Joseph Coates
Encyclopedia
Joseph Coates was an English
-born Australia
n schoolmaster and cricketer.
, Yorkshire
, England
, the son of Joseph, a cordwainer, and his wife Ellen. While at Huddersfield College
he gained medals for mathematics and classics and matriculated to the University of London
.
in 1864 and became an assistant master at the newly founded Newington College
, Sydney
. In 1873 he moved to Fort Street School
and after serving in schools at West Maitland
and William Street, Sydney
he became headmaster of Fort Street in 1876. He served only six months at Fort Street before briefly visiting England and in 1877 succeeding Dr Michael Howe as headmaster of Newington. During his six years there the college moved in 1880 from Silverwater
to Stanmore
and enrolments trebled. Under Coates's guidance the college established a high reputation for sport and for scholarship. He was the first captain in its cadet corps, and it is claimed that in 1869 Newington became the first Australian school to play Rugby union
. Coates played in both the Rugby and cricket teams and was an important influence on two Old Newingtonians who were early members of the Australian cricket team
- Tom Garrett
and Edwin Evans
. In September 1883 he successfully applied for the headmastership of the newly founded Sydney Boys' High School. Of the six public high schools begun in 1883 only three survived their early years, and the success of Sydney Boys' High School was due in large measure to Coates's dedication, leadership and inspiration. Several country boys were able to attend the school only because he took them as boarders in his own home. Despite a reputation as a stern disciplinarian he was highly esteemed and respected by his pupils, who responded to his deep knowledge of boys and to his rare gift for teaching. In 1892 High moved from Elizabeth Street, Sydney
to a new site at Ultimo
. Coates retired in June 1896 and after two severe strokes died at his home in Paddington
.
in Australia. He was a founder and benefactor of the New South Wales Cricket Association
and an original life member of the Sydney Cricket Ground
.
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...
-born 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 schoolmaster and cricketer.
Early life
Coates was born in HuddersfieldHuddersfield
Huddersfield is a large market town within the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees, in West Yorkshire, England, situated halfway between Leeds and Manchester. It lies north of London, and south of Bradford, the nearest city....
, Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
, 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...
, the son of Joseph, a cordwainer, and his wife Ellen. While at Huddersfield College
Huddersfield New College
Huddersfield New College is a former grammar school and current sixth form college located in Salendine Nook on the outskirts of Huddersfield, in the English county of West Yorkshire. The current Principal is Angela Williams.-Admissions:...
he gained medals for mathematics and classics and matriculated to the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
.
School Master
Instead of taking up his university place Coates sailed to New South WalesNew 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...
in 1864 and became an assistant master at the newly founded Newington College
Newington College
Newington College is an independent, Uniting Church, day and boarding school for boys, located in Stanmore, an inner-western suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia....
, Sydney
Sydney
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...
. In 1873 he moved to Fort Street School
Fort Street High School
Fort Street High School is a co-educational, academically selective, public high school currently located at Petersham, an inner western suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia....
and after serving in schools at West Maitland
Maitland, New South Wales
Maitland is a city in the Lower Hunter Valley of New South Wales, Australia and the seat of Maitland City Council, situated on the Hunter River approximately by road north of Sydney and north-west of Newcastle...
and William Street, Sydney
William Street, Sydney
William Street is a major thoroughfare in Sydney, Australia. It runs from Kings Cross to Hyde Park where it turns into Park Street. The street forms the border between the two suburbs of Woolloomooloo and Darlinghurst. Today the newly completed Cross City Tunnel follows much of the route of William...
he became headmaster of Fort Street in 1876. He served only six months at Fort Street before briefly visiting England and in 1877 succeeding Dr Michael Howe as headmaster of Newington. During his six years there the college moved in 1880 from Silverwater
Silverwater, New South Wales
Silverwater is a suburb in western Sydney, in the state of New South Wales Australia. Silverwater is located 20 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of Auburn Council....
to Stanmore
Stanmore, New South Wales
Stanmore is a suburb in the inner-west of Sydney, in New South Wales, Australia. Stanmore is located 6 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district and is part of the local government area of Marrickville Council.-History:...
and enrolments trebled. Under Coates's guidance the college established a high reputation for sport and for scholarship. He was the first captain in its cadet corps, and it is claimed that in 1869 Newington became the first Australian school to play Rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
. Coates played in both the Rugby and cricket teams and was an important influence on two Old Newingtonians who were early members of the Australian cricket team
Australian cricket team
The Australian cricket team is the national cricket team of Australia. It is the joint oldest team in Test cricket, having played in the first Test match in 1877...
- Tom Garrett
Tom Garrett
Thomas William Garrett was an early Australian Test cricketer and, later, a distinguished public servant.-Early life:...
and Edwin Evans
Edwin Evans
Edwin Evans was an Australian cricketer who played in six Tests between 1881 and 1886.Born in Emu Plains, New South Wales and educated at Newington College , Evans was an off spinner with an ability to consistently land the ball wherever he wanted to and had some success in Australian first-class...
. In September 1883 he successfully applied for the headmastership of the newly founded Sydney Boys' High School. Of the six public high schools begun in 1883 only three survived their early years, and the success of Sydney Boys' High School was due in large measure to Coates's dedication, leadership and inspiration. Several country boys were able to attend the school only because he took them as boarders in his own home. Despite a reputation as a stern disciplinarian he was highly esteemed and respected by his pupils, who responded to his deep knowledge of boys and to his rare gift for teaching. In 1892 High moved from Elizabeth Street, Sydney
Elizabeth Street, Sydney
Elizabeth Street is a street in Sydney, Australia.-Description and history:Elizabeth Street runs south from Hunter Street, past Hyde Park and David Jones, Central station and through the inner city suburbs of Surry Hills, Redfern, Waterloo and Zetland...
to a new site at Ultimo
Ultimo, New South Wales
Ultimo is an inner-city suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Ultimo is located 2 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district in the local government area of the City of Sydney....
. Coates retired in June 1896 and after two severe strokes died at his home in Paddington
Paddington, New South Wales
Paddington is an inner-city, eastern suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Paddington is located 3 kilometres east of the Sydney central business district and lies across the local government areas of the City of Sydney and the Municipality of Woollahra...
.
Cricketer
Much of Coates's prestige with the boys derived from his prowess as a sportsman. To him a school was much more than an academy, and both at Newington and the High he gave every encouragement to sport, arranging matches with other schools and outside bodies. As captain of the New South Wales cricket team Coates played some thirty-two matches against other colonies and England. A sound batsman and fine slow bowler, he is credited with the introduction of the yorkerYorker
Yorker is a term used in cricket that describes a ball bowled which hits the cricket pitch around the batsman's feet. When a batsman assumes a normal stance this generally means that the cricket ball bounces on the cricket pitch on or near the batsman's popping crease...
in Australia. He was a founder and benefactor of the New South Wales Cricket Association
New South Wales Cricket Association
The New South Wales Cricket Association is a sporting club who administer cricket in New South Wales, based at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Their trading name is Cricket NSW....
and an original life member of the Sydney Cricket Ground
Sydney Cricket Ground
The Sydney Cricket Ground is a sports stadium in Sydney in Australia. It is used for Australian football, Test cricket, One Day International cricket, some rugby league and rugby union matches and is the home ground for the New South Wales Blues cricket team and the Sydney Swans of the Australian...
.
External links
- Dunlop, E.W. 'Coates, Joseph (1844 - 1896)', Australian Dictionary of BiographyAustralian Dictionary of BiographyThe Australian Dictionary of Biography is a national, co-operative enterprise, founded and maintained by the Australian National University to produce authoritative biographical articles on eminent people in Australia's history....
, Volume 3, MUP, 1969, pp 431-432. - CricketArchive Profile