He was born in the village of Botale in the Hapitigam Korale on October 20, 1882 to Don Spater Senanayake and Dona Catherina Elizabeth Perera Gunasekera Senanayake. Spater Senanayake had made his fortune in graphitemining and at the time he was expanding into plantations and investments in the arrack renting franchise, later he would be awarded the title of Mudaliyar for his philanthropy. F. R. Senanayake had an elder brother, Don Charles "D. C." Senanayake; a younger brother Don Stephen Senanayake and one sister, Maria Frances Senanayake who married F. H. Dias Bandaranaike. Educated at S. Thomas' College, Mutwal, Royal College, Colombo and Downing College, Cambridge, where he gained a BA and a LLB degree. Thereafter he became a barrister from the Lincoln’s Inn, London in 1905.
Law and business
On his return to Ceylon he took oath as an Advocate in the Supreme Court of Ceylon and started a legal practice in the criminal courts. Soon becoming disenchanted with the legal profession, he focused on his family plantation and mining business. These were expanded to the holding of his wife's family after his marriage.
An active social worker, F. R. Senanayake was elected to the Colombo Municipal Council from the Colpetty Ward in 1912. He retained his seat in the municipality until his death.
The three Senanayake brothers were involved in the temperance movement formed in 1912, lead by F. R. Senanayake. He was a founder of the Buddhist Theosophical Society with Colonel Henry Steel Olcott and became its President in 1914. Temperance movement actively campaigned against the Excise Ordinance and the government practice of Arrack renting, auctioning liquor licenses to open taverns and sell liquor locally. The practice brought in revenue to government coffers and was a profitable business for tavern owners leading to many business families establishing themselves. However it caused many social problems in local communities with whispered liquor addiction.
Arrest and imprisonment
When World War I broke out in 1914, the Senanayake brothers joined the Colombo Town Guard. The brothers were imprisoned without charges during the 1915 riots and faced the prospect of execution since the British Governor Sir Robert Chalmers considered the temperance movement as seditious and had its leaders imprisoned. He was released after 46 days he was released on a bail bound.
Politics
Although, capable of gaining membership to the Legislative Council of Ceylon, he didn't pressure a seat in the Legislative Council. He stood for and was elected to the Colombo Municipal Council in 1912 and held the seat till his death. He formed the Lanka Mahajana Sabha and assisted in the formation of the Young Men's Buddhist Association. He was a strong supporter for his brother D. S. Senanayake being elected unopposed to the Legislative Council from Negombo in 1924.
A statue of F. R. Senanayake has been erected in the Viharamahadevi Park facing the Colombo Town Hall. In the 2018 film Nidahase Piya DS about the life of his brother D S Senanayake, Palitha Silva played the role of FR Senanayake.
Personal life
Family
He married Ellen Attygalle, the youngest daughter of Mudaliyar Don Charles Gemoris Attygalle and they had six children; Richard Gotabhaya, Fredrick Tissa, Phyllis Nedra "Girlie", Swarna Neela, Chandra Upali, Rupawathi. His eldest son Richard Gotabhaya Senanayake went on to become a member of parliament and a Cabinet minister. His eldest daughter Phyllis Nedra "Girlie", married Siripala Samarakkody and Swarna Neela married his brother's younger son Robert Parakrama Senanayake. His brother-in-laws included Colonel T. G. Jayewardene and John Kotelawala Sr. He supported his sister-in-law, Alice Kotelawala after she became destitute following the death of her husband John Kotelawala Sr. He educated and cared for his nephews John Kotelawala and Justin Kotalawela.
Residence
Grassmere was the townhouse of F. R. Senanayake and R. G. Senanayake. The house was built by F. R. Senanayake in the exclusive neighborhood of Gregory's Road and moved in with his family from his family a rented home in Colombo. It was at Grassmere, Senanayake was taken into custody under martial law by Punjabi soldiers during the 1915 riots. Following Senanayake's sudden death in 1924, the house was inherited by his son R. G. Senanayake. Gregory's Road was renamed R. G. Senanayake Mawatha in 2013. Today the house hosts the Colombo branch of the Goethe-Institut.
