Our History

Then & NOW

Our office has remained at the same premises ever since we started our business. This location was chosen for its proximity to the infectious disease hospital (which was where BMICH is now) the mental asylum (which was where the Arcade Shopping complex is now) and of course the cemetery which is next door to our office building.

1885

2015

FOUNDERS

A.F.Raymonds was registered as a business in 1885, the Raymond family had been in Sri Lanka since the 17th century. Their family history can be traced back to a Dutch mercenary who fought during the many great wars at that time and who settled down in Sri Lanka. The Founder A.F. Raymond won a tender to bury corpses from the infectious dieses’ hospital and mental asylum in Colombo. Leslie Lionel Raymond was the first from South-East Asia to qualify as a Member of the British Institute of Embalmers in 1935.

Sydney Rutherford Raymond

Arthur Francis Raymond

Leslie Lionel Raymond

ENTRUSTED

Over the years we have served Prime Ministers as well as families from all walks of life. This is how A.F.Raymond conducted the funeral of the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, His Excellency the late Mr Dudley Senananayake.

MULTI-RELIGIOUS

AFR prides itself as being a multi-religious company. Over the years we have served many Maha Nayakas, including funeral of Ven. Weliwitiye Sri Soratha Thera on the 17th of July 1963, for whom we built a 7 storied “saaya ”. To date, this is the tallest “saaya” ever built. For the past 45 years, A.F.Raymond Limited has also helped the Catholic Church organize services on All Souls Day, the 2nd of November, at the Borella Cemetery and at cemeteries in the Greater Colombo area.