Koch Memorial Clock Tower, is located on Kynsey Road,

Colombo Colombo ( ; si, කොළඹ, translit=Koḷam̆ba, ; ta, கொழும்பு, translit=Koḻumpu, ) is the executive and judicial capital and largest city of Sri Lanka by population. According to the Brookings Institution, Colombo me ...

next to the

Faculty of Medicine A medical school is a tertiary educational institution, or part of such an institution, that teaches medicine, and awards a professional degree for physicians. Such medical degrees include the Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS, M ...

of the

University of Colombo (Buddhih Sarvatra Bhrajate) , mottoeng = ''Wisdom Enlightens'' , established = , endowment = Sri Lankan rupee, LKR 1.461 1,000,000,000 (number), billion

. It was built in 1881 in memory of Dr. E. L. Koch (1838–1877), the second principal of the Colombo Medical School. It stands directly in front of the

National Hospital of Sri Lanka The National Hospital of Sri Lanka (sometimes General Hospital) is a government hospital in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Founded in 1864 as the General Hospital, it is the leading hospital in Sri Lanka and is controlled by the central government. The hosp ...

. Edwin Lawson Koch was born on 29 November 1838 in

Jaffna Jaffna (, ) is the capital city of the Northern Province of Sri Lanka. It is the administrative headquarters of the Jaffna District located on a peninsula of the same name. With a population of 88,138 in 2012, Jaffna is Sri Lanka's 12th most ...

, the son of John Godfried Koch, a local

proctor Proctor (a variant of ''procurator'') is a person who takes charge of, or acts for, another. The title is used in England and some other English-speaking countries in three principal contexts: * In law, a proctor is a historical class of lawye ...

and Angenita Dordthea Aldons. Koch originally qualified at the

Bengal Medical College , mottoeng = Humanity and Science , type = Public medical school , established = , founder = Lord William Bentinck , principal = Raghunath Mishra , faculty = ...

in Calcutta before obtaining his

Doctorate in Medicine A doctorate (from Latin ''docere'', "to teach"), doctor's degree (from Latin ''doctor'', "teacher"), or doctoral degree is an academic degree awarded by universities and some other educational institutions, derived from the ancient formalism ''li ...

from the

University of Aberdeen The University of Aberdeen ( sco, University o' 'Aiberdeen; abbreviated as ''Aberd.'' in List of post-nominal letters (United Kingdom), post-nominals; gd, Oilthigh Obar Dheathain) is a public university, public research university in Aberdeen, Sc ...

. In July 1862 he entered the Ceylon Medical Service and was a surgeon at the

Colombo General Hospital The National Hospital of Sri Lanka (sometimes General Hospital) is a government hospital in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Founded in 1864 as the General Hospital, it is the leading hospital in Sri Lanka and is controlled by the central government. The hospi ...

(now known as the 'National Hospital'). Koch was one of the first lecturers at the Colombo Medical School when it opened in 1870 and succeeded Dr. James Loos as principal in 1875. On 20 December 1877 he died of

sepsis Sepsis, formerly known as septicemia (septicaemia in British English) or blood poisoning, is a life-threatening condition that arises when the body's response to infection causes injury to its own tissues and organs. This initial stage is follo ...

from a wound he received whilst performing an

autopsy An autopsy (post-mortem examination, obduction, necropsy, or autopsia cadaverum) is a surgical procedure that consists of a thorough examination of a corpse by dissection to determine the cause, mode, and manner of death or to evaluate any di ...

. He is recorded to have been "a bold Surgeon, a successful Physician and an expert Obstetrician". Through the efforts of Dr. J. L. Vanderstraaten (one of the other lecturers at Colombo Medical School) Rs 3,000 was raised by public subscription for the construction of a

clock tower Clock towers are a specific type of structure which house a turret clock and have one or more clock faces on the upper exterior walls. Many clock towers are freestanding structures but they can also adjoin or be located on top of another buildi ...

, with Sir James Longden, the

Governor A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...

at the time, on behalf of the government, donating the clock, which cost Rs. 5,000. The plaque on the clock tower carries the inscription: "In memory of E. L. Koch, M.D. Principal Medical College Erected by Public Subscription and Civic Medical Officers 1881". The clock and tower were recently restored with gratitude for great genes by the great great grand children of E.L. Koch. Professor Philippa Marrack. F.R.S. AND Dr John E Marrack.

References

History of the Faculty of Medicine
{{coord missing, Sri Lanka Buildings and structures in Colombo Monuments and memorials in Sri Lanka Clock towers in Sri Lanka Towers completed in 1881 University of Colombo British colonial architecture in Sri Lanka 1881 establishments in Ceylon