David William Coleman
Date of birth
1881
Date of death
13 Mar 1951
Place of birth
Biography
David William Coleman (1881 – 13 March 1951) was a New Zealand politician of the Labour Party.
He was born in London in 1881, and lived as a child and young man in Queensland. He worked as a carpenter and later as a furniture salesman. He joined the local debating society and maintained an interest in the vocation for the rest of his life.
In 1902, aged 21, he emigrated to New Zealand and first lived in Wellington, before moving to Gisborne where he established his own retail business. In 1904 he married Julia Jane Bigwood and had two children.
Political career
New Zealand Parliament
Years Term Electorate Party
1931–1935 24th Gisborne Labour
1935–1938 25th Gisborne Labour
1938–1943 26th Gisborne Labour
1943–1946 27th Gisborne Labour
1946–1949 28th Gisborne Labour
Coleman became secretary of the Poverty Bay Labourers' Union and then became secretary of the Gisborne branch of the Social Democratic Party (SDP). Coleman supported the merger of the SDP into the New Zealand Labour Party and was on the Labour Party's first national executive, serving on it and the Gisborne LRC for twenty-one years.
He was Mayor of Gisborne for two separate spells, from 1927–33 and 1935–41. He was likewise a member of the Cook Hospital Board, Poverty Bay Power Board and Gisborne Fire Board.
He represented the Gisborne electorate from 1931, having stood unsuccessfully in the 1925 election and the 1928 election. He retired in 1949 owing to ill health.
From 1942 until 1947 he was the Labour Party's junior whip. Coleman was then Parliamentary Under-Secretary to the Minister of Works from 1947 to 1949.
In 1935, he was awarded the King George V Silver Jubilee Medal.
Coleman died on 13 March 1951, aged 69, survived by his second wife, son and daughter. He was buried at Taruheru Cemetery, Gisborne. He had been predeceased by his wife, Julia Jane Coleman, in 1941.
accessed 12/08/2021 from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Coleman_(New_Zealand_politician)
"A Gisborneite for twenty years; originally as carpenter and builder, but latterly joined his father in "The Ark"; takes keen and active interest in Labor movement, being for some years prominent member of NZ Labor Party, and president of PB Representation Committee; member of National Executive, and appears with success in Arbitration Court. Represents Labor on the Borough Council and Hospital Board, where he always exhibits interest in civic matters. Sits on the Fire Board also, and a number of other minor bodies."
quoted from p 71 of 'Gisborne Carnival Week Souvenir Program' Feb 26th to Mar 5th 1923 [11784].
He was born in London in 1881, and lived as a child and young man in Queensland. He worked as a carpenter and later as a furniture salesman. He joined the local debating society and maintained an interest in the vocation for the rest of his life.
In 1902, aged 21, he emigrated to New Zealand and first lived in Wellington, before moving to Gisborne where he established his own retail business. In 1904 he married Julia Jane Bigwood and had two children.
Political career
New Zealand Parliament
Years Term Electorate Party
1931–1935 24th Gisborne Labour
1935–1938 25th Gisborne Labour
1938–1943 26th Gisborne Labour
1943–1946 27th Gisborne Labour
1946–1949 28th Gisborne Labour
Coleman became secretary of the Poverty Bay Labourers' Union and then became secretary of the Gisborne branch of the Social Democratic Party (SDP). Coleman supported the merger of the SDP into the New Zealand Labour Party and was on the Labour Party's first national executive, serving on it and the Gisborne LRC for twenty-one years.
He was Mayor of Gisborne for two separate spells, from 1927–33 and 1935–41. He was likewise a member of the Cook Hospital Board, Poverty Bay Power Board and Gisborne Fire Board.
He represented the Gisborne electorate from 1931, having stood unsuccessfully in the 1925 election and the 1928 election. He retired in 1949 owing to ill health.
From 1942 until 1947 he was the Labour Party's junior whip. Coleman was then Parliamentary Under-Secretary to the Minister of Works from 1947 to 1949.
In 1935, he was awarded the King George V Silver Jubilee Medal.
Coleman died on 13 March 1951, aged 69, survived by his second wife, son and daughter. He was buried at Taruheru Cemetery, Gisborne. He had been predeceased by his wife, Julia Jane Coleman, in 1941.
accessed 12/08/2021 from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Coleman_(New_Zealand_politician)
"A Gisborneite for twenty years; originally as carpenter and builder, but latterly joined his father in "The Ark"; takes keen and active interest in Labor movement, being for some years prominent member of NZ Labor Party, and president of PB Representation Committee; member of National Executive, and appears with success in Arbitration Court. Represents Labor on the Borough Council and Hospital Board, where he always exhibits interest in civic matters. Sits on the Fire Board also, and a number of other minor bodies."
quoted from p 71 of 'Gisborne Carnival Week Souvenir Program' Feb 26th to Mar 5th 1923 [11784].
