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The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Auckland Provincial District]

Mr. George Alexander Coles

Mr. George Alexander Coles, the Senior Partner, is a native of Northamptonshire, the great boot manufacturing centre of England. Mr. Coles was educated at the Wellingborough Grammar School, and apprenticed to Messrs Sharman and-Ekins, of the same place. His apprenticeship was completed in 1871, and he afterwards worked as a journeyman with prominent firms in England. He was for seven years in business in Wellingborough as a manufacturer, but sold out, sailed for New Zealand, and arrived in Christchurch in the year 1882. On landing he was engaged by Messrs Toomer Bros., with whom he stayed one year, but left under an engagement for twelve months to Messrs W. Mc-Arthur and Co., of Auckland, as manager of their boot factory. [unclear: H]e found things very disorganised, but with his knowledge of the trade, and by unremitting energy, he made the firm's factory the leading business of its kind in the North Island during his short term as manager, He afterwards transferred his services to the firm of Black and Co., but subsequently decided to start for himself, and he did so in 1885. When he began he employed only two or three hands, but he nevertheless founded in that way what is now the largest and best equipped boot factory in the North Island of New Zealand. Mr. Coles, by his extensive and practical knowledge of the trade, has done more than any other maker to improve the status of the boot trade in Auckland, and has demonstrated what an Auckland workman can do, the employees being nearly all native Aucklanders. Personally, and as president of the Auckland Boot Manufacturers' Association, he was recently—in conjunction with Mr. J. Trenwith, senior, and Mr. T. Hodgson—the means of bringing about a satisfactory settlement between masters and men in the Arbitration Court.