A family heritage built to last
It’s the turn of the 20th century, the year 1900 to be exact, and the Paris Exposition is underway. The event is visited by throngs of people; millions in total. Amidst the 216 hectares of the exhibition, a familiar name at home – ‘H. Don Carolis and Sons’.
This name would appear again and again, as a standard-bearer of Ceylonese quality over the next few decades; for instance, at the Indian Industrial Exhibition in 1901, the St Louis World Fair in 1904 and the Wembley World Trade Exposition in 1924.
The Wembley exhibit a hundred years ago: The wooden Ceylon pavilion constructed by Don Carolis, styled after the Paththirippuwa of the Temple of the Tooth
In 1948, the newly independent government of Ceylon commissioned Don Carolis to design and produce a 17-piece bedroom suite as a royal wedding gift for Queen Elizabeth II, then Princess Elizabeth. The suite still sits at Windsor Castle.
Sixth generation: Yadesh Waidyaratne
It was Don Carolis that put Sri Lankan furniture on the world map. The company participated in several international exhibitions and trade fairs in the early 20th century, winning multiple awards and making a name for Sri Lankan furniture in the British Empire. In 1924, Don Carolis represented Sri Lanka at the Wembley World Trade Exposition (known also as the ‘British Empire Exhibition’). The ‘Ceylon Pavilion’ at this exhibition was styled after the Paththirippuwa (or Octagon) of the Temple of the Tooth. The wooden pavilion was constructed by Don Carolis, showcasing the company’s technical skills and keen sense of cultural branding.
This year, H. Don Carolis & Sons celebrates an extraordinary 165 years in operation. Widely regarded as Sri Lanka’s oldest family-owned enterprise (and one of few such in the region) ‘longevity’ is quite literally in the details for the family that has helmed the business since it first took root in 1860.
For Yadesh Waidyaratne (27), a CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst), a sixth-generation steward of the business, getting involved is about responsible custodianship of the family heritage. “Although we are an established name with a long history, there is an idea that our furniture is only for people living in landed houses with big spaces,” Yadesh explains. “In fact, we have a lot of modern furniture built for smaller spaces, and some impressive recent projects in our portfolio.”
The founder: Don Carolis Hewavitarne
In recent years Don Carolis has furnished hotels such as the Shangri-La in Hambantota, Granbell Colombo, Le Grande in Galle and the Weligama Marriott. It joins a long list of other landmark projects including both old and new Parliament buildings, and many residential and business properties around the country beginning from the 19th century.
It’s a story that must be traced back to the beginning. In 1860, Mudaliyar Don Carolis Hewavitarne transformed a furniture shop in Pettah into a business called H. Don Carolis & Sons. They catered to a growing class of planters, merchants and professionals who were seeking to simulate European design aesthetics with high quality, tastefully designed furniture that was built for Sri Lankan weather and life. To meet this demand, the entrepreneur turned to Moratuwa – which had become the home of a cluster of skilled craftsmen.
The business grew quickly, with production distributed between Moratuwa and Slave Island in Colombo. By 1886, the company became Sri Lanka’s first furniture exporter. The first consignment went to Australia followed by regular business in India, Burma, South Africa, the United Kingdom, Europe, and the United States. Mechanization was soon introduced, with a large-scale factory opened in Slave Island in 1895 called Ceylon Steam Furniture Works, and the company grew to employ about 250 skilled craftsmen.
By 1908, H. Don Carolis and Sons were describing themselves as the largest and most experienced manufacturers of furniture in Asia. They had opened what was likely one of Asia’s first department-style furniture showrooms in 1907 across 130,000 square feet with 50+ departments in Colombo. The company was supplying furniture to various illustrious locations, including the Governor’s House in Colombo, Galle Face Hotel, and the Hill Club in Nuwara Eliya.
Succession soon became a question. Don Carolis’ eldest son, David, had little interest in business- he was better known to the world as Anagarika Dharmapala, the renowned Buddhist revivalist and writer (Don Carolis wholeheartedly supported his son’s mission and left a large bequest in his will for Anagarika Dharmapala’s work). Following Don Carolis’ death in 1906, the company passed to his sons Edmund and Simon. They had travelled extensively abroad and introduced new systems of efficiency and scale, and the company grew in leaps and bounds. In this way, it passed from generation to generation.
Skilled hands: A craftsman at the Moratuwa workshop
From thereon, Edmund’s two sons Neil and Rajah Hewavitarne, both of whom became State Council members were at the helm of the family firm followed by Lalith Hewavitarne, Singha Weerasekera, Sudhammika Hewavitarne, Rajiv Hewavitarne and the incumbent Viraj Hewavitarne.
Today, with most skilled labourers migrating to West Asia and the Gulf states, Sri Lankan furniture makers are struggling to stay competitive, especially in the export market- countries such as Indonesia outperform with cheaper labour and materials.
Yadesh sees reviving the furniture export business as a key responsibility that will guide the sixth generation of the business, saying “We have to create a brand for Sri Lankan timber – not just for ourselves, but for others in this industry as well.”
“We have a great heritage brand to work with, but there’s a huge gap in how we’re positioning ourselves in the current market,” notes Yadesh. As part of this shift, Don Carolis recently launched on Instagram, sharing stories from its past operations and the people behind the scenes.
Setting the trend while staying true to its ethos points the way forward for Don Carolis. “We want to retain our values while modernizing,” says Yadesh determined to keep the family traditions alive.
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