Bishop's College
Encyclopedia
Bishop's College in Colombo
, Sri Lanka
was founded by the Anglican Church of Ceylon
in February 1875.
It is a fee-levying private school, with over 2000 students at all grades from Kindergarten to Grade 14. The current principal is Mrs. Sharmila Gunathilake.
in Ceylon. The college was first known as Bishopsgate School. The Bishop of Colombo
, the Rt. Rev. James Chapman
(1845–1862) was instrumental in setting up Bishopsgate School. 1875 is the official date from which the count begins but there is an earlier connection. Mrs. Frances Chapman, wife of Bishop Chapman had set her heart on setting up a school for Christian girls with funds collected while on furlough
in England. In 1857 she established a school in their own residence in Mutwal
called Bishopsgate, with the 20 pupils she desired. The Principal was Mrs. Long, who had served earlier at the Church Missionary School in Nallur
, Jaffna
. In May 1859, Mrs. Chapman returned to England due to ill health, and Mrs. Long died in 1861. The school had to be temporarily closed. No reference to its reopening is available in the Diocesan Archives.
Bishop's College dates its beginning to 1875, when the school with 13 pupils was established at Fairfield House in Darley Road, under the same name - Bishopsgate School. Fairfield House is the present site of Link Holdings Ltd. Even today the word "Bishopsgate" stands engraved at the entrance to the building. The first Principal to come out was Miss Georgiana Down, who married Henry Drew, son of Joseph Drew
and music director at the nearby St Thomas' College, Mt. Lavinia. Among the first girls enrolled were Minnie Von Possner, Hilda Obeysekera, Dorah Aserappah and Caroline Peiris. The first boys to enter the kindergarten were James and Donald Obeysekera and Leslie de Saram. Monthly expenses in running the school were about Rs. 300/= which included rent, salaries, and the hire of a piano. The income in fees in the first month totalled Rs. 302/50! In 1882 the school had twenty-one pupils, four of them in the school boarding. But the income was not sufficient to make ends meet. Even with the sale of the furniture, the debts could not be settled. Mrs. Drew resigned in April 1882, and with her departure the school had to be closed again. Mrs. Drew returned to England with her husband and four children.
In 1887, three Sisters from St Margaret's Convent in East Grinstead
, England came out to Ceylon on missionary work. Their Society of Saint Margaret
was a sorority founded by Dr John Mason Neale
in 1855, which had now expanded to overseas mission. After a short location at Greenpath, they established their Convent at Polwatta
, Colpety.
One of them, Sister Joanna Mary, was asked to help in the running of the school. Principals and teachers who came out to Ceylon to fulfil the goals of Christian Mission often had to leave due to ill health, the rigours of the tropical climate or personal reasons. The answer seemed to be with the Sisters of St Margaret, and Sister Angela was the first Sister to be Principal of Bishopsgate School. The school was to be an institution to promote educational advancement, and also a finishing school
for the daughters of Christian families. Subjects taught directed them to the Cambridge local examinations
: French, drawing, singing, and piano playing were also on the curriculum.
In 1890, the then Bishop of Colombo, Bishop R. S. Copleston, purchased the Maradatin Cinnamon Gardens bordering on Boyd Place, Colpety. The school moved from Darley Road to these premises in 1892, and was renamed Bishop's College. Although the Sisters of St. Margaret had by now for some years been associated with the running of the school, it was now with this shift that the school was passed into their care. Proximity to St Margaret's Convent at Polwatte was of great significance. For an unbroken period of sixty years from 1895-1955 these Sisters guided the students of Bishop's College: not only in their mental development, but in the levels of charity, community spirit and public service, and upholding of he school motto "Non Sibi Sed Omnibus" (Not for Self, but for All).
There were ten Sisters who were Principals of the school in this period of 60 years. They were, in the order of their Principal-ship: Sister Bridget Margaret, Sister Bertha Mary, Sister Latitia, Sister Eva, Sister Marguerite, Sister Geraldine Mary, Sister Mary Kathleen, Sister Mabel, Sister Celestine and Sister Gabriel.
A close bond was established between Bishop's College and St Margaret's Convent, Polwatte, which remains up to now. The Sisters are revered guests at all school functions; Bishop's College participates in all their special occasions and upholds the motto they gave the school by helping to the Convent in fund-raising at their annual fair and in many other ways.
The number of students when the school moved to Boyd Place, was 70. As early as 1896 an Association of Past Pupils known then as the Bishop's College Association was set up. As Bishop's College entered the 20th century the school chapel was dedicated to St Agnes, the Roman Virgin and Martyr of the 4th century.
The school faced Boyd Place on the South, a property known as Arncliffe on the East, a building known as Edgecote on the West, and a Government reservation adjoining the Beira Lake
on the North. The property on which the school was located was held in trust by the Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Colombo with a board of three members. As the numbers on the school increased, additional staff had to be recruited and accommodation organised. The adjoining building, Edgecote, was rented out to house the kindergarten. Buildings within the premises were expanded. In due course the school built its own Kindergarten block and Edgecote was given up in 1929. Elscourt, a magnificent building on Turret Road, opposite the Victoria Park, at one time the site of the Colombo Orient Club, was gifted to the school by a loyal past pupil Mrs Maude Peiris.
After much deliberation, and with the donor's approval, it was decided not to open a unit of the school at Elscourt as it was considered too far from the building at Boyd Place. Elscourt was sold and with funds realised. Arncliffe, the building adjoining the school with two road frontages - Boyd Place and General's Lake Road - was purchased. It was renamed Peiris House as a tribute to the generosity of Mrs. Maude Peiris. With World War II entering the Asian zone, Bishop's College evacuated to "Fernhill" in Bahiravakanda, Kandy
, with 37 students. Since the building could not house all the classrooms, Kandy Girls' High School
generously shared their building. Those students who were left behind in Colombo were joined by those of Ladies College who had also not evacuated to form "Lake School" in the Bishop's College premises. Some of the buildings were taken over by the Military, so the space was limited. In 1943, the danger from the war removed, the two branches of Bishop's College were reunited at Boyd Place. The number on the roll at the re-establishment was 100.
With the end of the war, the country was moving towards independence, and Bishop's College had in 1943 introduced Sinhala and Tamil
as the media of instruction in the kindergarten, while they were being taught as a subject. Although the school had been established as a Christian missionary school, the Sisters of St. Margaret had, as early as 1909, adopted a pluralist approach to religion. Of the 114 students at that time, 22 were non-Christian. In 1938 a Buddhist student was appointed Head Prefect.
In 1955 the Sisters, due to non-availability of personnel, gave up guiding the school. The school thereafter had its policy determined by a Board of Governors with the Bishop of Colombo as Chairman. Miss L.Y. Pode was appointed Principal. In 1959 Bishop's College had the first Ceylonese Principal Miss A.C. B. Jayasuriya, and with her came a new identity to the school. With a focus on national culture, she introduced the practice that the students of other faiths should commence their day with their own religious observance, as the Christians did, and have their own societies and celebrate their own festivals. She had a school song composed in Sinhala and set to oriental music. A Hewisi Band was trained to complement the Western Band. The activities of societies were in Sinhala, and in Tamil as the Tamil stream came up the school were on par with the English which had been a long-established tradition.
The school opted to be a free-levying private school and had to find its own financial resources. The school passed on after 19 years to the Principalship of Mrs Gwen Dias Abeysinghe, a past pupil. She added to the standards inherited, and Bishop's College came to produce theatrical performances; including The Gondoliers
with a combined cast of girls from Bishop's and boys from the brother school at S. Thomas' College
.
The Past Pupils' Association, which has grown in strength, has always been supportive and assisted with money raising for buildings. Since the school hall, impressive in its day, was totally inadequate for present needs, the PPA was anxious to gift an auditorium to their Alma Mater
, and with land leased out from the Government, laid the foundation in 1985. With the rising costs in construction, the project was spread out longer than envisaged but was commissioned for use in 1994. The school, the PPA and Parent-Teacher Association all contributed to make this a reality.
This last decade has seen the school steered by Mrs. Lindley Jayasuriya, earlier Vice-Principal. Mrs. Hemamali Bibile was the principal from 2003-2011. Mrs. Sharmila Gunatilleke is the current principal.
Colombo
Colombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo...
, Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
was founded by the Anglican Church of Ceylon
Church of Ceylon
The Church of Ceylon, which is the Anglican Church in Sri Lanka, was established with the appointment of its first Bishop, Rt Rev James Chapman in 1845 as the Bishop of Colombo.-The Dioceses of Colombo and Kurunegala:...
in February 1875.
It is a fee-levying private school, with over 2000 students at all grades from Kindergarten to Grade 14. The current principal is Mrs. Sharmila Gunathilake.
Description
Bishop's College is a leading Anglican girls school in Sri Lanka with around 2000 students at present.History
Now located at 15 Boyd Place, Colombo 3, Sri Lanka, it was one of the earliest mission schools of the Church of EnglandChurch of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
in Ceylon. The college was first known as Bishopsgate School. The Bishop of Colombo
Bishop of Colombo
The Anglican Bishop of Colombo is the bishop of the Diocese of Colombo, a diocese in the Church of Ceylon which is part of the Anglican Communion.- List:#James Chapman D.D. 1845-1861...
, the Rt. Rev. James Chapman
James Chapman (Bishop of Colombo)
The Rt. Rev. James Chapman D.D. was the first Bishop of Colombo , in Sri Lanka , serving from 1845 to 1861. He was a fellow of King's College, Cambridge and also attended Eton.-External links:* *...
(1845–1862) was instrumental in setting up Bishopsgate School. 1875 is the official date from which the count begins but there is an earlier connection. Mrs. Frances Chapman, wife of Bishop Chapman had set her heart on setting up a school for Christian girls with funds collected while on furlough
Furlough
In the United States a furlough is a temporary unpaid leave of some employees due to special needs of a company, which may be due to economic conditions at the specific employer or in the economy as a whole...
in England. In 1857 she established a school in their own residence in Mutwal
Mutwal
Mutwal is a suburb in Colombo, Sri Lanka. It is part of the postal area Colombo 15....
called Bishopsgate, with the 20 pupils she desired. The Principal was Mrs. Long, who had served earlier at the Church Missionary School in Nallur
Nallur (Jaffna)
Nallur , , is a small holy town within the present day city of Jaffna, Sri Lanka. It is located 3 km away from the colour and bustle of Jaffna Town. Originally known by its Royal term "Singai Nagar", Nallur formerly functioned as the capital of the ancient Jaffna kingdom for many years during...
, Jaffna
Jaffna
Jaffna is the capital city of the Northern Province, Sri Lanka. It is the administrative headquarters of the Jaffna district located on a peninsula of the same name. Jaffna is approximately six miles away from Kandarodai which served as a famous emporium in the Jaffna peninsula from classical...
. In May 1859, Mrs. Chapman returned to England due to ill health, and Mrs. Long died in 1861. The school had to be temporarily closed. No reference to its reopening is available in the Diocesan Archives.
Bishop's College dates its beginning to 1875, when the school with 13 pupils was established at Fairfield House in Darley Road, under the same name - Bishopsgate School. Fairfield House is the present site of Link Holdings Ltd. Even today the word "Bishopsgate" stands engraved at the entrance to the building. The first Principal to come out was Miss Georgiana Down, who married Henry Drew, son of Joseph Drew
Joseph Drew
Joseph Drew was an English newspaper editor, steamboat proprietor, author and lecturer.Drew was born in Deptford, son of Joseph Drew of the Royal Navy dockyard service. Following the shutting down of Deptford Dockyard in 1830, his family moved to Melcombe Regis where he worked in his father's...
and music director at the nearby St Thomas' College, Mt. Lavinia. Among the first girls enrolled were Minnie Von Possner, Hilda Obeysekera, Dorah Aserappah and Caroline Peiris. The first boys to enter the kindergarten were James and Donald Obeysekera and Leslie de Saram. Monthly expenses in running the school were about Rs. 300/= which included rent, salaries, and the hire of a piano. The income in fees in the first month totalled Rs. 302/50! In 1882 the school had twenty-one pupils, four of them in the school boarding. But the income was not sufficient to make ends meet. Even with the sale of the furniture, the debts could not be settled. Mrs. Drew resigned in April 1882, and with her departure the school had to be closed again. Mrs. Drew returned to England with her husband and four children.
In 1887, three Sisters from St Margaret's Convent in East Grinstead
East Grinstead
East Grinstead is a town and civil parish in the northeastern corner of Mid Sussex, West Sussex in England near the East Sussex, Surrey, and Kent borders. It lies south of London, north northeast of Brighton, and east northeast of the county town of Chichester...
, England came out to Ceylon on missionary work. Their Society of Saint Margaret
Society of Saint Margaret
The Society of Saint Margaret is an order of women in the Anglican Church. The Sisters of St. Margaret were founded in 1855 by Dr. John Mason Neale at Rotherfield, England. As their numbers increased, they moved into their first convent, Saint Margaret's in East Grinstead, Sussex...
was a sorority founded by Dr John Mason Neale
John Mason Neale
John Mason Neale was an Anglican priest, scholar and hymn-writer.-Life:Neale was born in London, his parents being the Revd Cornelius Neale and Susanna Neale, daughter of John Mason Good...
in 1855, which had now expanded to overseas mission. After a short location at Greenpath, they established their Convent at Polwatta
Polwatta
Polwatta is a village in Sri Lanka. It is located within Central Province.-External links:*...
, Colpety.
One of them, Sister Joanna Mary, was asked to help in the running of the school. Principals and teachers who came out to Ceylon to fulfil the goals of Christian Mission often had to leave due to ill health, the rigours of the tropical climate or personal reasons. The answer seemed to be with the Sisters of St Margaret, and Sister Angela was the first Sister to be Principal of Bishopsgate School. The school was to be an institution to promote educational advancement, and also a finishing school
Finishing school
A finishing school is "a private school for girls that emphasises training in cultural and social activities." The name reflects that it follows on from ordinary school and is intended to complete the educational experience, with classes primarily on etiquette...
for the daughters of Christian families. Subjects taught directed them to the Cambridge local examinations
UCLES
University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate is a non-teaching department of the University of Cambridge and is a not-for-profit organisation...
: French, drawing, singing, and piano playing were also on the curriculum.
In 1890, the then Bishop of Colombo, Bishop R. S. Copleston, purchased the Maradatin Cinnamon Gardens bordering on Boyd Place, Colpety. The school moved from Darley Road to these premises in 1892, and was renamed Bishop's College. Although the Sisters of St. Margaret had by now for some years been associated with the running of the school, it was now with this shift that the school was passed into their care. Proximity to St Margaret's Convent at Polwatte was of great significance. For an unbroken period of sixty years from 1895-1955 these Sisters guided the students of Bishop's College: not only in their mental development, but in the levels of charity, community spirit and public service, and upholding of he school motto "Non Sibi Sed Omnibus" (Not for Self, but for All).
There were ten Sisters who were Principals of the school in this period of 60 years. They were, in the order of their Principal-ship: Sister Bridget Margaret, Sister Bertha Mary, Sister Latitia, Sister Eva, Sister Marguerite, Sister Geraldine Mary, Sister Mary Kathleen, Sister Mabel, Sister Celestine and Sister Gabriel.
A close bond was established between Bishop's College and St Margaret's Convent, Polwatte, which remains up to now. The Sisters are revered guests at all school functions; Bishop's College participates in all their special occasions and upholds the motto they gave the school by helping to the Convent in fund-raising at their annual fair and in many other ways.
The number of students when the school moved to Boyd Place, was 70. As early as 1896 an Association of Past Pupils known then as the Bishop's College Association was set up. As Bishop's College entered the 20th century the school chapel was dedicated to St Agnes, the Roman Virgin and Martyr of the 4th century.
The school faced Boyd Place on the South, a property known as Arncliffe on the East, a building known as Edgecote on the West, and a Government reservation adjoining the Beira Lake
Beira Lake
Beira Lake is a lake in the heart of the city of Colombo, Sri Lanka. The lake is surrounded by many important businesses in the city. It occupied approximately 165 hectares of land 100 years ago and has been reduced to mere 65 hectares today due to various reasons. During the colonial era of the...
on the North. The property on which the school was located was held in trust by the Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Colombo with a board of three members. As the numbers on the school increased, additional staff had to be recruited and accommodation organised. The adjoining building, Edgecote, was rented out to house the kindergarten. Buildings within the premises were expanded. In due course the school built its own Kindergarten block and Edgecote was given up in 1929. Elscourt, a magnificent building on Turret Road, opposite the Victoria Park, at one time the site of the Colombo Orient Club, was gifted to the school by a loyal past pupil Mrs Maude Peiris.
After much deliberation, and with the donor's approval, it was decided not to open a unit of the school at Elscourt as it was considered too far from the building at Boyd Place. Elscourt was sold and with funds realised. Arncliffe, the building adjoining the school with two road frontages - Boyd Place and General's Lake Road - was purchased. It was renamed Peiris House as a tribute to the generosity of Mrs. Maude Peiris. With World War II entering the Asian zone, Bishop's College evacuated to "Fernhill" in Bahiravakanda, Kandy
Kandy
Kandy is a city in the center of Sri Lanka. It was the last capital of the ancient kings' era of Sri Lanka. The city lies in the midst of hills in the Kandy plateau, which crosses an area of tropical plantations, mainly tea. Kandy is one of the most scenic cities in Sri Lanka; it is both an...
, with 37 students. Since the building could not house all the classrooms, Kandy Girls' High School
Girls' High School, Kandy
Girls' High School is the oldest school for girls in Kandy, Sri Lanka.- Mission :Honouring the relationship with the environment to become disciplined responsible mature women who will be able to serve with humanity with but fear or favour be open to changes and to stand up to challenges be able to...
generously shared their building. Those students who were left behind in Colombo were joined by those of Ladies College who had also not evacuated to form "Lake School" in the Bishop's College premises. Some of the buildings were taken over by the Military, so the space was limited. In 1943, the danger from the war removed, the two branches of Bishop's College were reunited at Boyd Place. The number on the roll at the re-establishment was 100.
With the end of the war, the country was moving towards independence, and Bishop's College had in 1943 introduced Sinhala and Tamil
Tamil language
Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
as the media of instruction in the kindergarten, while they were being taught as a subject. Although the school had been established as a Christian missionary school, the Sisters of St. Margaret had, as early as 1909, adopted a pluralist approach to religion. Of the 114 students at that time, 22 were non-Christian. In 1938 a Buddhist student was appointed Head Prefect.
In 1955 the Sisters, due to non-availability of personnel, gave up guiding the school. The school thereafter had its policy determined by a Board of Governors with the Bishop of Colombo as Chairman. Miss L.Y. Pode was appointed Principal. In 1959 Bishop's College had the first Ceylonese Principal Miss A.C. B. Jayasuriya, and with her came a new identity to the school. With a focus on national culture, she introduced the practice that the students of other faiths should commence their day with their own religious observance, as the Christians did, and have their own societies and celebrate their own festivals. She had a school song composed in Sinhala and set to oriental music. A Hewisi Band was trained to complement the Western Band. The activities of societies were in Sinhala, and in Tamil as the Tamil stream came up the school were on par with the English which had been a long-established tradition.
The school opted to be a free-levying private school and had to find its own financial resources. The school passed on after 19 years to the Principalship of Mrs Gwen Dias Abeysinghe, a past pupil. She added to the standards inherited, and Bishop's College came to produce theatrical performances; including The Gondoliers
The Gondoliers
The Gondoliers; or, The King of Barataria is a Savoy Opera, with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert. It premiered at the Savoy Theatre on 7 December 1889 and ran for a very successful 554 performances , closing on 30 June 1891...
with a combined cast of girls from Bishop's and boys from the brother school at S. Thomas' College
S. Thomas' College
The College of St Thomas the Apostle, popularly known as "S. Thomas' College", is a private Anglican school providing primary and secondary education in Sri Lanka...
.
The Past Pupils' Association, which has grown in strength, has always been supportive and assisted with money raising for buildings. Since the school hall, impressive in its day, was totally inadequate for present needs, the PPA was anxious to gift an auditorium to their Alma Mater
Alma mater
Alma mater , pronounced ), was used in ancient Rome as a title for various mother goddesses, especially Ceres or Cybele, and in Christianity for the Virgin Mary.-General term:...
, and with land leased out from the Government, laid the foundation in 1985. With the rising costs in construction, the project was spread out longer than envisaged but was commissioned for use in 1994. The school, the PPA and Parent-Teacher Association all contributed to make this a reality.
This last decade has seen the school steered by Mrs. Lindley Jayasuriya, earlier Vice-Principal. Mrs. Hemamali Bibile was the principal from 2003-2011. Mrs. Sharmila Gunatilleke is the current principal.
Distinguished alumni
- Lady Adeline Molamure - First woman to enter the State Council of Sri Lanka in 1931
- Professor Yasmine Gooneratne- Professor in university and internationally known author
- Goolbai Gunasekera - Founder of Asian International School, Colombo
- Iranganie SerasingheIranganie SerasingheIranganie Roxanna Serasinghe is a Sri Lankan actress. Since her debut in Rekava, Serasinghe has become recognized for playing motherly figures in various films and television serials.- Early life and education :...
- Sri Lankan actress - Gwen Dias Abeysinghe - Educationist
- Oosha Saravanamuttu - Renowned ballet teacher
- Irene Wanigaratne - Renowned drama teacher