W. G. Rockwood

Rockwood was born on 13 March 1843.^[1][2] He was the son of Sinnathamby Elisha Rockwood, a customs sub-collector from Alaveddy in northern Ceylon.^[1][3]

Rockwood was educated at Vembadi Boys School before being sent to study at Presidency College, Madras from where he matriculated.^[1][2] He then joined Madras Medical College in 1861 on a scholarship, graduating in June 1866 with a first class degree in medicine and surgery.^[1][2][4]

Rockwood married Mutthammah, daughter of Sinna Mudaliyar Kathiravetpillai from Moolai, in 1871.^[1][2] They had four sons and four daughters.^[5]

Two months after returning to Ceylon Rockwood joined the Government Medical Service as Medical Officer of Puttalam.^[1][2] He was involved with dealing with the 1866/67 cholera epidemic in Jaffna.^[2] He returned to Puttalam and served there until 1875.^[2] He was involved with dealing with the 1875 cholera epidemic in Jaffna.^[1] He later received a MD degree from the University of Madras.^[2][4] He then served as Medical Officer of Hambantota and Gampola.^[2][5] In 1878, following the death of E. L. Koch, Rockwood was appointed surgeon-in-charge of Colombo General Hospital.^[1][2][4] He also lectured in surgery and midwifery at the Ceylon Medical College.^[1][2][4] He ceased to be surgeon-in-charge in 1883 but he continued to work as a surgeon at the hospital.^[2] In 1884 he went to England from where he obtained MRCS and MRCP qualifications.^[2][4] After retirement, Rockwood was appointed to the specially created post of consulting-surgeon of the Colombo General Hospital in 1898.^[2][4]

Rockwood was appointed to the Legislative Council of Ceylon in 1898 as the unofficial member representing Tamils, replacing P. Coomaraswamy.^[1][2][6][7] He was re-appointed in 1903.^[2][8] He was one of the leading supporters of constructing a new railway line to northern Ceylon and Chilaw.^[1][5] Ill health forced him to retire from the Legislative Council in 1906.^[1][2][4]

Rockwood was president of the Ceylon Branch of the British Medical Association.^[1][2][4]

Rockwood died on 27 March 1909.^[5]