Anthony Oliphant

Sir Anthony Oliphant (17 November 1793 – 9 March 1859) was a Scottish lawyer who was the eighth Chief Justice of Ceylon.

Early life and family Oliphant was born in Forgandenny, Perthshire, the third of seven children of Ebenezer Oliphant of Condie House, and Mary Stirling. He was educated at the preparatory school, Hyde Abbey, near Winchester.

His eldest brother, Laurence Oliphant, 8th of Condie was Member of the House of Commons for Perth, whose son was General Sir Laurence Oliphant KCB KCVO, 9th of Condie. Another of Sir Anthony's brothers, Col. James Oliphant, was chairman of the Honourable East India Company, and a third brother was the artist and composer Thomas Oliphant, who wrote the words of "Deck the Hall(s) with Boughs of Holly", "Men of Harlech", "The Ash Grove" and accomplished many other works, including cataloguing the manuscript music at the British Museum and writing the chorale for the wedding of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra.

It is unknown whether Oliphant, like his younger brother Thomas, went to the nearby Winchester College. He was admitted to the bar in Edinburgh and then moved to London, where he was called to the Bar at Lincoln's Inn. Sir Anthony lived in Colombo, purchasing a property called 'Alcove,' in Captains Gardens, subsequently known as Maha Nuge Gardens in Colpetty. When the Oliphant family left Ceylon he sold it to Sir Harry Dias.