H. W. Thambiah | |
---|---|
Puisne Justice of the Supreme Court of Ceylon | |
In office 1960–1972 | |
Sri Lankan High Commissioner to Canada | |
In office September 1975 – December 1977 | |
Personal details | |
Born | Jaffna, Ceylon | 28 May 1906
Died | 1997 |
Nationality | Sri Lankan |
Alma mater |
St. John's College, Jaffna Jaffna Central College University College, Colombo Ceylon Law College |
Profession | Lawyer |
Ethnicity | Ceylon Tamil |
Henry Wijeyakone Thambiah (also spelt Tambiah) (1906–1997) was a Ceylonese academic, diplomat, lawyer and judge, born in Sri Lanka during British colonial rule. He was a Commissioner of Assize, High Commissioner and judge of the Supreme Courts of Ceylon and Sierra Leone. [1] [2]
Thambiah was born on 28 May 1906 in Jaffna in northern province of Ceylon. [3] He was the son of David Thambiah, a surveyor, and Thangamma, daughter of Dr William Thillayampalam Paul and sister of Dr S. C. Paul. Both his parents died when he was child. [4] Thambiah was educated at St. John's College, Jaffna and Jaffna Central College from where he passed the London matriculation in the first division. [3] [4] His ambition was to be an engineer. After school he entered University College, Colombo and graduated in 1928 with a BSc (Hons) degree in maths and physics. [3] [4] He taught physics for a year before becoming interest in the legal profession. He joined Ceylon Law College in 1930 and qualified as an attorney-at-law in 1933, winning a prize for coming first in the examinations. [3] [4] He received a LLB (Hons) degree from the University of London in 1934, coming first amongst overseas students. [3]
Thambiah married Leela, daughter of C. D. A. Sherrard from Point Pedro. They have four children – Gulendran, Rajendran Jeyanathan, Rajeswari and Anthony Sudir. [3]
After qualifying Thambiah practised law. Thambiah also worked as a visiting lecturer University of Ceylon and Ceylon Law College and an examiner at the Council of Legal Education between 1938 and 1953. [3] [4] [5] He obtained a PhD from the University of London in 1949 and in 1954 he was called to the Inner Temple. [3] [4] In 1956 he became a QC. [3] [4] He then joined the judicial service in 1956, serving as a Commissioner of Assize for five years before being appointed to the Supreme Court in 1960. [3] He was a Supreme Court judge for twelve years.
After retiring Thambiah moved to West Africa, serving as a judge on the Supreme Court of Sierra Leone and an appeals court judge in the Gambia. [3] He was awarded a LLD by the University of London in 1973 for his services to Sri Lankan law. [4] He was president of the Royal Asiatic Society of Sri Lanka from 1974 to 1976. [6] Thambiah returned to Sri Lankan in 1975 and started the Tamil section of the Law Faculty at the University of Colombo. [3] He served as the Sri Lankan High Commissioner to Canada from September 1975 to December 1977. [3] [4] He then served as chair of the Law Commission.
Thambiah was awarded the Deshamanya title, the second highest civilian honour in Sri Lanka, in 1993. [3] He died in 1997 aged 91. [4]
Thambiah wrote many books during his life: [3]
H. W. Thambiah | |
---|---|
Puisne Justice of the Supreme Court of Ceylon | |
In office 1960–1972 | |
Sri Lankan High Commissioner to Canada | |
In office September 1975 – December 1977 | |
Personal details | |
Born | Jaffna, Ceylon | 28 May 1906
Died | 1997 |
Nationality | Sri Lankan |
Alma mater |
St. John's College, Jaffna Jaffna Central College University College, Colombo Ceylon Law College |
Profession | Lawyer |
Ethnicity | Ceylon Tamil |
Henry Wijeyakone Thambiah (also spelt Tambiah) (1906–1997) was a Ceylonese academic, diplomat, lawyer and judge, born in Sri Lanka during British colonial rule. He was a Commissioner of Assize, High Commissioner and judge of the Supreme Courts of Ceylon and Sierra Leone. [1] [2]
Thambiah was born on 28 May 1906 in Jaffna in northern province of Ceylon. [3] He was the son of David Thambiah, a surveyor, and Thangamma, daughter of Dr William Thillayampalam Paul and sister of Dr S. C. Paul. Both his parents died when he was child. [4] Thambiah was educated at St. John's College, Jaffna and Jaffna Central College from where he passed the London matriculation in the first division. [3] [4] His ambition was to be an engineer. After school he entered University College, Colombo and graduated in 1928 with a BSc (Hons) degree in maths and physics. [3] [4] He taught physics for a year before becoming interest in the legal profession. He joined Ceylon Law College in 1930 and qualified as an attorney-at-law in 1933, winning a prize for coming first in the examinations. [3] [4] He received a LLB (Hons) degree from the University of London in 1934, coming first amongst overseas students. [3]
Thambiah married Leela, daughter of C. D. A. Sherrard from Point Pedro. They have four children – Gulendran, Rajendran Jeyanathan, Rajeswari and Anthony Sudir. [3]
After qualifying Thambiah practised law. Thambiah also worked as a visiting lecturer University of Ceylon and Ceylon Law College and an examiner at the Council of Legal Education between 1938 and 1953. [3] [4] [5] He obtained a PhD from the University of London in 1949 and in 1954 he was called to the Inner Temple. [3] [4] In 1956 he became a QC. [3] [4] He then joined the judicial service in 1956, serving as a Commissioner of Assize for five years before being appointed to the Supreme Court in 1960. [3] He was a Supreme Court judge for twelve years.
After retiring Thambiah moved to West Africa, serving as a judge on the Supreme Court of Sierra Leone and an appeals court judge in the Gambia. [3] He was awarded a LLD by the University of London in 1973 for his services to Sri Lankan law. [4] He was president of the Royal Asiatic Society of Sri Lanka from 1974 to 1976. [6] Thambiah returned to Sri Lankan in 1975 and started the Tamil section of the Law Faculty at the University of Colombo. [3] He served as the Sri Lankan High Commissioner to Canada from September 1975 to December 1977. [3] [4] He then served as chair of the Law Commission.
Thambiah was awarded the Deshamanya title, the second highest civilian honour in Sri Lanka, in 1993. [3] He died in 1997 aged 91. [4]
Thambiah wrote many books during his life: [3]