Guide to the Papers of Sir Arthur Coles, 1937-1978

Summary

Collection number:

MS 7296

Creator:

Sir Arthur Coles

Extent:

0.56 metres and (4 boxes)

Language:

English

Preferred citation:

Items from this collection should be cited as '[Title or description of manuscript item], MS 7296, National Library of Australia, Papers of Sir Arthur Coles, [box number and series and/or file number]'.

Availability:

Available

Access conditions:

Available for research. Not for loan.

Background

Content Summary:

The collection includes letters to Sir Arthur, newscutting books and loose cuttings, photographs, programmes, invitations, menus and various pamphlets collected by Sir Arthur. The papers relate to his period as Lord Mayor of Melbourne, his term as a Member of the House of Representatives, and his involvement with the War Damage Commission, the Commonwealth Rationing Commission, the British Commonwealth Pacific Airlines, the National Australian Airlines Commission, and the C.S.I.R.O.

Biographical Note:

Arthur William Coles was born in 1892 in Geelong, Victoria, and was educated at Geelong College. He served in the First World War, after enlisting as a private, and fought at Gallipoli and in France. After being wounded three times, he received his lieutenant's commission and returned to Australia in 1919.

After his return, Coles joined his uncle and two brothers in opening the first of the stores that were to become the Coles marketing chain. After the Coles Company was established in 1921, he helped build up the company and in 1928 he opened a Sydney store, which he managed for three years. During the years 1931-44, Coles was Managing Director of the Coles Company.

In 1938 Coles was elected Lord Mayor of Melbourne, having served as a Councillor for several years previously. He held the position for three terms until 1940, when he resigned to take up a seat in Parliament. In 1940 he ran for and won the seat of Henty (Victoria) as an independent. In 1941 he was one of two Independents who held the balance of power in the House of Representatives, and whose decision to vote against the Government toppled the Fadden Ministry.

Coles retired from the Coles Company in 1944, after becoming the Chairman of the Commonwealth Rationing Commission and the War Damage Commission. After completing the work of these two commissions, he resigned from Federal Parliament to chair the British Commonwealth Pacific Airlines and the Australian National Airlines Commission. In 1952 he was appointed Chairman of the Melbourne Olympic Games Committee, from which he resigned in 1953.

In 1956, Coles was appointed a part-time member of the Executive and Advisory Councils of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, from which he retired in 1965.

Coles married Lillian Knight in 1919, and had three sons and three daughters. He was knighted in 1960 and died in 1982.

References: Who's Who (1956)

Provenance:

The papers of Sir Arthur Coles were donated by his wife, Lady Coles, to the National Library after his death in 1982.

Indexed terms

Names:

Sir Arthur Coles

Conditions Governing Access:

Please refer to the collection's catalogue record for the access conditions (http://nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn2040360).

Conditions Governing Use:

Copying and publishing of unpublished manuscript material is subject to copyright restrictions.For such material, written permission to publish must be obtained from the copyright holder(s).Copying of unpublished material for research purposes is permissible 50 years after the death of the creator of the material.

Preferred citation:

Items from this collection should be cited as '[Title or description of manuscript item], MS 7296, National Library of Australia, Papers of Sir Arthur Coles, [box number and series and/or file number]'.

Location of this collection:

National Library of Australia

Parkes Place

Canberra ACT 2600, Australia

Contact:

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