Gordon Beckett

The Coghlan Factor Gordon Beckett

The second last volume in this twelve volume set describes and interprets the work of Timothy A. Coghlan. His best known work was the four-volume set of his 1918 published work, "Labour and Industry in Australia" based on his 'massive experience and research as administrator, commissioner and statistician' Far from being solely a history of workers and their rights and entitlements, and the growth of industries, his tremendous study is a fine economic history of the colonies of Australia between 1788 and 1901. The publisher's note to the first edition describes Coghlan as being born at Sydney in 1855 and educated at Cleveland Boys' School at Redfern, (Sydney) After working in various woolstores, he joined the NSW Public Works Department in 1873, and from 1886 to 1905 was the NSW. Government Statistician and Registrar of Friendly Societies in that colony. In his senior role, he supervised the censuses of 1891, 1900 and 1901. The 1900 census was supervised for the new Federal Government, following federation. "He was the author of a great many reports and studies arising from his seat on many commissions of inquiry"