The Mentors

They took us from Books to Men and taught us how to Play the Game

Principals 1835 – date

Hill Street Academy (Private School Academy) Headmasters
Jan 1835 Rev. J.H.Marsh (Snr) M.A (Edin) - Dec 1835

Colombo Academy - Headmaster incharge
Jan 1836 Rev. J.H.Marsh - Dec 1838
Jan 1839 J Brooke H.Bailey (Actg.) – Jun 1839
Apr 1840 J Brooke H.Bailey (Actg.) – Dec 1841
Jan 1842 J Brooke H.Bailey (Actg.) Rev. A. Kessen – Sep 1842

Colombo Academy - Principals
Jul 1839 Rev. J.F.Haslam B.A (Cantab) Mar 1840
Oct 1842 Rev. Dr.Barcroft Boake B.A (Dublin), T.C.D, D.D (Dublin) - 1859

Colombo Academy & Queens College
1859 Rev. Dr. Barcroft B.A (Dublin), T.C.D, D.D (Dublin) – Sep 1869

Colombo Academy
Oct 1869 Dr. Barcroft Boake B.A (Dublin), T.C.D, D.D(Dublin) – Sep 1870
Feb 1871 George Todd B.A (Oxon) I.S.O – Apr 1878
Dec 1878 J.B.Cull M.A (Oxon) – Jul 1881

Royal College
Aug 1881 J.B.Cull M.A (Oxon) – Jan 1890
Oct 1890 J.H. Marsh (Jnr.) M.A (Edin) – Mar 1892
May 1892 J.H.Harward M.A (Oxon) – Aug 1902
Jan 1903 C.Hartly M.A (Cantab) – Mar 1919
Aug 1920 H.L.Reed M.A (Cantab) – Mar 1932
Mar 1932 L.H.W.Sampson B.A (Oxon) FRGS – Mar 1938
Nov 1939 E.L.Bradby M.A (Oxon) – Dec 1945
Jan 1946 J.C.A.Corea M.A (Lond) Dip. In Ed: (Psychology) (Cantab) - Dec 1953
Apr 1954 D.K.G. de Silva B.sc (Lond) Dip in Ed: (Cey) - Oct 1966
Jan 1967 B.G.Premaratne B.A (Lond) M.A (NY Teachers Training College) - Jan 1971
Feb 1971 D.G.Welikala B.Sc (London) - Jan 1972
Feb 1972 D.J.N.Seneviratne M.A (Colombia) B.Sc (Lond) F.G.TRD Cert. (Cey) (History) - Jul 1972
Aug 1972 L.D.H.Peris B.Sc (Lond) Dip in Ed: (Cey) - Dec 1980
Jan 1981 C.T.M.Fernando B.A (Lond) Cert. In Ed: (Cey) Cert. in Ed: Adm. (Edin) - Dec 1980
1986 B. Suriyaarachchi - 1994
1994 S.H.Kumarasinghe - 1997
1997 H L B Gomes – 2003
2003 Upali Gunasekera

VICE - PRINCIPALS / DEPUTY PRINCIPALS

Oct 1923 L.H.W. Sampson B.A.( Oxon ) F.R.G.S. - Mar 1932
Mar 1932 H.J. Wijesinghe – Mar 1938
Sep 1943 J.C.A. Corea M.A.( Lond ) – Dec 1945
Jan 1946 M.M. Kulasekaram B.Sc., ( Lond ) – Jun 1954
Jul 1954 C. Samarasinghe B.Sc., ( Lond ) – Dec 1956
Jan 1959 B.G. Premaratne B.A. ( Lond ), M.A. Ed – Sep 1966
1967 S.E. Dias B.Sc., ( Lond ) - 1970
Jan 1971 W. Jinadasa ( Dy ) Dec 1971
Jan 1972 E.C. Gunasekera B.Sc., ( Lond ) 1977
1978 E.C. Gunasekera ( Vice-Principal ) Dec 1984
V. Weerasinghe ( Dy. Middle School )
Miss W. Ekanayake ( Dy. Lower School )
Prasanna Upashantha Muhandiram
Head Masters 1835 - date
Rev. J.H. Marsh (Snr) 1835 - 1838
J. Brooke H. Bailey (acting) 1839 - 1842
Rev. A. Kessen 1842
C P de S Abeysinghe [Lower School]
E C Gunasekera [Upper School]

Teachers at RPS 1953-58

Mr A. F. de Saa Bandaranaike, Head Master (Banda) [deceased]
1C - Mrs E.B. Croning [English Medium]
2C - Ms Dorothy Perera [English Medium]
3C - Ms Dissanayake (Ms Nanayakkara) [English Medium]
4C - Mr V. Pingamage (Pinka) [English Medium]
5C - Mr A.B.C. David (Apple Beetroot Carrot) [English Medium]
6C - Mr J.E. de Silva (Jadi) [English Medium]
Mr H. D. Sugathapala, succeeded AF de Saa Bandaranaike as Head Master in 1958 (Sugar) [Sinhala Medium]
Mr H. P. Jayawardena (Jaya) [Sinala Medium]
Mr M.P. Piyasena (Vathey) [Sinhala Medium]
Ms Nicholas (Knickerless, Music Teacher) [All]

Teachers at RC 1959-66

Mr ABDEEN, O.H.
Mr ABEYDEERA, J de S.
Mr ABEYSINGHA C.P.de S. (Cowpox) [deceased]
Mr ALAVI, M.M. [deceased]
Mr ALLES, R.I.T (Rita)
Mr AMERASINGHE
Mr ARASARATNAM, V.A (Arasa)
Mr ARULANANTHAM, Hari C (Arul)
Mr BALDSING, A.L.
Mr BELLETH, C.E. (Bella) [deceased]
Mr CANEGARATNAM (Canags)
Capt. (later Brevet Lt-Col. & JP) CANTLAY, M.K.J (Canto) [deceased]
Mr de BRUIN, Elmo St. E (deceased)
Mr de SARAM, John Henry
Mr de SILVA, Dudley K.G. (Principal) [deceased]
Mr de Silva, G.W.D. (Kota Silva)
Mr de SILVA, E. Justin D. (Abraham Lincoln) (deceased)
Mr DIAS ABEYGOONEWARDENA (Kos Dias) (deceased)
Mr GULASEKARAM (Thosai)
Mr GUNARATNE, M.M.
Mr GUNASEELAN, C
Mr GUNASEKARA, E.C. (Kataya) (deceased)
Ven KAHADUWE CHANDAJOTI HAMADURU (Buddhist Priest)
Mr HILL, J.V.
Mr KANESHALINGAM, S.
Mr MARIKKAR
Mr MENON (Pope)
Mr MUTTIAH
Mr NANAYAKKARA, V.H. (Nana)
Mr PEREIRA, E.F.C. (EFC)
Mr PERERA, A.N.
Mr PERERA, S.A.A. (Saapey)
Mr PERERA, S.H. (EsEtch)
Mr PREMARATNE, Bogoda (Vakutu)
Mr RAJARATNAM, R. (Conner) [deceased]
Mr RAJENDRAN
Mr RATNATHICKAM A.N. (Rat)
Mr RATNAYAKE C.V.A. (Ghandi) [deceased]
Mr RUPASINGHE, R. (Rupperty) [deceased]
Mr SABARATNAM, K. V. (Half Soda)
Mr SAMARARATNE,L. (Pol Tokka)
Ms SAMARASEKARA, T. (Madam)
Mr SAMARAWEERA, D.
Mr SAMARAWEERA, H.M.
Mr SAWAAD
Mr SENANAYAKE, D.R.
Mr. SETHUKAVALER (MudGuard) (deceased)
Mr SHANMUGARATNAM
Mr SHARMA, V.K (Am-I-Right-There)
Mr SHERIFFDEEN, M.M.
Mr SILVA (Kota Silva)
Mr SIVALINGAM, V (Siva)
Mr THAMBAPILLAI (Thamba) (deceased)
Mr THAVANETHIRARAJAH (Thavam)
Mr THAYAPARAN., A.L.
Mr THILLAINATHAN S. (Liston)
Mr WARIYAPOLA, M.B.H. (Wari)
Mr WEERASINGHAM (Blackie)
Mr WEERASINGHE V. (Duckie)
Mr WICKREMASINGHE

Note: All nicknames mentioned (in brackets) and used, during our school era, were never meant to be insulting or derogatory in any way, whatsoever. The affection and fraternity that prevailed between students and staff a Royal, even with the 100 lines and the many cracks on our backsides, is something we will always be fond and proud of for all times

Library Staff
Mr. Tennekoon
Mr. K.K.D.M Wijesundara
Miss. W.R. Perera
Mrs. K.D.S Wijesundarara

Other Support Staff Members & Service Providers RPS & RC 1953-1966

ACHCHI (Gram Lady - vendor outside RPS the gate) deceased
ARUMUGAM (Lab Boy, RC Zology Lab, 3rd Floor)
BELLA (Balloon Man - vendor outside the gate)
CAROLIS (Peon, RPS)
DABARE (Lab Boy, RC Chemistry Lab, Ground Floor West Wing)
DANNY (Lab Boy, RC 1st Floor)
DEEN (Lab Boy, RC Sr Physics Lab, West Wing Lobby)
JAYASINGHE
KADALAY (Gram Man - vendor outside RPS the gate) deceased
Ms MALINI SARANAPALA - Tuckshop Lady
MARTIN (Lab Boy, RC Botany Lab, 3rd Floor)
NOOR (Groundsman, RC) deceased
Mr SARANAPALA - Tuckshop Owners [deceased]
Mrs SARANAPALA - Tuckshop owners
SIRISENA (Lab Boy, RC Sr Physics Lab, West Wing Lobby)
THENABANDU (Lab Assistant, RC)

Notable Old Boys

Anagarika Dharmapala
Dr CA Hewavitharana
Sir Ponnambalam Arunachalam
Sir Ponnambalam Ramanathan
N.S. Joseph
Dr Colvin R de Silva
Pieter Keuneman
President J.R. Jayawardene
Gnr Kenneth R. Porritt
Prof Osmund Jayaratne
Sir Razik Fareed
President Junius Richard Jayawardena
D W L Lieversz
Vernon Corea
Anil Moonesinghe
Mangala Moonesinghe
Susil Moonesinghe
Neelan Thiruchelvam
Lalith Athulathmudali
Major General B.R. Heyn
Dinesh Gunawardena
Ramlal Goonewardene
Ranil Wickremasinghe
Judge Christopher Gregory Weeramantry
Omar Kamil
Ken Balendra
F C de Saram
Judge Sarath Ambepitiya
Charitha Ratwatte
Lakshman Kiriella