Thomas Lister Villiers

Sir Thomas Lister Villiers was born on 31 October 1869 and died on 21 December 1959. He was a British individual involved in plantation agriculture in Ceylon, now Sri Lanka, and held various public positions within the colonial administration. Villiers served as the European unofficial member of the Legislative Council of Ceylon from 1924 to 1931 and was appointed to the State Council of Ceylon in 1932. He also held the position of chairman of the George Steuart Group, a notable enterprise during his career.

He was born in Adisham, a location associated with his family, to Reverend Henry Montagu Villiers of the Villiers family. His father was a Prebendary at St Paul’s Cathedral. His maternal grandfather was Lord John Russell, a former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. Villiers received his education at Sherborne School, a well-known boarding school in England.

After completing his schooling, Villiers moved to Ceylon to work as a planter. His initial apprenticeship was at the Elbedde Estate located in Bogawantalawa. Subsequently, he left Ceylon for a period of four years to work in Brazil. He returned to Ceylon in 1900 and purchased a tea estate known as the Dickoya Group.

In 1905, Villiers joined the George Steuart Company, a business entity with historical significance in Ceylon. He rose to become the Chairman of the company in 1928, a position he maintained until his retirement in 1949. During his tenure, he oversaw the company's operations and growth.

In addition to his business pursuits, Villiers began the construction of Adisham Hall in 1929. Located in Bandarawela, the residence was completed in 1931 and served as his country house.

Villiers married Evelyn Hope Walker in 1896. Together, they had two sons: Henry Lister, born in 1897, and Thomas Hyde, born in 1902. His son Henry served as a lieutenant in the British Army and was killed in action during World War I in 1917. His other son, Thomas Hyde, served as a Lieutenant Commander in the Royal Navy during World War II and died in 1955.

Following the death of his first wife, Villiers married Marjorie Glencora Keyt in 1953. After retiring from his professional and public duties, he left Ceylon and eventually died in Kent, United Kingdom, on 21 December 1959.