Old Boys and Old Girls Alumni Associations based in the UK.
Mahendra "Speedy" Gonsalkorale
Many of you must belong to these Associations and probably take an active role. Please feel free to point out any errors. The Alumni Associations must have a very varied history.
I wonder whether colleagues in other countries, such as the USA, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, will be able to provide any data.
Major Boys Alumni Associations
- St. Thomas' College: (OTAUK)
- St. Patrick's
College (Jaffna): St Patrick's College, Jaffna, Alumni Association UK
- Jaffna Central
College: Jaffna Central College Old Boys & Girls Association UK
- St. John's College
& Chundikuli Girls' College: CSJPPA-UK
- Ananda College Old
Boys’ Association UK
- D. S. Senanayake
College OBA UK
- De Mazenod College
Past Pupils Association UK
- Dharmaraja College
OBA UK
- Dharmasoka College
Alumni Organisation UK (Old Sokians UK)
- Holy Cross College
Kalutara OBA UK
- Isipathana College
OBA UK
- Kingswood College
Kandy OBA UK
- Mahanama College OBA
UK
- Mahinda College OBA
UK
- Maliyadeva College
OBA UK
- Maris Stella College
OBA UK
- Methodist Central
College Batticaloa OBA UK
- Nalanda College OBA
UK (Nalandians Hub UK)
- Prince of Wales'
College Moratuwa OBA UK
- Rahula College
Matara OBA UK
- Richmond College
Galle OBA UK
- Royal College
Colombo (Old Royalists Association UK)
- Shivananda
Vidyalayam Batticaloa OBA UK
- St. Aloysius'
College Galle OBA UK
- St. Anthony's
College Kandy OBA UK
- St. Benedict's
College OBA UK
- St. Joseph's College
Colombo OBA UK
- St. Joseph Vaz
College Wennappuwa OBA UK
- St. Mary's College
Negombo OBA UK
- St. Michael's
College Batticaloa OBA UK
- St. Patrick's
College Jaffna Alumni Association UK
- St. Peter's College
Colombo OBA UK
- St. Sebastian's
College Moratuwa OBA UK
- St. Thomas' College
Matale OBA UK
- Thurstan College OBA
UK
- Trinity College
Kandy OBA UK
- Vivekananda College
Colombo OBA UK
- Zahira College Colombo OBA UK
Major Girl's Alumni Associations
Colombo Region Schools
- Anula Vidyalaya Past Pupils’ Association UK
- Devi Balika
Vidyalaya Past Pupils’
Association UK
- Good Shepherd
Convent (Kotahena) Past Pupils’
Association UK
- Holy Family
Convent (Bambalapitiya) Past
Pupils’ Association UK
- Ladies' College
(Colombo) Old Girls' Association
UK Branch
- Methodist College Colombo Past
Pupils' Charitable Association UK
- Musaeus College Past Pupils’ Association - UK Branch
- Our Lady of
Victories Convent (Moratuwa)
Past Pupils’ Association UK
- Sirimavo
Bandaranaike Vidyalaya Alumnae
UK
- St. Bridget's
Convent (Colombo) Past Pupils’
Association UK
- Visakha Vidyalaya Past Pupils’ Association in the UK (VVPAUK)
Kandy & Central Region Schools
- Girl's High School Kandy. Old Girls' Association UK
- Hillwood College
(Kandy) Past Pupils' Association
UK
- Mahamaya Girls'
College (Kandy) OGA UK
Southern & North-Western Region Schools
- Maliyadeva Balika Vidyalaya (Kurunegala) PPA UK
- Sacred Heart
Convent (Galle) Past Pupils'
Association UK
- Southlands
College (Galle) Past Pupils'
Association UK [1]
Northern & Eastern Region (Joint & Independent
Chapters)
- Chundikuli Girls' College (Jaffna) – Associated under the joint Chundikuli-St. John's PPA UK
- Jaffna Hindu
Ladies' College Alumni
Association UK
- Vembadi Girls'
High School (Jaffna) OGA UK
I hope that this post will stimulate some of our more dormant colleagues to wake up (even a little bit) and point out anything of interest on this subject. I wonder how many of you are office bearers in such Associations?
ReplyDeleteAlumni associations that bring together former students are a universal phenomenon, encompassing both schools and universities. These institutions shape us during our most formative and impressionable years. It is there that friendships are forged, many of which endure for a lifetime.
ReplyDeleteI received my education at Wesley College, Colombo. I still remember, as vividly as if it were yesterday, walking up the hill between the tall Casuarina trees towards the main building on my very first day at school in January 1950.
I remain profoundly grateful to my school for the well-rounded education I received. Many of my teachers went far beyond the call of duty in nurturing and inspiring us. Before I knew it, my school years had passed all too quickly.
My last day at school remains one of the most emotional moments of my life. As I stood at the morning assembly, the boys sang the school song. I struggled to hold back my tears, though I was too shy to let anyone see my emotions. We also sang my favourite hymn:
"Guide me, O Thou Great Redeemer,
Pilgrim through this barren land;
I am weak, but Thou art mighty;
Hold me with Thy powerful hand."
Until that day, school had been my entire world. I still remember my solitary walk home after saying my farewells, turning for one last look at the magnificent school buildings. That image has remained with me throughout my life.
Even after all these years, I feel a deep sense of sadness when I think of the principals, teachers, and fellow students who have since passed away, yet were once such an important part of my life. If I have one regret, it is that I did not take the time on my final day to shake the hand of every teacher—from Primary School onwards—to thank them for all they had done for me. Many of them I never saw again.
I hope these reflections convey the depth of my affection and gratitude for my old school.
The Wesley College Old Boys' Association in London was established around 1994. At the time, I was living in Hertfordshire and was unable to attend its meetings regularly because of the distance. After my retirement, however, I became actively involved and had the privilege of serving on its committee.