Evelyn de Soysa explained

Lady Evelyn Johanna Publina de Soysa OBE (née Fernando) (23 April 1893 – 28 July 1973) was the third female member of the Senate of Ceylon.^[1]

Evelyn Johanna Publina Fernando was born 23 April 1893 in Moratuwa the daughter of Juan Fernando.^[2] She was educated at the Princess of Wales' College in Moratuwa.^[2]

On 23 November 1907 she married Wilfred de Soysa^{[3] [4] [5]} They had eight children, their first son Harold de Soysa was the first Ceylonese Anglican Bishop of Colombo,^[6] their second son Cecil de Soysa was the founding Chairman of the Ceylon Tourist Board^{[7] [8]} and the Chairman of Ceylon Shipping Lines.^{[9] [10] [11]} The couple's third son Terence de Soysa was appointed as the first Sri Lankan Chairman of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce^{[12] [13] [14] [15]} Their fourth son Ryle de Soysa was the opening batsman for the All-Ceylon (National Team) between 1938–45 and represented the Oxford University, the Sinhalese Sports Club and captained the Royal College, Colombo first XI team to Australia in 1936.^{[16] [17] [18]}

In 1949 she co-founded the Association of Ceylon Women in the UK (now known as Sri Lankan Women's Association in the UK), with Laurel Casinader (1903–1986), which is the longest surviving Lankan association in London.^[19] De Soysa served as the Association's inaugural president from 1949 until 1951.^[20] In 1950 she was awarded an MBE^[21] and in 1956 an OBE,^[22] for her work in social services and charities.^{[2] [23]}

In April 1959 de Soysa was appointed as a member of the Senate of Ceylon^[24] and remained a senator until 1963.^[2]

She died on 28 July 1973 at the age of 80.^[2]

Notes and References

1. Book: Encyclopedia of Sri Lanka. Gunawardena, Charles A. (Ed). Sterling Publishers Pvt. Ltd. 2005. 89. 9781932705485.
2. Book: Personalities, Sri Lanka: A Biographical Study (15th–20th Century), 1490–1990 A.D., A-Z. Wimalaratne, K. D. G. (ed). Ceylon Business Appliances Limited. 46. 1994. 9789559287001.
3. http://www.holyemmanuelchurch.com/history.html The Holy Emmanuel Church (history)
4. 150th Anniversary Publication of the Holy Emmanuel Church, p. 23, Retrieved 30 August 2015
5. Book: Pieris, Anoma. Architecture and Nationalism in Sri Lanka: The Trouser Under the Cloth. 2013. Routledge. 83–84. 9780415630023.
6. News: A daughter's tribute: My father's life was his honour. Sunday Times. Ryle. de Soysa. 31 August 2017.
7. https://archives.sundayobserver.lk/2001/pix/PrintPage.asp?REF=/2013/02/03/fea06.asp Sam's contribution to tourism invaluable
8. http://archives.dailynews.lk/2008/02/01/bus20.asp Presidential awards for travel and tourism lauded
9. https://www.nytimes.com/1964/01/13/ceylons-outlook-continues-bleak.html?_r=0 Ceylon's Outlook Continues Bleak
10. http://archives.dailynews.lk/2008/02/26/news32.asp Cancer Society's 16th AGM
11. http://www.island.lk/2006/11/12/features7.html Selwood- A Triumph of Design
12. http://mirrorcitizen.lk/2015/03/09/100th-birth-anniversary-of-s-t-l-de-soysa-a-man-of-vision-and-principle/ 100th BIRTH ANNIVERSARY OF S.T.L.DE SOYSA, A man of vision and principle
13. http://www.ceylontoday.lk/22-59789-news-detail-ceylon-chamber-of-commerce-marks-175-years.html Ceylon Chamber of Commerce marks 175 years
14. http://www.infolanka.com/org/srilanka/hist/61.htm April 5, 1942 the day Ceylon escaped Japanese occupation
15. http://www.sundaytimes.lk/050724/plus/appreciation.html He played the game on and off the field
16. http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/player/48635.html Player Profile
17. https://books.google.com/books?id=o1nsLpuw1vwC&q=de+soysa+&pg=PA42 Diplomatic Moves: Life in the Foreign Service
18. http://www.sundaytimes.lk/070624/Plus/pls25.html Ryle de Soysa scholarships for deserving students
19. Book: Gunawardena, Charles A.. Encyclopedia of Sri Lanka. Sterling Publishers Pvt. Ltd. 2005. 63. 9781932705485.
20. Web site: Patron & Present Committee. Sri Lankan Women's Association in the UK. 31 August 2017.
21. Ceylon :
22. Ceylon list:
23. Book: Wijesekera, Chitra. Women in Our Legislature. Sarvodaya Vishva Lekha. 1995. 254. 9789559579700.
24. News: Parliaments of Ceylon. The Ceylon Daily News. 1960. 181.