S. Thomas' College, Mount Lavinia

S. Thomas’ College is situated in a quiet suburb approximately half an hour from the southern limits of the City of Colombo.[1] The school's entrance is characterised by the Chapel of the Transfiguration.[2] Built in 1923 and designed by P. A. Adams, the chapel, at 40 m (130 ft) long and 12 m (39 ft) high, had its foundation stone lain by Earnest Arthur Copleston, bishop of Colombo.[3] The main school body is modelled on that of the British public school model, comprising the primary quadrangle, the college hall, main buildings and library. The school's grounds reach the city of Mount Lavinia.[4]

Having been managed by a board of governors since 1927, S. Thomas’ College is chaired by the Anglican Bishop of Colombo as ‘Visitor to the College’.[5] The school's administration remains deeply rooted in Anglicanism, with a further chaplaincy for the aforementioned Chapel of the Transfiguration. The administration of the College itself is headed by a warden.[6] Admission to the college is at the sole discretion of the warden.

The college is divided into the primary (grades 1–5), lower secondary (grades 6–9) and upper secondary schools (grades 10 and 11), followed by the senior school. These combined sectors amount to the college's student body of approximately 2,800 – stemming from varied faiths and ethnicities.

The Rt. Rev. James Chapman

S. Thomas’ College was founded by the first Bishop of Colombo, James Chapman, who had been educated at Eton and King's College, Cambridge.[7] Chapman's vision included building as a college and cathedral for the new Diocese of Colombo of the Church of Ceylon, modelled on the British Public School system he was accustomed to.[8] An old boy of Eton College, Bishop Chapman founded the college on the Etonian model, and even borrowed the school motto, Esto Perpetuas, from Eton.[9]

Chapman's objective was to train a Christian clergy and to make children good citizens under the discipline and supervision of Christianity.[10][11][12][13][14][15][16] In 1852 Bishop Chapman laid the foundation stone of the college chapel on a hill in the school grounds. The chapel became Christ Church Cathedral of the Colombo Diocese of the Church of Ceylon when it was dedicated on 21 September 1854.[17]

In 1918, the school moved away from the "dusty environs" of Mutwal, which was near the Colombo harbour, to a more picturesque location near the sea in Mount Lavinia.[16] On 13 October 1923, the foundation stone for what would become the Chapel of the Transfiguration was laid by the Bishop of Colombo, Ernest Arthur Copleston, and the chapel was completed on 12 February 1927, when it was consecrated by the Bishop of Colombo Mark Carpenter-Garnier.[17] In 1968, David Paynter, the noted Sri Lankan painter, completed his mural of the Transfiguration of Jesus upon the interior of the east wall of the chapel, which included a then unusual "beardless Christ".[17][18] In 1951, S. Thomas' became a private fee-levying school.[16]

The Chapel of the Transfiguration

A Thomian flag at the 129th Royal Thomian

The Royal-Thomian, is the annual cricket match between the Royal College, Colombo and S Thomas' College, Mt Lavinia is the second longest uninterrupted cricket match series in the world and, first and oldest in Sri Lanka, even older than the Ashes, having been played for more than 140 years continuously.[27] The original match was played between the Colombo Academy and S. Thomas' College, Mutwal[28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35][36][37][38] in 1879, with schoolmasters participating as well as schoolboys. From 1880 onwards, only schoolboys were allowed to play in the match. The match is played for the D.S. Senanayake Memorial Shield, which was first presented in 1928. From 1979 matches were played for 3 days except in 1985 which was a 2-day match. A limited overs match (50 overs) was introduced in 1975 and is played for the Mustangs Trophy.[27]

The Royal-Thomian rugby match held annually in the Michaelmas Term of S. Thomas. and between the two sessions of Bradby Shield Encounter of Royal since 1955. It is played for the Michael Gunaratne Trophy.[39]

The Royal-Thomian Regatta (or Boat Race) is the annual rowing race between Royal College, Colombo and S. Thomas' College, Mt Lavinia, having begun in 1962 the event has evolved into the Royal Thomian Regatta or The Regatta in 1966 and now is made up of 8 events which carry points and 3 exhibition events. The races are rowed over a distance of 1000 yards and take place on the Beira Lake in Colombo. The regatta takes place in the month of October and is usually held on the last Saturday of the month at the Colombo Rowing Club. The Royal Thomian Regatta is the oldest inter-mural rowing regatta in Sri Lanka.[40]

The Royal Thomian Tennis is the annual tennis tournament between Royal College and S. Thomas' College, Mount Lavinia. The victor is awarded the E F C Pereira memorial trophy.[41]

The Dr. R.L. Hayman Trophy is awarded to the winner of the annual two leg Water Polo fixture between Royal College, Colombo and S. Thomas' College, Mt Lavinia.[42] While Water Polo matches between the two schools have been held on and off through the annals of the two schools shared histories, the matches were made a permanent fixture as part of the two schools sporting calendars in 1992 as the Dr. R. L. Hayman Trophy Royal-Thomian Water Polo Matches. The event was initially played in home and away swimming pools. However, while it is still a two leg event, for the past several years it has been held at the Sugathadasa Stadium Swimming Pool allowing for much larger participation and making it the best patronised Water Polo matches in Sri Lanka and Asia. As of 2019 the tally stands at S.Thomas' winning 16, Royal winning 8 and 3 matches drawn.

• S. Thomas' College, Bandarawela
• S. Thomas' College, Gurutalawa
• S. Thomas' Preparatory School