[1][2][3] Born on 20 December 1856 to T Martinus Pieris and Apolonia de Soysa,[4][5] a wealthy and a traditional ship-owning family, who faced comparative poverty 15 years later along with the death of his father.

[11] In 1892, as president of the Ceylon National Association (founded by Sir Charles Henry de Soysa), Peiris led the campaign to abolish the 'paddy (grain) tax', for which he was recognised by the Cobden Club.

[14] Though a reluctant politician at first, Peiris initiated constitutional reforms such as the abolition of the then system of racial representation and the introduction of the elective principle in place of nomination.

[17] Peiris was the chairman of the committee which was protesting the British Governor's handling of the riots and the unfair and discriminative treatment being meted out to Sinhala Buddhist leaders.

[16] Seeing the horror unleashed by the governor and his advisers, he initiated and drafted a memorandum in great secrecy supported by other prominent members of society to bring it to the attention of the King and His Majesty's Government.

[1][16] Peiris was appointed a justice of the peace for the whole island Govonor and was knighted in the 1925 Birthday Honours by King George V. He was the first Ceylonese occupant of Queens House as acting governor.

He was a Fellow of the Colonial Institute, a president of the Sinhalese Sports Club, founding secretary of the Royal College Union, member of the Orient Club,[28] founder of the Low-Country Products' Association, the Ceylon Social Service League, the Ceylon Social Reform Association and the Cheshire Home.

[12][30] Peiris is considered as one of the few distinguished Sri Lankan statesmen prior to its independence and is often referred to as the Father of Constitutional Reforms.

When his portrait was unveiled in Parliament, the then prime minister, S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike stated: "Like Moses, James Peiris brought his people within sight of the promised land, but did not live to see its fulfilment".