Henry De Mel

Sir Henry Lawson De Mel, CBE (21 January 1877 – 8 May 1936) was a Ceylonese industrialist, lawyer, philanthropist and politician. He was a member of the Legislative Council and founder of the H.L. De Mel & Co.[1][2]

Sir Henry de Mel
CBE
Former member of the Legislative Council
In office
1921–1936
Personal details
Born21 January 1877 (1877-01-21)
Died8 May 1936 (1936-05-09) (aged 59)
NationalityCeylonese (Sri Lankan)
SpouseLady Elsie Jayawickrema
RelationsJacob De Mel (father)
Dona Helena Ferdinando
ChildrenLakdasa De Mel, R. S. F. de Mel, Irene, Helena
Alma materS. Thomas' College
Royal College, Colombo
OccupationIndustrialist
ProfessionProctor
AwardsKnight Bachelor,
Knight of the Order of the Crown,
Commander of the Order of the British Empire

Early life and education

Henry De Mel was born 21 January 1877, the son of Jacob De Mel (1839-1919) and Dona Helena née Ferdinando (1850-1906), a cousin of Sir Charles Henry de Soysa.[1][3] He was one of fourteen children and was educated at S. Thomas' College and Royal College, Colombo.

In 1898, he started his legal career with the law firm Peiris & De Mel and was appointed a Proctor of the Supreme Court of Ceylon in 1904. He married Elsie Jayawickrame, the daughter of Mudaliyar S. H. Jayawickrame of Kurunegala. He later gave up his legal career to concentrate on his plantation and mining interests and was also an avid motorist.[4][5] De Mel was the producer and exporter of the world's highest quality graphite and supplied Dixon Ticonderoga Company.[6][7][8][9] In 1921, he built the De Mel Building on Chatham Street, Colombo Fort.[10]

Political career

In 1921 he was elected unopposed to the Legislative Council of Ceylon on behalf of the Low Country Products Association and at the same election his brother-in-law, Sir James Peiris, was also elected.[5][11][12] In 1931 he was knighted for his services to the government of Ceylon.[13]

Family

His sons were the Right Reverend Lakdasa De Mel (1902-1976), the first Bishop of Kurunegala and R. S. F. de Mel, a former Mayor of Colombo. One daughter, Irene, married Dr. Percival Cholmondeley Chalmers de Silva (1904-1987), a renowned pediatrician.[14] Another daughter, Helena, was married to Watson Pieris, son of Hannadige Joseph Pieris of Oliver Castle, Gregory's Road who was a cousin of Jeronis Pieris.

Death

On 8 May 1936 Sir Henry De Mel died of injuries sustained after being shot while trying to resolve a dispute between two workers on one of his vast coconut plantations.[15]

Honors

He was the first Ceylonese to be appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 1918 New Year Honours for services to the Government of Ceylon. He was knighted as a Knight Bachelor in the 1931 Birthday Honours for public and philanthropic services. He had been appointed a Chevalier in the Belgian Order of the Crown.

References
  1. Edith M. G. Fernando (1989). Journey of a family (The Mahavidanelagē De Mels). Colombo: R.F.S. De Mel. p. 16.
  2. Christ Church, Baddegama Diocese of Colombo. Retrieved 10 February 2016.
  3. Twin Happiness — resounding slap on all chauvinists, Dr. P. R. Anthonis (The Island) Retrieved 17 November 2015
  4. Wright, Arnold (1999). Twentieth Century Impressions of Ceylon. Lloyd's Greater Britain Publishing Company. pp. 570, 578, 596, 598–600, 664–5. ISBN 978-8120613355.
  5. Allister MacMillan, ed. (1928). Seaports of India and Ceylon. Asian Educational Services. pp. 439–40. ISBN 978-8120619951.
  6. Graphite: Ceylon, mineralszone.com Retrieved 22 December 2015
  7. HISTORICAL CONTEXT, slembassyusa.org Retrieved 22 December 2015
  8. Elcora Resources Corp. executes definitive agreement with Sakura Graphite (PVT) Ltd., CNW Retrieved 22 December 2015
  9. Elcora: Producing High Purity Graphite Right Now, Jay Currie (Financial Post) Retrieved 22 December 2015
  10. "H L DE MEL & COMPANY 150 YEARS OF INTEGRITY". businesstoday.lk. Retrieved 1 July 2021.
  11. Wijesinghe, Sam (25 December 2005). "People and State Power". Sunday Observer, Sri Lanka. Archived from the original on 5 June 2011. Retrieved 7 February 2010.
  12. Wijesinha, Sam (19 September 2004). "Remembering Sir Ponnambalam Arunachalam". Sunday Observer. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
  13. "Sir H. De Mel Shot Dead". The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser. 11 May 1936. p. 2. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
  14. "Percival Cholmondeley Chalmers de Silva". Royal College of Physicians of London. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
  15. "Inquest Verdict on Sir H. de Mel". The Straits Times. 23 May 1936. p. 19.
  • Edith M. G. Fernando (1989). Journey of a family (The Mahavidanelagē De Mels). Colombo: R.F.S. De Mel.
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