, S. Thomas’ College was founded with explicitly Anglican aims. Unlike the Colombo Academy, which had a more secular orientation, S. Thomas’ College was rooted in religious purpose from the outset. 

Reflecting on Chapman’s response to the unrest of 1848, Devapriya said: “Chapman felt that the rebellion had shown we did not need to be more violent. Instead, we needed to promote Christianity and Christian education among the people. That conviction ultimately led him to agitate for the establishment of the school.”

A commemorative volume with historical depth

Commissioned in mid-2025, Devapriya had eight months to research, write, and publish the book in time for the anniversary. 

“Conceptualisation took about two weeks,” he said, adding: “Research took around three months. I had roughly two months to complete the initial drafts. After that, the rest of the time went into correcting errors, identifying gaps, and working closely with the Steering and Editorial Committees to refine the manuscript.”

The 175th Anniversary Steering Committee was chaired by Senaka de Fonseka, with Sasanka Bandara serving as Secretary and Suwan Perera as Treasurer. An Editorial Committee, co-chaired by Eddie Appathurai and Sidath Gajanayaka, oversaw the publication. Reverend Marc Billimoria, the 19th Warden, was instrumental in establishing the History and Archives Committee that guided the project.

Incumbent Warden Asanka S. Perera, who had been Acting Warden during the early stages and was later confirmed in the role, provided consistent institutional support. “From the word go, I had complete support from the committee and the college,” Devapriya said. “Having people who were deeply conversant in both college history and Sri Lankan history made a considerable difference.”

Design and layout were handled by Pramith Mallawaratchie of Keymedia, shaping the manuscript into a cohesive volume that balances archival images and text. 

“There are many books in Sri Lanka described as coffee table books, even if they contain more text than visuals,” Devapriya observed. “I would classify this as a 50/50 split between text and pictures. It is a commemorative volume, but it is also a visual historical narrative.”

Reading a nation via editorial

A substantial portion of the research was drawn from official college magazines, editorials, and prize giving speeches. 

“Those were some of the most important sources,” Devapriya explained. “If you read the editorials from key transformative moments in our history, you can see how people thought at the time and how they believed the college should respond in line with its Anglican ethos.”

The book traces how the college navigated moments such as the Buddhist revival of the 1880s, the language debate, post-independence political shifts, and ideological tensions during the Cold War period. Wardens and chief guests, through their speeches and writings, left behind a record of how the institution interpreted and responded to national change.

Despite its Christian foundations, S. Thomas’ College produced alumni whose political and intellectual positions varied widely. 

“This was an explicitly Christian institution,” Devapriya said. “Yet if you look at its alumni, from Anagarika Dharmapala to S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike, D.S. Senanayake, and even Left-wing figures like Hector Abhayavardhana and Edmund Samarakkody, you see that no two Thomians thought alike. That was one of the key takeaways from my research.”

At 175 years, the story of S. Thomas’ College is neither singular nor uniform. ‘Enduring Works: The Thomian Journey’ presents the institution as one shaped by faith, reform, dissent, and debate. In doing so, it moves beyond anniversary celebration and towards historical interpretation, situating the college within the evolving consciousness of the nation it has long helped to shape.