Sir George James "G.J" Coles, CBE was an Australian entrepreneur. He was the founder of what was to become the Coles Group retail shopping empire, at one time the largest chain store group in Australia, before Woolworths Supermarkets.
Early life
Born in Jung Jung, Victoria to shopkeeper George W. Coles and Elizabeth Mary Coles , the first of ten children; he was educated at Beechworth College. His mother died following the birth of her eleventh child in 1900.
Personal life
His father married Ann Cameron "Annie" Topp of Buninyong on 20 August 1902 and sold his shop, measuring, in the Victorian country town of St James to eldest son George in 1910 for £4500, he then moved to Wilmot, Tasmania, where he opened yet another shop.
Business career
In 1914, with brothers Jim and Arthur and capital of £2000, he opened his first shop in Smith Street, Collingwood with the slogan "Nothing over a shilling", which in the early 1930s became "Nothing over 2/6d" Brother Arthur enlisted with the AIF shortly after Australia joined the "Great War". He was twice wounded and was repatriated in 1916. George enlisted with the 60th Battalion of the AIF in March 1917 and fought in France as a lance corporal. Brothers Jim and David were killed during the conflict. Their uncle Jim helped manage the store during their absences.
Brothers
Sir George James "G.J." Coles. George purchased his father's shop in 1910 after having worked in Melbourne and the country for a few years. In 1914, after a trip to the United States of America and Britain, he opened another store in Collingwood, modelling it after the American and British methods of retailing.
Sir Arthur William "A.W." Coles joined the 6th Battalion in August 1914. He was twice wounded in action and was repatriated in 1916. He momentarily displaced George as chairman in 1936 in a coup and was made managing director. He was elected Lord Mayor of Melbourne in 1938 and re-elected twice. He was appointed to a number of highly public organisations and was knighted in 1960.
David Henry Coles had little to do with the business; he moved to Wilmot, Tasmania with his father after George took over the business. He served in Belgium with the 10th Field Artillery Brigade during World War I and died of wounds.
Sir Frank "K.F." Coles was knighted in 1957, henceforth known as "Sir Kenneth". He retired from the board in 1976
Sir Edgar Barton Coles "E.B." first secretary of G. J. Coles Ltd, drove much of the company's expansion and entry into television advertising. He was knighted in 1959.
Sir Norman Cameron "N.C." Coles was born to George 's second wife Ann Cameron, née Topp, in Victoria but was mostly educated in Tasmania. He joined G. J. Coles & Coy. Ltd in 1924 and became managing director 1967 – 1975. He was chairman of the board from 1968, and deputy chairman of K-mart Ltd. from 1967. He was knighted in 1977.
Post-war expansion
In 1924 they opened the store at Deva House, Bourke Street, Melbourne. Brothers Edgar, Kenneth and Norman had joined the Company. In 1927 they had nine stores, all in Victoria. In that year they first offered shares to the public. In 1938 G. J. Coles & Co. Ltd. had 86 stores across Australia and 168 in 1953. In 1976 G. J. Coles & Co. Ltd. had 576 stores and a staff of over 36,000 See Coles Group for a fuller history of the company, particularly its later developments.
Other
He was managing director of G. J. Coles & Co from 1923 to 1931, when, after some illness he handed the leadership role to Arthur, but remained as chairman of the board until 1956. He maintained membership of the board until 1976, when he retired. With his role in the company reduced, he was able to devote his time and energies to philanthropic and political causes. He was on the board of the Alfred Hospital and from 1933 its honorary treasurer. He was an active member of St John's Anglican Church in Toorak. He was an active member of Rotary and president of its Melbourne club in 1934. He helped found the Institute of Public Affairs, and was its president in 1965. He expounded on his philosophies in an interview in the . With fellow businessmen R. M. Williams and Sam Hordern he helped found the Equestrian Federation of Australia in 1951 to support Australia's 1956 Olympic Gamesequestrian team. Because of quarantine restrictions, these events were held in Stockholm, Sweden rather than the Olympic host city, Melbourne. He was on the board of the Victorian Hospitals and Charities Commission from 1935. He was on the board of the National Bank. He was an active member of the Royal Melbourne Golf Club and the Peninsula Golf Club, the Athenaeum Club, the Victoria Racing Club and the Melbourne Cricket Club.
