# Victor Corea > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Victor_Corea > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Victor_Corea.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victor_Corea > Source revision: 1355883717 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|Sri Lankan politician (1871–1962)}} {{Use British English|date=September 2014}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2026}} {{Infobox person | name = Victor Corea | image = Victor Corea.jpg | caption = | birth_date = 29 January 1871 | birth_place = [Chilaw](/source/Chilaw), [Sri Lanka](/source/Sri_Lanka) | death_date = 6 June 1962 (age 91) | death_place = Chilaw, Sri Lanka | education = [Sri Lanka Law College](/source/Sri_Lanka_Law_College)
[S. Thomas' College, Mount Lavinia](/source/S._Thomas'_College%2C_Mount_Lavinia) | occupation = Lawyer · Legislator · Politician · Civil Rights Activist | political_party = [Ceylon National Congress](/source/Ceylon_National_Congress)
Ceylon Labour Union
[Ceylon Labour Party](/source/Ceylon_Labour_Party) | mother = Henrietta Seneviratne | father = [Charles Edward Bandaranaike Corea](/source/Charles_Edward_Bandaranaike_Corea) | family = [Corea Family](/source/Edirimanne_Corea_Family_Union) | honours = [National Hero of Sri Lanka](/source/National_Hero_of_Sri_Lanka) | spouse = Sita De Alwis (m. ?; div. ?)
Vivienne Nissanka (m. 1906–1962) | children = 13 }} '''Charles Edward Victor Seneviratne Corea''' (born 29 January 1871 – 6 June 1962) was a Sri Lankan lawyer, legislator, politician, civil rights activist, and [anti-colonial nationalist](/source/Anti-colonial_nationalism). As a lawyer, Corea was an [Advocate](/source/Advocate) of the [Supreme Court of Sri Lanka](/source/Supreme_Court_of_Sri_Lanka) and unofficial member of the [Legislative Council of Ceylon](/source/Legislative_Council_of_Ceylon). As a politician, he was a founding member of the [Ceylon National Congress](/source/Ceylon_National_Congress), the Founding President of the Ceylon Labour Union, and an executive member of [Ceylon Labour Party](/source/Ceylon_Labour_Party), all parties focused on promoting [Sri Lankan independence](/source/Sri_Lankan_independence_movement) amidst [British colonial rule in Ceylon](/source/British_Ceylon). He is widely credited for resisting the [Poll Tax](/source/Poll_tax) in Ceylon (Sri Lanka). Corea is a descendant of King [Dominicus Corea](/source/Dominicus_Corea) of [Kotte](/source/Sri_Jayawardenepura_Kotte).{{Cite book |last=Senaveratna |first=John M. |title=Great Sinhala Men and Women of History: Edirille Bandara (Domingos Corea) |date=1937 |publisher=The Ceylon Examiner Press}} ==Early life == Charles Edward Victor Seneviratne Corea was born on 29 January 1871 into a [Sinhala](/source/Sinhalese_people) family of [Anglican](/source/Anglicanism) faith in [Chilaw](/source/Chilaw), Sri Lanka. His father, [Charles Edward Bandaranaike Corea](/source/Charles_Edward_Bandaranaike_Corea), was similarly a lawyer and a [Proctor](/source/Proctor) of the [Supreme Court of Sri Lanka](/source/Supreme_Court_of_Sri_Lanka). Corea was the youngest boy of five children, including [Charles Edgar Corea](/source/Charles_Edgar_Corea), [James Alfred Ernest Corea](/source/James_Alfred_Ernest_Corea), Agnes Corea, and Evangeline Corea. His father died in 1872, when he was 1 year old.{{Cite web |url=https://www.worldgenweb.org/lkawgw/gen3070.html |access-date=2024-07-20 |website=www.worldgenweb.org}} == Education == Corea attended the all-boys Anglican private school [S. Thomas' College, Mount Lavinia](/source/S._Thomas'_College%2C_Mount_Lavinia) in [Colombo](/source/Colombo), Sri Lanka, graduating in 1889. He then attended [Sri Lanka Law College](/source/Sri_Lanka_Law_College) (then Ceylon Law College), also in Colombo, and received admission to practice law upon the completion of his courses, exams, and apprenticeship in 1893.{{citation needed|date=July 2024}} == Civil service == === Legal career === After receiving admission to practice law, Corea became an [Advocate](/source/Advocate) of the [Supreme Court of Sri Lanka](/source/Supreme_Court_of_Sri_Lanka). In 1924, Corea ran for a seat as an unofficial member of the [Legislative Council of Ceylon](/source/Legislative_Council_of_Ceylon) as a delegate of the Colombo Western Province, winning against [E. W. Jayawardene](/source/E._W._Jayawardene). Corea practiced law in Chilaw, [Kuliyapitiya](/source/Kuliyapitiya), and [Puttalam](/source/Puttalam) until the age of 90, 1 year before his death.{{Cite web |title=Plus |url=https://www.sundaytimes.lk/060129/plus/4.html |access-date=2024-07-20 |website=www.sundaytimes.lk}} === Political activity === Much of Corea's political activity occurred in and around the 1920s. During its formation in the late 1910s, Corea was elected a founder member of the [Ceylon National Congress](/source/Ceylon_National_Congress). In September 1922, he was elected as the Founding President of the Ceylon Labour Union. He was also on the Executive Board of the [Ceylon Labour Party](/source/Ceylon_Labour_Party), upon its formation in 1928.{{Cite web |title=The Corea Family |url=https://www.chilawcoreas.com/viewprofiles.php?profid=36 |access-date=2024-07-22 |website=www.chilawcoreas.com}} All of these parties and committees were or still are largely characterised by their promotion of [Sri Lankan independence](/source/Sri_Lankan_independence_movement) amidst [British colonial rule in Ceylon](/source/British_Ceylon), including what was colloquially called the "Ceylonisation" (i.e., localisation) of the public services. Corea shared many anti-colonial political views with his older brother, [Charles Edgar Corea](/source/Charles_Edgar_Corea), who was a fellow lawyer, and often collaborated in political affairs. === Poll tax and imprisonment === During [British colonial rule in Ceylon](/source/British_Ceylon), every male over the age of 21 had to pay the [British Empire](/source/British_Empire) a [Poll Tax](/source/Poll_tax) of 2 [rupee](/source/rupee)s. In an act of [civil disobedience](/source/civil_disobedience) in 1921, Corea refused to pay the tax. Corea then wrote a letter to then [Governor of British Ceylon](/source/Governors_of_British_Ceylon), Sir [William Henry Manning](/source/William_Manning_(colonial_administrator)), stating that he ought to be arrested according to colonial law. Corea was imprisoned for about 1 month, during which he was forced to do [prison labour](/source/Penal_labour). However, Corea amassed a significant public following upon his arrest, resulting in his eventual release from prison and subsequent abolishment of the Poll Tax. Upon his release, Corea addressed the public at the [Tower Hall Theatre](/source/Tower_Hall_Theatre), promoting [anti-colonial nationalism](/source/anti-colonial_nationalism) in his speech.{{Cite web |title=He challenged the might of the British {{!}} The Sundaytimes Sri Lanka |url=http://www.sundaytimes.lk/140608/plus/he-challenged-the-might-of-the-british-102414.html |access-date=2024-07-20}} === Gandhi's visit (1927) === {{Main|Mahatma Gandhi's visit to Ceylon}} [[Image:MKGandhi.jpg#file|thumb|left|130px|[Mahatma Gandhi](/source/Mahatma_Gandhi)|link=File:MKGandhi.jpg]]During his political career, Victor Corea and his brother [Charles](/source/Charles_Edgar_Corea) had been in contact with [Mahatma Gandhi](/source/Mahatma_Gandhi), famed Indian lawyer, [anti-colonial nationalist](/source/Anti-colonial_nationalism) and [political ethicist](/source/Political_ethics). Gandhi visited Ceylon in 1927 to tour the country amidst its [independence movement](/source/Sri_Lankan_independence_movement), and stayed with the Corea family at their home in Chilaw. Gandhi is alleged to have gifted Corea with a poster titled ''Fighters for [Swaraj](/source/Swaraj)'' (i.e., fighters for self-rule) which featured, among other notable [freedom fighters from the Indian subcontinent](/source/List_of_Indian_independence_activists), Corea himself.{{Cite web |title=Online edition of Sunday Observer – Features |url=https://archives.sundayobserver.lk/2006/01/29/fea30.html |access-date=2024-07-20 |website=archives.sundayobserver.lk}} === Beating of the Hēwisi Drums === [[File:Zahntempel Kandy.jpg|thumb|right|225px| [Temple of the Tooth](/source/Temple_of_the_Tooth)]][Hēwisi Pūjā](/source/Hewisi) is a Sri Lankan form of a traditional [Buddhist](/source/Buddhism) religious music, often performed at temples.{{Cite journal |last=Seneviratna |first=Anuradha |date=1979 |title=Pañcatūrya Nāda and the Hēwisi Pūjā |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/851337 |journal=Ethnomusicology |volume=23 |issue=1 |pages=49–56 |doi=10.2307/851337 |jstor=851337 |url-access=subscription }} During [British colonial rule in Ceylon](/source/British_Ceylon), the beating of the Hēwisi drums at the [Temple of the Tooth](/source/Temple_of_the_Tooth) or Sri Dalada Maligawa ([Sinhala](/source/Sinhala_language): ශ්‍රී දළදා මාළිගාව) in [Kandy](/source/Kandy), Sri Lanka was ordered to be stopped by a British Official who resided in the area under the pretence of [public disturbance](/source/Civil_disorder). In an act of civil disobedience against British administrative authority, Corea ordered the [Diyawadana Nilame](/source/Diyawadana_Nilame) (office of the temple's chief lay custodian) to order the temple to resume the beating of the drums or that he would 'beat them himself'. Corea also allegedly sardonically informed the Official that he should change his residence before undermining longstanding cultural and religious traditions. Fearing a larger revolt, the order was revoked by the Official.{{Cite web |title={{!}}{{!}} Sundayobserver.lk – Sri Lanka |url=https://archives.sundayobserver.lk/2007/06/10/PrintPage.asp?REF=/2007/06/10/fea11.asp |access-date=2024-07-20 |website=archives.sundayobserver.lk}} == Personal life and family == Corea remained in his hometown of Chilaw for most of his life. He was married twice, and had 13 children. His first marriage was to Sita Corea ''née'' de Alwis, until the two divorced. They had 4 sons, Carlton, Siddhartha, Norman, Eric, and 1 daughter, Sara. Said to have been influenced by his grandfather, Corea's eldest grandson from this marriage, [Deshamanya](/source/Deshamanya) Dr. [Gamani Corea](/source/Gamani_Corea), was the [secretary-general](/source/secretary-general) of the [United Nations Conference on Trade and Development](/source/United_Nations_Conference_on_Trade_and_Development) and [Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations](/source/Under-Secretary-General_of_the_United_Nations) from 1974 to 1984. Likewise inspired, his great-grandson [https://www.radheeshameresekere.com/ Radheesh Ameresekere] is a legal & political philosopher, trained at [Harvard University](/source/Harvard_University) and [McGill University](/source/McGill_University). His second marriage was to Vivienne Corea ''née'' Nissanka, from 1906 until his death in 1962. They had two sons, Sri Sangabo and Edward Charles Vickrema, and six daughters, Leila, Ratna, Rupa, Chandrani, Lihini, and Indira. ==Death and legacy == thumb|right|150px| The statue of Corea Corea died on 6 June 1962, at 91 years old. He is buried at the Chilaw Cemetery, in Chilaw, Sri Lanka. Corea was posthumously awarded the title of [National Hero of Sri Lanka](/source/National_Hero_of_Sri_Lanka) by the [President of Sri Lanka](/source/President_of_Sri_Lanka). The award is given to those who have made an "especially meritorious contribution to the historical struggle or national interests of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka" or who are "considered to have played a major role in fighting for the freedom of the country". The title is equivalent to the modern [Honorfic](/source/Honorific) of [Sri Lankabhimanya](/source/Sri_Lankabhimanya) ([Sinhala](/source/Sinhala_language): ශ්‍රී ලංකාභිමාන්‍ය, [Tamil](/source/Tamil_language): சிறீ லங்காபிமான்ய) it has been given to [approximately 135 people](/source/List_of_National_Heroes_of_Sri_Lanka) in its history. On 2 December 2008, the city of Chilaw paid tribute to Corea for his legal and political efforts in service of Sri Lankan independence by having a statue of him erected in his hometown. The statue was sculpted by [Kalasoori Ariyawansa Weerakkody](/source/Kalasoori_Ariyawansa_Weerakkody).{{Cite web |date=2014-06-07 |title=National Hero of Sri Lanka |url=https://vernoncorea.wordpress.com/tag/national-hero-of-sri-lanka/ |access-date=2024-07-22 |website=Vernon Corea 1927–2002 |language=en}} ==See also == *[National Heroes of Sri Lanka](/source/National_Heroes_of_Sri_Lanka) *[Dominicus Corea](/source/Dominicus_Corea) *[Charles Edward Bandaranaike Corea](/source/Charles_Edward_Bandaranaike_Corea) *[Charles Edgar Corea](/source/Charles_Edgar_Corea) *[List of political families in Sri Lanka](/source/List_of_political_families_in_Sri_Lanka) *[Edirimanne Corea Family Union](/source/Edirimanne_Corea_Family_Union) *[Sri Lankan independence activist](/source/Sri_Lankan_independence_activist) *[Sri Lankan independence movement](/source/Sri_Lankan_independence_movement) *[Govigama](/source/Govigama) *[List of Govigama people](/source/List_of_Govigama_people) *[Mahatma Gandhi's visit to Chilaw, Sri Lanka](/source/Mahatma_Gandhi's_visit_to_Chilaw%2C_Sri_Lanka) ==Bibliography== *Senaveratna, John M. (1937). ''Great Sinhala Men and Women of History: Edirille Bandara (Domingos Corea)''. The Ceylon Examiner Press. *Seneviratna, Anuradha. (1979). "Pañactūrya Nāda and Hēwisi Pūjā." ''Ethnomusicology.'' 23 (1): 49–46. *Wright, Arnold. (2007). ''Twentieth Century Impressions of Ceylon: Its History, People, Commerce, Industries and Resources.'' Asian Educational Services. ==References== {{Reflist|2}} {{Members of the 1924 Legislative Council of Ceylon}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Corea, Charles Edward Victor Seneviratne}} Category:National Heroes of Sri Lanka Category:Sri Lankan independence activists Category:Sinhalese people Category:Sri Lankan lawyers Category:Sri Lankan Christians Category:1871 births Category:1962 deaths Category:Members of the Legislative Council of Ceylon Victor Category:People from Chilaw Category:Ceylonese advocates Category:Gandhians --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Victor Corea](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victor_Corea) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victor_Corea?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.