Percy Coleman
Encyclopedia
Percy Edmund Creed Coleman (23 October 1892 – 25 May 1934) was an Australia
n union organiser and politician. Born at Surry Hills
in Sydney to Thomas Coleman and Ellen, née Creed, Coleman was orphaned when still a young child and, after a New Zealand
education, went to sea at the age of 13. After three years, he was a clerk with the Sydney branch of the Federated Seamen's Union of Australasia, and by 1916 he was general secretary of the United Clerks' Union of New South Wales.
, Coleman enrolled with the Australian Imperial Force
in February 1918 and served with the Army Service Corps in France
and England
. Having been promoted to temporary sergeant by 1919, he became attached to Australia House
as a lecturer. He was discharged from the armed forces in April 1920.
as a lecturer in 1920, and returned as secretary of the renamed Australian Clerical Association, a post he retained until 1922. He was also a founder and secretary of the Australian Alliance of Professional, Clerical and Government Employees' Associations.
Coleman's standing in the union movement led him to be selected as the Labor
candidate for the new seat of Reid
in 1922, an endeavour in which he was successful. He became known as a strong supporter of the League of Nations
. Despite some negative publicity, during which he was called before a royal commission to testify with regard to apparent bribes made to some Labor members, Coleman easily held his seat in 1925 and 1929.
Although he did not rise to become a minister in James Scullin
's government, Coleman was appointed as the Australian representative at the International Labour Conference and the League of Nations Mandates Commission meeting in Geneva, as well as the British Commonwealth Labour Conference in London
. He was again embroiled in controversy when he was accused of accepting a ₤500 bribe during an enquiry into the broadcasting stations, but was cleared of all charges. In 1931, Coleman, who had remained loyal to Scullin's Labor, was defeated in his seat by the Lang Labor
candidate, Joseph Gander
, and became a strong opponent of Jack Lang
's "dictatorship" in New South Wales
. Although he attempted to re-enter parliament via a by-election for the seat of East Sydney
in 1932, he was forced to withdraw due to sickness, and was also narrowly unsuccessful in his bid to enter the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
by contesting Lang's own seat of Auburn. Admitted to the bar in 1933, he became president of the New South Wales (Federal) branch of the Australian Labor Party, but died unexpectedly on 25 May 1934 while in a car at Concord
. It was later determined that the cause was heart disease
.
Coleman had married Elsie Allen Victoria Prince on 17 December 1921 in Sydney; he was survived by her and their daughter.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n union organiser and politician. Born at Surry Hills
Surry Hills, New South Wales
Surry Hills is an inner-city suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Surry Hills is located immediately south-east of the Sydney central business district in the local government area of the City of Sydney...
in Sydney to Thomas Coleman and Ellen, née Creed, Coleman was orphaned when still a young child and, after a New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
education, went to sea at the age of 13. After three years, he was a clerk with the Sydney branch of the Federated Seamen's Union of Australasia, and by 1916 he was general secretary of the United Clerks' Union of New South Wales.
Military service
Despite his opposition to conscriptionConscription
Conscription is the compulsory enlistment of people in some sort of national service, most often military service. Conscription dates back to antiquity and continues in some countries to the present day under various names...
, Coleman enrolled with the Australian Imperial Force
Australian Imperial Force
The Australian Imperial Force was the name given to all-volunteer Australian Army forces dispatched to fight overseas during World War I and World War II.* First Australian Imperial Force * Second Australian Imperial Force...
in February 1918 and served with the Army Service Corps in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. Having been promoted to temporary sergeant by 1919, he became attached to Australia House
Australia House
The High Commission of Australia in London is housed in Australia House, a building that also accommodates other Australian federal and state government agencies, including the Menzies Centre for Australian Studies, part of King's College London....
as a lecturer. He was discharged from the armed forces in April 1920.
Politics
Coleman toured the United States of AmericaUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
as a lecturer in 1920, and returned as secretary of the renamed Australian Clerical Association, a post he retained until 1922. He was also a founder and secretary of the Australian Alliance of Professional, Clerical and Government Employees' Associations.
Coleman's standing in the union movement led him to be selected as the Labor
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
candidate for the new seat of Reid
Division of Reid
The Division of Reid is an Australian Electoral Division in the state of New South Wales. It is located in the western suburbs of Sydney, and includes the suburbs of Abbotsford, Auburn , Berala , Breakfast Point, Burwood , Cabarita, Canada Bay, Chiswick, Concord, Concord West, Croydon , Drummoyne,...
in 1922, an endeavour in which he was successful. He became known as a strong supporter of the League of Nations
League of Nations
The League of Nations was an intergovernmental organization founded as a result of the Paris Peace Conference that ended the First World War. It was the first permanent international organization whose principal mission was to maintain world peace...
. Despite some negative publicity, during which he was called before a royal commission to testify with regard to apparent bribes made to some Labor members, Coleman easily held his seat in 1925 and 1929.
Although he did not rise to become a minister in James Scullin
James Scullin
James Henry Scullin , Australian Labor politician and the ninth Prime Minister of Australia. Two days after he was sworn in as Prime Minister, the Wall Street Crash of 1929 occurred, marking the beginning of the Great Depression and subsequent Great Depression in Australia.-Early life:Scullin was...
's government, Coleman was appointed as the Australian representative at the International Labour Conference and the League of Nations Mandates Commission meeting in Geneva, as well as the British Commonwealth Labour Conference in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. He was again embroiled in controversy when he was accused of accepting a ₤500 bribe during an enquiry into the broadcasting stations, but was cleared of all charges. In 1931, Coleman, who had remained loyal to Scullin's Labor, was defeated in his seat by the Lang Labor
Lang Labor
Lang Labor was the name commonly used to describe three successive break-away sections of the Australian Labor Party, all led by the New South Wales Labor leader Jack Lang premier of NSW .-Initial opposition to Lang's leadership:...
candidate, Joseph Gander
Joseph Gander
Joseph Herbert Gander was an Australian politician. Born in Dubbo, New South Wales, Australia, he received a primary education before becoming a billiardmaker and public servant. He was involved in local politics in Sydney, being elected to Newtown Council...
, and became a strong opponent of Jack Lang
Jack Lang (Australian politician)
John Thomas Lang , usually referred to as J.T. Lang during his career, and familiarly known as "Jack" and nicknamed "The Big Fella" was an Australian politician who was Premier of New South Wales for two terms...
's "dictatorship" in New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
. Although he attempted to re-enter parliament via a by-election for the seat of East Sydney
Division of East Sydney
The Division of East Sydney was anAustralian Electoral Division in New South Wales. The division was created in 1900 and was one of the original 75 divisions contested at the first federal election. It was abolished in 1969. It was named for the suburb of East Sydney. It was located in the inner...
in 1932, he was forced to withdraw due to sickness, and was also narrowly unsuccessful in his bid to enter the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
New South Wales Legislative Assembly
The Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of New South Wales, an Australian state. The other chamber is the Legislative Council. Both the Assembly and Council sit at Parliament House in the state capital, Sydney...
by contesting Lang's own seat of Auburn. Admitted to the bar in 1933, he became president of the New South Wales (Federal) branch of the Australian Labor Party, but died unexpectedly on 25 May 1934 while in a car at Concord
Concord, New South Wales
Concord is a suburb in the inner west of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is located 15 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Canada Bay....
. It was later determined that the cause was heart disease
Heart disease
Heart disease, cardiac disease or cardiopathy is an umbrella term for a variety of diseases affecting the heart. , it is the leading cause of death in the United States, England, Canada and Wales, accounting for 25.4% of the total deaths in the United States.-Types:-Coronary heart disease:Coronary...
.
Coleman had married Elsie Allen Victoria Prince on 17 December 1921 in Sydney; he was survived by her and their daughter.