Srikumaradas Charles Shirley Corea ( 7 March 1906 – 5 March 1974 ) was a
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an ...
n politician. He was the
9th Speaker of the Parliament and a
Member of Parliament
A member of parliament (MP) is the representative in parliament of the people who live in their electoral district. In many countries with Bicameralism, bicameral parliaments, this term refers only to members of the lower house since upper house ...
, representing
Chilaw
Chilaw ( si, හලාවත, translit=Halāvata, ta, சிலாபம், translit=Cilāpam) is a large town in Puttalam District, North Western Province, Sri Lanka. It is governed by an urban council. The town is located 80 kilometres away ...
. He was a member of the
United National Party
The United National Party, often abbreviated as UNP ( si, එක්සත් ජාතික පක්ෂය, translit=Eksath Jāthika Pakshaya, ta, ஐக்கிய தேசியக் கட்சி, translit=Aikkiya Tēciyak Kaṭci), ...
of Sri Lanka.
Early life
Shirley Corea was born in Chilaw. His father was
Charles Edgar Corea
Charles Edgar Corea was a politician and a prominent freedom fighter of Sri Lanka.
Early life
C.E.Corea was born in the west coast town of Chilaw, in Sri Lanka. His parents were Charles Edward Bandaranaike Corea, a leading lawyer from Chila ...
who was elected President of the Ceylon National Congress in 1924. He was the nephew
Victor Corea
Charles Edward Victor Seneviratne Corea was born in Chilaw, Sri Lanka, on 29 January 1871 to Charles Edward Bandaranaike Corea, a famous lawyer, and Henrietta Seneviratne. He was the youngest out of five children, three boys and two girls, Cha ...
who was a founder member of the Ceylon National Congress.
Shirley Corea grew up in this political world. His father and uncle founded the Chilaw Association and campaigned for independence from the
British Raj
The British Raj (; from Hindi language, Hindi ''rāj'': kingdom, realm, state, or empire) was the rule of the British The Crown, Crown on the Indian subcontinent;
*
* it is also called Crown rule in India,
*
*
*
*
or Direct rule in India,
* Q ...
. When
Mahatma Gandhi
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (; ; 2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948), popularly known as Mahatma Gandhi, was an Indian lawyer, Anti-colonial nationalism, anti-colonial nationalist Quote: "... marks Gandhi as a hybrid cosmopolitan figure ...
, the 'Father of India' visited
Ceylon
Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an ...
in 1927, he travelled to Chilaw and was the Chief Guest at a banquet in a Corea home called 'Sigiriya.'
Shirley Corea met Mahatma Gandhi in 1927.
Education and legal career

Shirley Corea was educated at
Royal College Colombo
Royal College, Colombo is a selective entry boys' school located in Cinnamon Gardens, Colombo, Sri Lanka. Started as a private school by Rev Joseph Marsh in 1835, it was established as the Colombo Academy by Sir Robert Wilmot-Horton in Janu ...
where he excelled in school debates and he served as Secretary of the Royal College Social Service League - he was a founder member.
He entered
Ceylon Law College
Sri Lanka Law College (abbreviated as SLLC), formerly known as Ceylon Law College, is a law college, and the only legal institution where one can enroll as a attorney-at-law in Sri Lanka. It was established in 1874, under the then Council of Legal ...
and passed out as a
Proctor
Proctor (a variant of ''procurator'') is a person who takes charge of, or acts for, another.
The title is used in England and some other English-speaking countries in three principal contexts:
* In law, a proctor is a historical class of lawye ...
of the
Supreme Court
A supreme court is the highest court within the hierarchy of courts in most legal jurisdictions. Other descriptions for such courts include court of last resort, apex court, and high (or final) court of appeal. Broadly speaking, the decisions of ...
of Ceylon in 1932. He practiced in Chilaw and extended his much sought legal carrier in Kuliyapitiya, Puttalam, Anuradhapura, Mannar, Vavuniya and Maho; once he was retained in a case to defend the late Mr.
Eddie Jayamanne husband of the famous Sri Lankan actress,
Rukmani Devi and personalities from the world of Sri Lankan cinema in a
Madras
Chennai (, ), formerly known as Madras (List of renamed Indian cities and states#Tamil Nadu, the official name until 1996), is the capital city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost states and territories of India, Indian state. The largest city ...
Court, in
India
India, officially the Republic of India ( Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the ...
. Corea was a well known trial lawyer on the island of Sri Lanka.
Political career
Corea entered mainstream politics when he contested the seat of
Chilaw
Chilaw ( si, හලාවත, translit=Halāvata, ta, சிலாபம், translit=Cilāpam) is a large town in Puttalam District, North Western Province, Sri Lanka. It is governed by an urban council. The town is located 80 kilometres away ...
in the
1952 parliamentary election from the
United National Party
The United National Party, often abbreviated as UNP ( si, එක්සත් ජාතික පක්ෂය, translit=Eksath Jāthika Pakshaya, ta, ஐக்கிய தேசியக் கட்சி, translit=Aikkiya Tēciyak Kaṭci), ...
, which he won by a slim majority of 54 votes against
W. J. C. Munasinha. He was appointed
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Trade and Fisheries,
R. G. Senanayake
Richard Gotabhaya Senanayake (4 November 1911 – 22 December 1970; popularly known as R.G. Senanayake) was a Sri Lankan politician. He was Minister of Trade and Commerce during the period 1952-56 and 1956-60. He was elected a Member of Parliamen ...
. When Senanayake resigned in July 1954 Corea was appointed the Minister of Trade Commerce and Fisheries by Prime Minister of Ceylon,
Sir John Kotelawala
General Sir John Lionel Kotelawala ( si, ශ්රිමත් ජෝන් ලයනල් කොතලාවල; 4 April 1897 – 2 October 1980) was a Sri Lankan statesman, who served as the 3rd Prime Minister of Ceylon (Sri Lanka) fro ...
and served till 1956. He lost his seat in the
1956 parliamentary election to W. J. C. Munasinha and did not contest the general elections that followed. He contested the
19565 parliamentary election and won against both
S. D. R. Jayaratne and W. J. C. Munasinha. He was elected
Deputy speaker and chairman of committees in parliament in April 1965 and served till September 1967, when he succeeded
Sir Albert Peries as the Speaker following his death. He lost is seat to S. D. R. Jayaratne in the
1970 parliamentary election He was highly respected for being fair when it came to parliamentary debates in the chamber. During his tenure as Speaker, Shirley's Corea's official residence was the spacious 'Mumtaz Mahal' in Colombo.
Chilaw
'The Island' newspaper observed: 'Mr. Corea has done many development work in his electorate; he always gave priority to Society and not for the particular individual, in Chilaw electorate Yoda-Ela Scheme in Karawita, Sengal-Oya Scheme; development of Karukupone and Udappuwa fishing villages; Transport Services; Education; Health are the few priorities he had. Chilaw Bauddha Mandiraya would not have been, if not for Mr. Corea’s afforts
'sic'' there were a lot of obstructions from Judges, lawyers and many others as this building is just adjacent to the District Court of Chilaw, but Mr. Corea was successful and laid the foundation by the late
William Gopallawa
William Gopallawa (, ; 17 September 1896 – 31 January 1981) was the last Governor-General of Ceylon from 1962 to 1972 and became the first and only non-executive and ceremonial President of Sri Lanka when Ceylon declared itself a republic in ...
,
Governor General of Ceylon
The Governor-General of Ceylon was the representative of the Ceylonese monarch in the Dominion of Ceylon from the country's independence in 1948 until it became the republic of Sri Lanka in 1972.
History
There were four governors-general.
...
; for this act Dr. A. D. V. Premaratne; Messrs. Sirisena Weerasuriya, Sirisoma and N. M. Gnanalankara gave their utmost support to him to make this venture a success; it is also unforgetable
'sic''the services he rendered to the Ananda College of Chilaw. Mr. Corea was also the Patron of Chilaw District Boy Scout Local Association and in many other social service organisations. '
He was the Chairman of Chilaw Puttalam Planters’ Association, Chilaw Negombo Rotary Club and many times, the President of Chilaw Sports Club, Commonwealth Association, a delegate to the World Peace Through the Rule of Law and President of Law Society of Ceylon. Mr. Corea was a very close associate of Asia Foundation representative in Sri Lanka Mr. James H. Nayes and obtained much assistance to his electorate. As a devoted
Christian
Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words '' Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρ ...
, Mr. Corea served as a Diocesan Council member, of the
Church of Ceylon, for a long period.
See also
*
Dominicus Corea
Dominicus Corea (Sinhalese family name Edirille Bandara) also known as Domingos Corea and Edirille Rala, was the son of Don Jeronimo Corea and Anna Corea. Don Jeronimo Corea was also known as Mudaliyar Vikramasinha, Commander-in-Chief of King May ...
*
Edirille Bandara
Dominicus Corea (Sinhalese family name Edirille Bandara) also known as Domingos Corea and Edirille Rala, was the son of Don Jeronimo Corea and Anna Corea. Don Jeronimo Corea was also known as Mudaliyar Vikramasinha, Commander-in-Chief of King May ...
*
Charles Edgar Corea
Charles Edgar Corea was a politician and a prominent freedom fighter of Sri Lanka.
Early life
C.E.Corea was born in the west coast town of Chilaw, in Sri Lanka. His parents were Charles Edward Bandaranaike Corea, a leading lawyer from Chila ...
*
List of political families in Sri Lanka
This is a partial listing of prominent political families in Sri Lanka.
Abdul Majeed
*A. L. Abdul Majeed (15 November 1933 – 13 November 1987) also known as Mutur Majeed, former Deputy Minister of Information and Broadcasting and Member Parl ...
*
Edirimanne Corea Family Union
The Edirimanne Corea Family Union (ECFU) is a group set up to 'foster interaction' among the members of the powerful Corea family
in the island of Sri Lanka. The Corea family is one of the leading families of Sri Lanka. They trace their ancestry t ...
*
Church of Ceylon
*
Mahatma Gandhi's visit to Chilaw, Sri Lanka Mahatma Gandhi the 'Father of the Nation of India,' paid a historic visit to Ceylon in 1927. On his first and only visit to the island, he was invited to Chilaw by the famed freedom fighters of Sri Lanka, Charles Edgar Corea and his brother Victor C ...
*
House of Representatives of Ceylon
The House of Representatives was the lower chamber of the parliament of Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) established in 1947 by the Soulbury Constitution. The House was housed in the old State Council building in Galle Face Green, Colombo and met for the fi ...
*
Speaker of the Parliament of Sri Lanka
The Speaker of the Parliament of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is the presiding officer of the chamber. The current Speaker of the Parliament is Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, in office since 20 August 2020. The Speaker fulfills ...
Bibliography
*''Handbook of the Parliament of Sri Lanka''
*''Great Sinhalese Men and Women of History - Edirille Bandara (Domingos Corea)'' By John M. Senaveratna, (1937)
*''20th century Impressions of Ceylon: Its History, People, Commerce, Industries and Resources'' By A.W. Wright, Asian Educational Services,India; New Ed edition (15 December 2007)
References
External links
Edirmanne Corea Family Union Facebook PageThe ECFU Youth Club Facebook PageShirley Corea Speaker of the Parliament of CeylonMahatma Ghandhi and the Corea Family of ChilawReferences to Charles Edgar Corea, father of Shirley Corea in Twentieth Century Impressions of Ceylon by Arnold Wright
{{DEFAULTSORT:Corea, Shirley
1906 births
1974 deaths
Sri Lankan Christians
Speakers of the Parliament of Sri Lanka
Government ministers of Sri Lanka
Shirley
Deputy speakers and chairmen of committees of the Parliament of Sri Lanka
People from Chilaw
Sinhalese politicians
Gandhians