Notes about a house occupied by Harold Earl Coles, Melbourne optician, and biographical information about him
 Catalogue Number: 2682 Notes about a house occupied by Harold Earl Coles, Melbourne optician, and biographical information about him Category: Papers Sub-Category: Letter, notes, memos Author: SYMON Bruce Year Of Publication/Manufacture: 2001 Time Period: 21st C Place Of Publication/Manufacture: Melbourne Publisher/Manufacturer: Unpublished Description Of Item: Two A4 pages of typescript dated 20 July 2001, headed 'To whom it may concern' and signed off on the second page by (Mr) Bruce Symon, following which are four pages the first of which is headed 'History of the house'. The first page in this stapled bundle of pages is a letter from John McGibbony to Pam (Sutton) dated June 17. 2014, which is the covering letter for the donation of the pages to the Kett Museum. On the page headed 'History of the house' is reference to Harold Earl Coles, optician, the owner of the house at 839 Park Street, Brunswick from 1933 and there is biographical material for Earl Coles on this and the following page. Historical Significance: This document provides biographical information about Earl Coles (d1961), who founded Coles and Garrard, in 1924 (?1922( and which became the largest firm of optometrists in Melbourne in the 1940s and 1950s. It was taken over by OPSM in 1988 for $14.6 million, and soon after ceased trading under the original name. The Luxottica Group acquired OPSM in 2003. There is always a bigger fish. Earl Coles was a foundation member of the Opticans Registration Board in 1936. He is standing second from the left in the picture of the foundation Board (Picture is Cat no. 111). Coles was the leading person opposing the regulation of advertising by optometrists and when they were introduced in the 1970s his firm used the tactic of separating the consulting and dispensing functions of its business to evade the advertising restrictions . How Acquired: Donated by John McGibbony, Melbourne optometrist Date Acquired: June 2013 Condition: Good Location: Archive office. Pamphlet and ephemera filing cabinet. Drawer 6 |