Harry Coyne

John Henry “Harry” Coyne (16 January 1865 – 12 June 1926) was an Australian politician who served as a Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly for the Electoral district of Warrego from 1908 until 1923.[1]

Harry Coyne
Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly for Warrego
In office 5 February 1908 – 31 July 1923
Preceded by	Patrick Leahy
Succeeded by	Randolph Bedford
Personal details
Born	John Henry Coyne 16 January 1865 Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Died	12 June 1926 (aged 61) Townsville, Queensland, Australia
Resting place	Toowong Cemetery
Nationality	Australian
Political party	Labor
Spouse(s)	Mary Elizabeth Gordon (m. 1894; his death)
Occupation	Shearer, Trade union organiser

Early life

John Henry Coyne was born on 16 January 1865 in Melbourne, Victoria, the son of John Henry Coyne and his wife Margaret (née Ryan).[2] He left school at 16 and took up fencing, shearing, woolpressing, and many other professions. After finding his feet, he moved to Eulo, Queensland in 1890. He then married Mary Elizabeth Gordon (née Heath), a widow and had six children with her.[3]

Politics

Harry Coyne was elected to the Queensland Legislative Assembly at the 1908 election in the electoral district of Warrego. He held the seat until he retired on 31 July 1923.[1][4] During that period, he was Chairman of Committees from 15 July 1915 to 12 October 1916, Secretary for Railways from 13 October 1916 to 30 April 1918, Secretary for Public Lands from 22 October 1919 to 12 November 1920, briefly Minister without Office from 12 November 1920 to 16 December 1920, and then again Secretary for Public Lands from 16 December 1920 to 2 July 1923.[1]

Harry Coyne was the chairman of a number of subcommittees of the Queensland War Council including those concerned with Anzac Cottage Trust and the commemoration of Anzac Day.[5][6] He was also involved in the construction of Anzac Avenue to Redcliffe.[7]

Later life

On 7 June 1926, Harry Coyne was the passenger in a taxi that hit an electric light pole outside the Excelsior Hotel in Flinders Street, Townsville; he was found lying in the street unconscious and was taken by ambulance to hospital where he was found to have a fractured skull.[8][9] Without having recovered consciousness, Harry Coyne died on 12 June 1926 surrounded by his family. The taxi driver Otto Korn was also hospitalised but survived.[2][10]

Harry Coyne was accorded the honour of a state funeral which was held at St Andrew's Presbyterian Church on the corner of Ann Street and Edward Street, Brisbane, on 16 June 1926, after which he was buried in Toowong Cemetery.[11][12]

See also

• Members of the Queensland Legislative Assembly, 1908–1909; 1909–1912; 1912–1915; 1915–1918; 1918–1920; 1920–1923; 1923–1926

References

1. "Part 2.15 – Alphabetical Register of Members of the Legislative Assembly 1860–2017 and the Legislative Council 1860–1922" (PDF). Queensland Parliamentary Record 2015–2017: The 55th Parliament. Queensland Parliament. Archived from the original on 26 April 2020. Retrieved 26 December 2014.CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
2. "Former Members". Parliament of Queensland. 2015. Archived from the original on 15 February 2015. Retrieved 15 February 2015.
3. Armstrong, John. "Coyne, John Harry (1865-1926)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Archived from the original on 28 February 2019. Retrieved 27 February 2019.
4. "Representatives of Queensland State Electorates 1860-2017" (PDF). Queensland Parliamentary Record 2012-2017: The 55th Parliament. Queensland Parliament. Archived from the original on 27 April 2020. Retrieved 26 December 2014.CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
5. "ANZAC COTTAGE OPENED". The Brisbane Courier. National Library of Australia. 16 December 1918. p. 6. Retrieved 29 December 2014.
6. "PERSONAL LINKS WITH THE PAST Notable Moments in the Nundah Cemetery". The Queenslander. National Library of Australia. 22 April 1922. p. 26. Archived from the original on 2 October 2020. Retrieved 29 December 2014.
7. "ANZAC MEMORIAL AVENUE FUND". The Brisbane Courier. National Library of Australia. 24 June 1922. p. 4. Archived from the original on 2 October 2020. Retrieved 29 December 2014.
8. "SERIOUS SMASH". The Cairns Post. Qld.: National Library of Australia. 8 June 1926. p. 4. Retrieved 28 December 2014.
9. "FRACTURED SKULL". Maryborough Chronicle, Wide Bay and Burnett Advertiser. Qld.: National Library of Australia. 8 June 1926. p. 6. Retrieved 28 December 2014.
10. "DEATH OF MR. COYNE". Townsville Daily Bulletin. Qld.: National Library of Australia. 14 June 1926. p. 4. Archived from the original on 2 October 2020. Retrieved 28 December 2014.
11. "THE LATE MR. COYNE". The Brisbane Courier. National Library of Australia. 15 June 1926. p. 14. Retrieved 29 December 2014.
12. "Coyne, John Henry". Grave Location Search. Brisbane City Council. Archived from the original on 29 December 2014. Retrieved 29 December 2014.