Herbert James Bowkett Coe QSO (1917 - 2003)

Born 26 Sep 1917 in Timaru, Canterbury, New Zealand

Ancestors

Died 17 Dec 2003 at age 86 in Waikanae, Kapiti, Wellington, New Zealand

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Biography

Herbert James Bowkett Coe - known as James or Jim - was born in Timaru on 26 September 1917 to Fred Coe and Druce Coe (née Bowkett). ^[1]

Jim received formal art training at the Canterbury University College School of Art, but developed his own style, which departed from conventional painting traditions. His training was interrupted by the Second World War.

Jim served in the Pacific, with the Third Division, Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force. His primary military service was in the Solomon Islands, where he commanded a platoon in C Company.

During the war Jim would sketch portraits of soldiers for them to send them home to their family and friends. His experience in the Solomons formed the subject of his four paintings held in the National Collection of War Art, which were painted after his return to New Zealand in 1946. Two of these were purchased for the Exhibition of Official War Paintings by New Zealand Artists in 1952. The other two were donated to Archives New Zealand in 1995.

After the war, Jim was seconded to the Department of Education to establish an art scheme for secondary schools. He set up the pilot programme at Hutt Valley High School and was then recruited to become the head of the Hutt Valley High School art department from 1945-1959.

In 1959, Jim took up the position of art school director at Wellington Technical College and in the following years helped to establish and lead the new School of Design as part of Wellington Polytechnic. He developed a keen interest in anatomy and anatomical drawing which led to a passion for ergonomics. From 1962 he was the head of the Wellington Polytechnic School of Design, and educated design students in New Zealand about the science of ergonomics. He established a laboratory at the school for testing, measuring and recording data. In 1983 he was appointed to a teaching position in ergonomics at Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology in Melbourne.

In 1981, he was appointed a Companion of the Queen's Service Order for public services.

Jim passed away in 2003, aged 86. He was survived by his wife Jemi and their children Averil and Geoffrey. He ashes are buried in Waikanae. ^[2]

In 2007, the James Coe Centre was opened at TheNewDowse in Lower Hutt.

Sources

1. ↑ "Births, Deaths & Marriages Online", [digital index], New Zealand Department of Internal Affairs (www.bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz), Birth Registration of Herbert James Coe, child of Frederick Ellis and Drucilla; citing Birth Certificate 1917/28714 .
2. ↑ Herbert James Bowkett Coe BIRTH unknown DEATH 17 Dec 2003 BURIAL Waikanae Cemetery Waikanae, Kapiti Coast District, Wellington, New Zealand PLOT AGD 14, Ashes, Find A Grave: Memorial #124531471

• http://warart.archives.govt.nz/HerbertJamesBowkettCoe
• Undated Document written by Pauline (Grayburn) Jones.
• NZ newspaper clipping, undated, titled "Human factors engineer leaves his designer mark" by Michael Smythe.
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Coe