kumari jayawardena, the sri lankan author, writing about the coreas observed: 'unconnected to the liquor trade but making their money on plantation ventures was the corea family of chilaw, an influential govigama group with a history going back to portuguese rule when they were warriors to sinhala kings. during dutch and british rule, members of the family were officials serving the state in various ways and rewarded with titles. some members of the family took to the legal and medical professions, most notably the sons of charles edward corea (a solicitor), who were active in local politics and in the chilaw association which campaigned against british land policies - especially the waste lands ordinance, and for political reforms. the most active of corea's sons was c.e. (charles edgar) who spoke up for peasant rights and was militant in his stand against the government. he was president of the ceylon national congress in 1924. c.e. corea's brother, alfred ernest, was a doctor and the youngest victor corea was a lawyer who achieved fame for leading a campaign (and going to jail) in 1922 to protest the poll tax on all males; he was the first president of the ceylon labour union led by a.e. goonesinha and was active in the ceylon labour party. while being professionals and political activists, the coreas were also important landowners. '