C. Mathew & Co.

About Us & Our History

"Necessarily in connection with the shipping of so important a port as Colombo there is a large field for the business of ship chandlers and stevedores ; and Messrs. C. Mathew & Co., the leading local firm in this line, conduct operations on an extensive scale. This business was established nearly a hundred years ago on the present site, near the British India Hotel, in the Fort of Colombo, by a Mr. Bastian. It came into possession of the Mathew family some fifty years ago ; and Mr. C. Mathew, the father of the present owner, dies in 1892. His son, Mr. C. J. Mathew, who was born in 1875, at Galle and educated at the Royal College at Colombo, in 1892 took over his father’s business in Canal Row, where the present fine buildings of the firm were erected in 1896. Mr. Mathew employs about 600 hands, and stevedores for the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company, Messrs. Delmege, Reid & Co., Delmege, Forsyth & Co., Skrine & Co., Clark, Young & Co., and several other steamship lines”

Wright, Arnold. [1907], Twentieth Century Impressions of Ceylon

After ceasing to trade in the early 21st century, the company was re-established by C. Palitha J. W. Mathew and his family. Mr. C. J. Mathew and Mr. C. A. Mathew are Mr. Palitha Mathew’s grand father and father respectively.

C. Mathew & Co., a family business is currently owned by Mr. Palitha Mathew and his family.

The primary business activities of C. Mathew & Co. are providing advisory services in legal and corporate areas.