Bill Coglin '46

Written on the 1 May 2018 by Old Collegians Association

Bill Coglin 

Excerpt from 2008 Rostrevor Magazine

Michael Coglin, son of Bill Coglin, contacted Red & Black earlier this year to request any photographic records of Bill as a student at Rostrevor to be used in a special 80th birthday presentation. From this contact Red & Black sought some information on what Bill has been up to over the last 62 years! Thank you to Michael for sharing this profile. 

From the 1946 Annual: Bill Coglin.

Bill Coglin ('46) attended Rostrevor from Sturdee St., Linden Park in 1944. In his final year he was a Prefect and he won the Dr Jim Rice Memorial Prize for General Proficiency and was Dux of Maths, English and Science. As well as an outstanding academic aptitude, Bill excelled in sport representing the College at the highest level in Athletics, Football (Vice-Captain 1st XVIII 1946) and Tennis. From an early age Bill showed considerable sporting prowess, excelling in gymnastics, swimming, football and athletics. He considered his greatest achievements as being the only member of the gymnastic team who could chin the bar with one hand and his victory in the 1946 South Australian Junior Shot-Put Championship. Bill boasted of his latter achievement for years until his family found out that there was only a field of 2 entered, with the silver medal being won by a mate of Bill's named Feres lrabilsi who went on to become a ladies hairdresser in Adelaide. Bill married Judith nee Hickey (b. Melbourne 31 October 1930) in 1951 and graduated Melbourne University in 1952. After two years of postgraduate training at St Vincent's and the Royal Children's Hospitals he entered General Practice, initially in Coburg. In the mid 50's the family moved to East Malvern where he established a solo General Practice in the converted front two rooms of the family home with Judith as his practice Nurse/Manager. They moved to Mt Eliza in the mid 80's where Bill continued to practice part time in practices in Rosebud and Mornington until finally retiring in the late 90's after which they moved to Elsternwick where they are enjoying retirement. 

Bill became involved in the Kooyong Tennis Club in the 1960s and in 1976 was invited to accept the position of Honorary Medical Officer at Kooyong. At the time, medical facilities for members were nonexistent. Players and spectators in need of medical treatment during major tournaments were treated in an area beneath the stands surrounded by hessian screening. Bill was instrumental in setting up a permanent first aid room equipped with the latest and best equipment needed for the treatment of medical emergencies. Over the years the medical centre has been filled to capacity on many occasions during tournaments. Bill has provided 24-hour 7-day medical cover for spectators and players during the Australian Open, treating the likes of Lendl, Graf, Shriver, lvanisevic and Safin. 

From the 1946 Annual - · Representative Tennis Team
From Left: T Smith, J Walsh, W Coglin, R Pak Poy, W Pak Poy, J Carey, B Hockney, B Hynes

Michael went on to say..."After looking at some of the splendid photos from the 194S School magazine I did a bit of quick research on some of Dad's schoolmates".

Barry Hockney
I spoke to Barry Hockney who was in Dad's football and tennis teams. Barry left Rostrevor at the end of 1948. He entered the Duntroon Military Academy graduating in 1951. He was then sent by the Army to Adelaide University where he completed a Science degree before returning to Duntroon where he was based for 40 years, rising to the rank of Major General commanding Duntroon before his retirement in January 1987. He married and had a daughter who is a science teacher in Canberra. He lives in retirement at Mollymook Beach NSW.

Reg Pak Poy
Another contemporary was Reg Pak Poy. Reg died in 1990 and I have attached a short but very informative biography of him.
Reg attended Rostrevor College from 1942-48, where he did well academically, and was actively involved in a wide range of sporting activities. He commenced in medicine at the University of Adelaide in 1949 and in 1950 was a founding student at Aquinas College. In 1954 he was president of the Aquinas College Student Club. He had a distinguished academic career achieving an overall credit standard (the highest grade at the time) in each year or the course. He was awarded the Elder Prize in 1949, the Dr Davies Thomas Scholarship in 1951 and William Gardner Scholarship for Surgery in 1115 4. He showed a keen interest in research even as a student and in final year undertook a research project with Ross Adey, the eminent neurophysiologist who later worked at UCLA and NASA. After two years as an RM O at the Royal Adelaide Hospital he moved, in 1956, to a position in the Department of Pathology at the University of Adelaide with Professor Jim Robertson. Reg was one of the pioneers of biological electron microscopy in this country with his MD project Electron microscopical study of the comparative morphology and pathology of the vertebrate renal glomerulus', awarded in 1960. This work resulted in a string of significant publications. He spent a post-doctoral year in Lord Rosenheim's (qvl) Unit at University College Hospital, London, where he studied electrolyte physiology - publishing with Oliver Wrong on urinary PCO2 in renal disease. He returned to Australia to a position in the Department of Medicine at St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne in 1960 and further developed this work. With John Niall he published "Studies in familial hypokalemic periodic paralysis" in Australas Ann Med, 1966 15 352-8.

In 1964, Reg took up to a senior lectureship in the Pathology Department at the University of Adelaide, with a clinical attachment to the Royal Adelaide Hospital, where he established renal biopsies, and began a lifelong interest in undergraduate teaching.

From the 1946 Annual from Left: - Leaving Pass and Honours
Front Row: J Chigwidden. D McCormack, J McGrath. P Burton, B Carrington, P Broderick, J Reid. W Coglin, A Serradurra. B Hockney. G Anderson.
Second Row: J Michalanney, J Rundle, J Walsh. M O'Halloran. J Fox. L Johnson, P McComiack, A McBeath, R Nenke, P Telfer. B Head. B Leaney.
Third Row: C Siebert. J Rodger, G Cruttenden, A Carey, P Dowd. W Pak Poy, R Dean, D Kennedy. J White, M McCabe. M Henderson.
Fourth Row: J Tuohy. J Carey, B Neagle, G Johnston, B Donnelly, B Kelly. W Broderick, K Lee.

Unfortunately, in April of 1965, he had the first of several subarachnoid hemorrhages. which severely restricted his ability for research and clinical work. Despite persisting limitations from this illness, Reg directed his continuing enthusiasm into teaching, at which he was highly respected, mainly in small groups and mortuary demonstrations. He is warmly remembered by large numbers of graduates.

The magnitude of his contribution was appreciated even more when he retired, due to declining health, in 1990. Reg married Patricia Mary Holmes in 19S7 and they had four children, Anthony, Tim, Richard and Susan. His Catholic religion was central in Reg's life and he strove to practice Christian behaviour, in which he succeeded remarkably well. He was always one to make newcomers welcome and to avoid giving offence. He became more actively interested in Ignatian spirituality and contemplative prayer after his illness. and found a restless peace in these activities. He died suddenly, at home, from a presumed myocardial infarction.

Red and Black thanks Michael for his time in communicating this profile and wishes Bill well in his 80th year. Palma Merenti

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