Timothy Augustine Coghlan
Encyclopedia
Sir Timothy Augustine Coghlan KCMG
(9 June 1856 – 30 April 1926) was an Australia
n statistician, holding the post of New South Wales
government statistician for 19 years.
, the second son of Thomas Coghlan of Irish Roman Catholic
extraction. He was educated at Sydney Grammar School
and in 1873 joined the public works department, becoming assistant-engineer of harbours and rivers in 1884.
of Victoria had begun issuing at earlier dates. Other volumes issued by Coghlan included Handbook to the Statistical Register of the Colony of New South Wales, first issue 1886, and various pamphlets on statistical subjects. He was also the author of Picturesque New South Wales, a popular illustrated guide-book, and he collaborated with T. T. Ewing in The Progress of Australasia in the Nineteenth Century, published in 1903.
In 1905 Coghlan was appointed Agent-General for the state of New South Wales at London
and held the position until his death apart from three short breaks. Coghlan was well qualified for this role and to deal with the many loans floated in London. Coghlan also promoted emigration to Australia. He published in 1918 in four volumes his most important book, Labour and Industry in Australia from the first Settlement in 1788 to the Establishment of the Commonwealth in 1901. It is a history of labour, not a history of the labour movement, nor a history of Australia, but it should prove a mine of information for the future historian of Australia. It is especially valuable for its information about the prices of commodities and the consequent effect on the social life of the people. Coghlan was still carrying out his duties, and apparently in good health, when he died suddenly at London on 30 April 1926. His funeral was held at St Mary's, Cadogan Street; his remains are in a mausoleum at Kensal Green Cemetery
.
In 1897 he married Helen, daughter of D. C. Donnelly, M.L.A., who survived him with a son and a daughter. Coghlan was awarded the Imperial Service Order
in 1903, was knighted in 1914 and created K.C.M.G. in 1918.
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
(9 June 1856 – 30 April 1926) was an Australia
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 statistician, holding the post of 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...
government statistician for 19 years.
Early life
Coghlan was born in SydneySydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, the second son of Thomas Coghlan of Irish Roman Catholic
Irish Catholic
Irish Catholic is a term used to describe people who are both Roman Catholic and Irish .Note: the term is not used to describe a variant of Catholicism. More particularly, it is not a separate creed or sect in the sense that "Anglo-Catholic", "Old Catholic", "Eastern Orthodox Catholic" might be...
extraction. He was educated at Sydney Grammar School
Sydney Grammar School
Sydney Grammar School is an independent, non-denominational, selective, day school for boys, located in Darlinghurst, Edgecliff and St Ives, all suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia....
and in 1873 joined the public works department, becoming assistant-engineer of harbours and rivers in 1884.
Statistical career
When the New South Wales department of statistics was created, Coghlan was appointed government statistician and began his duties early in 1886. The appointment was much criticized, but Coghlan held the position for 19 years and showed great industry and ability. He published in 1887 the first issue of The Wealth and Progress of New South Wales which continued to appear almost at yearly intervals. The thirteenth issue covered the years 1900-1. In 1895 appeared Statistics of the Seven Colonies of Australasia 1861 to 1894, called in later issues A Statistical Account of the Seven Colonies of Australasia. These books vied in interest and value with the admirable works that Henry Heylyn HayterHenry Heylyn Hayter
Henry Heylyn Hayter CMG was an English-born Australian statisticianHayter was the son of Henry Hayter and his wife Eliza Jane née Heylyn...
of Victoria had begun issuing at earlier dates. Other volumes issued by Coghlan included Handbook to the Statistical Register of the Colony of New South Wales, first issue 1886, and various pamphlets on statistical subjects. He was also the author of Picturesque New South Wales, a popular illustrated guide-book, and he collaborated with T. T. Ewing in The Progress of Australasia in the Nineteenth Century, published in 1903.
Other work
Coghlan was also registrar of Friendly Societies from 1892 to 1905, a member of the public service board from 1896 to 1900, chairman of board of old age pensions 1901-5, and was president of the economics and statistics section at the 1902 meeting of the Australasian Association for the Advancement of Science.In 1905 Coghlan was appointed Agent-General for the state of New South Wales at 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...
and held the position until his death apart from three short breaks. Coghlan was well qualified for this role and to deal with the many loans floated in London. Coghlan also promoted emigration to Australia. He published in 1918 in four volumes his most important book, Labour and Industry in Australia from the first Settlement in 1788 to the Establishment of the Commonwealth in 1901. It is a history of labour, not a history of the labour movement, nor a history of Australia, but it should prove a mine of information for the future historian of Australia. It is especially valuable for its information about the prices of commodities and the consequent effect on the social life of the people. Coghlan was still carrying out his duties, and apparently in good health, when he died suddenly at London on 30 April 1926. His funeral was held at St Mary's, Cadogan Street; his remains are in a mausoleum at Kensal Green Cemetery
Kensal Green Cemetery
Kensal Green Cemetery is a cemetery in Kensal Green, in the west of London, England. It was immortalised in the lines of G. K. Chesterton's poem The Rolling English Road from his book The Flying Inn: "For there is good news yet to hear and fine things to be seen; Before we go to Paradise by way of...
.
In 1897 he married Helen, daughter of D. C. Donnelly, M.L.A., who survived him with a son and a daughter. Coghlan was awarded the Imperial Service Order
Imperial Service Order
The Imperial Service Order was established by King Edward VII in August 1902. It was awarded on retirement to the administration and clerical staff of the Civil Service throughout the British Empire for long and meritorious service. Normally a person must have served for 25 years to become...
in 1903, was knighted in 1914 and created K.C.M.G. in 1918.