Coffey, Alfred Roland
Alfred Roland Coffey was born in Limerick in 1869. He migrated with his family to Melbourne in 1880. He was in America when his father died. Following his father's death, he returned to Australia to his uncle. After attending St. Aloysius' College, Sydney, Coffey passed the Senior Public Examinations and in 1887 he passed the University's Matriculation examination with Honours Class II in Mathematics. He was appointed to the clerical staff of the Education Department and spent his spare time studying drawing and painting at the Art Society's classes. In April 1898 he was appointed as teacher of art at Sydney Technical College and its Waverley and Granville branches. In 1918 he was appointed Instructor in Freehand Drawing in the University's Faculty of Architecture [Report of Senate for the year ending 1918, 1919 Calendar p. 646].
His death notice published in the Sydney Morning Herald on 21 November 1950, p5 reads: Alfred Coffey, Artist, Dies Mr. Alfred Roland Coffey, who was vice-president of the Royal Arts Society of N.S.W. for many years, died at his home at Woollahra on Sunday, aged 84. Four of his paintings and 10 etchings hang in the National Art Gallery. He was born in Limerick and migrated to Australia as a boy. The Commonwealth Government sent him as a delegate in 1912 to the International Art Congress in Dresden. On his return he was appointed teacher of art and lecturer on history of art at Sydney University. In 1921 he gave up art teaching to devote all his time to painting. Further sources: Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales Friday 27 June 1952 [Issue No.135] p. 2266; Private Notices. The Catholic Press (Sydney, NSW ) Saturday 17 December 1898 p. 25. Evening News (Sydney, NSW) Saturday 7 October 1922 p. 3 - UNIVERSITY NEWS TRAVELLING IN JAVA Mr. Coffey's Experiences Date of birth taken from University Art Collection site